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【读书笔记】无知是幸福吗?

网站:文库114 | 时间:2019-07-14 17:35:45 | 移动端:【读书笔记】无知是幸福吗?
  Summary

  01

  Charlie Gordon, a 32-year-old retardate with an I.Q. of 68 who worked happily at a bakery, was chosen for an experiment at Beekman College Center for Retarded Adults. The experiment was intended to increase the intelligence of individuals, so as to help retardates. Miss Kinnian believed that he had the motivation to learn, while Professor Nemur and Dr. Strauss who contrived the experiment carried out a series of tests to him.

  The experiment increased Charlie’s intelligence massively. He learned to read and write properly, and recalled tragic events from his childhood. His mother treated him horribly, punishing him for low intellectual ability and sexual development, even threatening his father with a knife to send Charlie away. He discovered that his coworkers at the bakery, who he once perceived as great friends, were using him and mocking him all the time. Charlie finally became so capable that he could read a page of book within a few seconds. His surprising intelligence made his coworkers feel inferior and fired him.

  Meanwhile, Charlie developed a loving relationship with Miss Kinnian. When retarded, his low intelligence made him unable to connect with her. With an unprecedentedly high IQ, he discovered that he still couldn’t deeply connect with her, as childhood memories haunted him. Miss Kinnian also said Charlie grew more arrogant and proud with his knowledge. He was no longer the straightforward and honest man he used to be.

  Mouse Algernon also underwent the same experiment. The two successful examples, Algernon and Charlie, were brought to a science convention in Chicago. Professor Nemur bragged about his success and spoke as if Charlie Gordon was just an empty body wandering around without a mind before his experiment. Irritated, Charlie freed Algernon from his cage and escaped from the convention secretly with it. After they escaped, he observed however that Algernon’s behavior became erratic, and that its intelligence started to decline. Algernon died a few days later. Charlie worked in the lab devotedly and discovered the “Algernon-Gordon Effect”, which confirmed that his own intelligence would also regress before long.

  Charlie visited his family, his father a barber who couldn’t recognize him, his mother a senile elder, and his sister now a responsible adult taking care of his mother. He made peace with his family and truly understood the memories that haunted him. As his intelligence decreased, he couldn’t remember what happened to him. He sat blankly in front of the TV all day and refused to meet Miss Kinnian. He went back to the bakery, retarded again; His coworkers protected him from those who wished to bully him. He lost the ability to read or write, and could remember only one thing: To leave some flowers on Algernon’s grave.

  Society and Retardates

  02

  Though ostensibly a fiction, the book could provoke thought in various fields. First and foremost, the author brings a realistic issue to spotlight:

  The society isn’t doing enough for retardates.

  In the novel, the situation of retardates, as well as those involved with retardates, all seem rather tragic. Intellectual disability tore Charlie’s whole family apart: His father accepted the cruel reality that not much could be done to solve Charlie’s problems. His mother, however, was convinced that Charlie simply wasn’t willing to learn, and took hysterical measures to make him learn, which involved constantly beating him. His father struggled to protect Charlie from harm, which created huge conflicts between the two. As a child, Norma hated her family for such an annoying life she had to endure. The family also suffered from discrimination in various occasions. Charlie’s teacher, instead of discovering his mental disability timely, punished him harshly. This led to an unpleasant childhood for most retarded individuals.

  The Welberg Foundation, the permanent home for most retardates, was also in awful condition. There were innumerable problems: Not enough space to settle everyone, not enough men to watch over the retardates, not enough fund to do further research… But most importantly, according to Doctor Winslow, was the lack of affection. Most men were willing to financially fund the cause, yet very few were prepared to actually take a grown man into his arms and let him nurse with the bottle, taking the chance of having the patient urinate or defecate all over him.

