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Progess Report 1
Charlie Gordon is a 37 year-old man who has been told by a doctor to write a journal about what happens in his life. He begins in his journal with terrible spelling but an eager demeanor and a desire "to be smart"(p.371). -
Progress Report 4
Charlie finds out that Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss are going to "use" him. He is extremely excited says he is "gonna try to be smart...gonna try awful hard"(371). -
Progress Report 8
Chrlie has has the operation but says he does not feel any different. He goes back to work for the factory, but he can't tell anybody about the operation. The doctors are "gonna pay me mony every month for lerning to be smart".(376)He is irratated because he wants to become smart, and none of the doctors have been helping him with his tests The little mouse Algernon beats him in the maze every time. -
Progress Report 11
Charlie is improving in his work. he doesn't go back to the factory because he finds out that his friends were really only making fun of him. Even though that is horrible, he remains optimistic because he is getting smarter: " I know puctuation and I can smell good...and Miss Kinnian says i read very fast" (383). -
Progress Report 11
After Charlie gets a pay raise at the factory, he asks Miss Kinnian to come to dinner with him in celbration. Charlie finally got past the "ink-blot" test and is improving every day. Miss Kinnian says he is " acomplishing in days and weeks what it takes normal people to do in half a lifetime" (387). But she seems worried for him, also. -
Progress Report 12
Everyone at the factory signed a petition so that Charlie coul'nt work their anymore. He doesn't understand why. But one woman, Fanny, didn't sign. She doesnt think he should have to leave, but she doesnt think that his intelligence is right. Charlie now feels ashamed, even guilty. This new knowledge "has driven a wedge between me and all the people I once knew and loved." (389) -
Progress Report 12
Charlie has begun to notice new things with his knowledge. Dr. Nemur is not the genius Charlie once thought he was, and he feels that Dr.Strauss "might be called a genuis, although I (he) feel his areas of knowledge are too limited" (389). Dr. Nemur appears "uncomfortable" (390) around him. Charlie's knowledge is astounding and he can now speak many languages. His writing is so complex that he has to make it simpler in order for the doctors to understand. -
Progress Report 13
Algernon has ceased to complete the maze, he bites Charlie, he is "less co-operative,... general motivation has decreased... and he hasnt been eating" (393) Charlie knows what this means and how he is related to Algernon. but he has decied to continue on the doctor's work. -
Progress Report 13
Algernon has been changing slowly. Charlie went to visit him, and he bit him, he "is less co-operative; he refusess to run the mase anymore; genral motivation has decreased" (393). He has stopped eating. Both Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss must know what is happening, but they don't talk to Charlie about it. Charlie is aware what is happening, because Algernon and himself are both "the first of their kind" (393). he has decided to carry on their research. -
June 5
Charlie's research is finished. He has concluded that the "Algernon-Gordon Effect" (395) will result in mental deterioation. The 'artificially increased inellegence deteriorates at a rate of time directly proportionaal to the qauntity of the increase." (395) He writes a letter to Dr.Strauss asking for his research to be published, and he says this is where his part must end. -
June 15
Charlie has become very sensitive and is frogetting things that happened to him recently. He doesn't wan anyone to visit him but continues on writing his journal- because he knows it wll be important. He gets frustrated when he can't recall books, and "it's hard to throw off thought of suicide"(396). -
June 23
Charlie tells himself "I've got to fight"(396). He can hardly use his typewriter and must look in the dictionary for simple words. Dr.Strauss comes by to visit often, but Charle doesn't want to see him. He knows they all feel guilty. -
July 24
Charlie's landlady Mrs. Flynn has been very worried for him and has been helping him with his awful headaches: "she's a wonderful woman whenever someone is sick" (399). Mrs. Kinnian went to visit Charlie but he was to upset to see and told he to go away, and she cried and cried. Once a week he puts flowers on Algernons grave. Mrs. Flynn tells him he need to go to work in order to pay the rent. He goes back to the factory, and the people that used to make fun of him finally stand up for Charlie. -
July 28
Charlie says good-bye for good. He is leaving New York, where everybody feels sorry for him. He says "if I try reel hard Ill be a littel bit smarter than I was before the operashun" (401). He tells Miss Kinnian not to feel bad for him, because he acquired so much knowledge with the opportunity he was given. He says good- bye to everyone, and asks them to put some flowers on Algernon's grave.