The Three Two Blind Mice

The Three Two Blind Mice

We all have someone we consider a friend. However, our opinion on the meaning of the word ‘friend’ is something unique to us and only us. In the story Flowers for Algernon, we follow Charlie Gordon and his unconventional best friend Algernon, who happens to be a mouse. While it may seem the two could not be more different, Algernon is Charlie’s living parallel and the physical embodiment of his inner emotions. As he is the only being Charlie can sympathize with, they start to become inseparable.

Charlie is a 32 year-old ‘retardate’ who has undergone an operation to raise his IQ. Prior to this, Algernon also had surgery to increase his intelligence. This common experience has made them parallels to one another, meaning that any behaviour one of them presents can be assumed to eventually show itself in the other. This idea plays a key role in the book. For example, when Algernon starts to lose his intelligence, it is a sign that in the near future, Charlie will fall to the same fate. In a sense, looking at Algernon is looking into Charlie’s future; and by being able to see a glimpse into his future, Charlie is able to find new ways to look at a problem and overcome various obstacles.

Imagine you are the only person on Earth to go through a life-changing experience; with no one to relate to, and no one to understand you. That is what life is like for Charlie Gordon. He constantly references the fact that nobody but him knows what it is like for the intelligence you strived so hard to achieve to slowly slip between your fingertips. You become helpless, disconnected, and lost. However, while Charlie may be the only person to know how he feels, he is not the only living being. Algernon also understands what Charlie is going through, and sympathizes with him. By seeing Algernon struggle, Charlie subconsciously pictures himself. Knowing how hard it can be, Charlie wishes to help Algernon. The mutual feelings