  Most people might have encountered a few retardates in our childhood. Back then as innocent children, we laugh at their dullness and mock their ignorance, pull pranks on them and always get away, just like Charlie’s schoolmates. After the path of our lives intersect shortly, they bring us further and further apart. As we become mature and responsible adults, we tend to gradually forget the existence of retardates rather than make up for the harm we have done to them. The author is revealing the silent darkness that remains in our world after we’ve stepped into brightness. Through this, he wants to persuade us more should be done to help the retarded.

  Ignorance and bliss

  03

  The novel also dealt with some more philosophical ideas, for instance:

  Is ignorance bliss?

  When Charlie was retarded, he lived merrily under the veil of ignorance. He regarded people who use him or laugh at him as his best friends; Alice was even overwhelmed by his sincerity and integrity. After he was capable of learning more rapidly than any common person, he started to show disdain, intentionally or unintentionally, to those around him. Having conversations with him became a painstaking experience of discovering one’s own stupidity and incompetence. His early memories returned to torment him -- the misfortune knowledge brought along.

  Yet when we witness Charlie lose grip of his intelligence, we pray for the process to stop; We pray that Charlie can retain his complete recognition of the world. Living in ignorance certainly is more pleasant, but living with knowledge seems more reassuring. So indeed, should we congratulate Charlie for getting back the support of his old friends, or should we grieve as the world in his eyes turns dark and vague once again?

  Scientific Research

  04

  Another controversial topic to discuss is:

  What should be the principles and ethics of scientific research?

  From the perspective of Charlie, the author pointed out some major problems in today’s science research. In both animal experiments and human experiments, scientists regard the subjects as cold-blooded objects whose lives are meaningless without science. The title, Flowers for Algernon, draws the contrast between the insensible scientists who dispose of their subjects like waste immediately after usage, and Charlie who insists on putting flowers on Algernon’s grave. Most people who work in academia only specify in a certain area, and are unwilling to acknowledge their nescience in other fields. The author also questions what the true value of science research is. A myriad of scientists work passionately on topics that can’t seem to make a huge difference, or stands little chance to succeed. Charlie explained that denying a solution is as significant a contribution to science as finding a feasible solution.

  Spelling Mistakes

  05

  Charlie wasn’t a humorous person -- It seemed quite unlikely for either a retardate or a genius to take up the job of a comedian. Still, the author made us laugh by demonstrating Charlie’s learning process.

  The whole novel takes the form of a series of Progress Reports (or 'Progris Riports') written by Charlie. The author made brilliant use of spelling mistakes to show how awful Charlie was at fundamental literacy skills. Later, Charlie's vocabulary was enlarged rapidly and made his writing structure increasingly academic as a sign of his intelligence. In the first stage, having to guess every word makes reading the novel a really entertaining experience. At first sight you probably don’t know what ‘pepul’ or ‘progris’ is supposed to mean...

  Progris Riport 3

  Dr Strauss rote some things on a peice of paper of prof Nemur talked to me very sereus. He said you know Charlie we are not shure how this experamint will werk on pepul because we onley tried it up to now on animils. I said thats what Miss Kinnian tolld me but I dont even care if it herts or anything because Im strong and I will werk hard.

  But later on when you figure it out, you’ll definitely gasp about how cleverly it’s designed.

  The chapters about the usage of punctuation are most intriguing. In the first attempt Charlie, added, a, comma, after, every, word, or, two:

  Today, I learned, the comma, this is, a, comma, a period, with, a tail, Miss Kinnian, says its importent, because, it makes writing, better, she said, somebody, could lose, a lot of money, if a comma, isnt in, the right place,,,

  Then he mixed up all kinds of punctuations in a meddle, until he finally mastered the skill but still occasionally made mistakes.

  One thing? I, like: about, Dear Miss Kinnian: (thats, the way? it goes; in a business, letter (if I ever go! into business?) is that, she: always; gives me' a reason'' when -- I ask. She''s a gen'ius! I wish? I cou'd be smart-like-her;

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