After his desire to ‘be smart’ is picked up by a teacher at adult education college, Charlie is chosen to be the first human to try an experimental operation to increase his intelligence, following its apparent success in a mouse called Algernon. He had a terrible childhood as his mother abused him and locked him away, not being able to accept a ‘moron’ as her son. He works a menial job at a bakery, where he is mocked by those he thinks are his friends. The story is narrated by Charlie Gordon, a man with a low IQ who is eager to learn but the knowledge never sticks. Other themes include dysfunctional families, the joy of learning and the brevity of life. Although categorised as science fiction, it’s more about emotional trauma and the need for people to be treated equally, regardless of intellectual ability. I first read it a few years ago and on re-reading recently I appreciated it even more.
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