25+ Flowers For Algernon Quotes From The Great Sci-Fi Story

Some stories just stay with you for a while and some lessons are expressed so strongly that they powerfully impact us.

It is a book by Daniel Keyes, narrated from the protagonist, Charlie Gordon’s point of view. The 'Flowers For Algernon' present Charlie’s ascent from the obstacles and darkness of his mental disabilities to becoming an intelligent person, which is followed by startling repercussions for Charlie.

“Flowers for Algernon again? she asks. Doesn't that book always make you cry? One day it won't, I say. I want to be sure to be reading it on that day,” as quoted by Nicola Yoon, some stories touch one's heart so deeply that it’s hard to give in to them and yet harder to extract oneself from them. 'Flowers For Algernon' is one such gem. Life always has a way to influence existence.

This may be executed through various lessons and experiences. And some of these experiences are so impactful that they really shape and build what the future might hold. Amongst the various ways in which an individual might gain enlightenment, books have had the most significant role to play.  'Flowers For Algernon' is one such story. After you have read the 'Flowers For Algernon' quotes, do read our 'The Kite Runner' quotes and 'The Book Thief' quotes.

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Another theme that is essentially explained in 'Flowers For Algernon' is companionship. The theme encompasses all aspects of it like the importance of friendship, its expectations, and perceptions. The strength of companionship is inspected in Charlie's smart connection with Algernon. We have listed some of the most inspiring and touching 'Flowers For Algernon' quotes from a bittersweet journey of the 'Flowers For Algernon'. Have a warm, fun, time reading through these quotes by Charlie Gordon and other great characters.

1. “I don’t know what’s worse: to not know what you are and be happy, or to become what you’ve always wanted to be, and feel alone.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

2. “That's the thing about human life--there is no control group, no way to ever know how any of us would have turned out if any variables had been changed.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

3. “A child may not know how to feed itself, or what to eat, yet it knows hunger.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

4. “There are a lot of people who will give money or materials, but very few who will give time and affection.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

5. “My feeling for you won’t change because I’m becoming intelligent. I’ll only love you more.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

6. “I am afraid. Not of life, or death, or nothingness, but of wasting it as if I had never been.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

7. “She says I’m a fine person and I'll show them all. I asked her why. She said never mind but I shouldn’t feel bad if I find out everybody isn’t nice like I think.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

8. “What did you expect? Did you think I'd remain a docile pup, wagging my tail and licking the foot that kicks me? I no longer have to take the kind of crap that people have been handing me all my life.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

9. “Nothing in our minds is ever really gone. The operation had covered him over with a veneer of education and culture, but emotionally he was there--watching and waiting.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

10. “And he said that means Im doing something grate for science and I'll be famus and my name will go down in the books. I don't care so much about being famus. I just want to be smart like other people so I can have lots of friends who like me.”

- Charlie Gordon, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

11. “I wasn’t his son. That was another Charlie. Intelligence and knowledge had changed me, and he would resent me—as the others from the bakery resented me—because my growth diminished him. I didn’t want that.”

- Charlie Gordon, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

12. “P.S. please if you get a chanse put some flowrs on Algernons grave in the bak yard.”

― Daniel Keyes, 'Flowers for Algernon'.

13. “I just want to be smart like other pepul so I can have lots of frends who like me.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

14. “Intelligence...that hasn't been tempered by human affection isn't worth a damn.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

15. “April 7—I used the comma wrong. Its punctuation…Miss Kinnian says a period is punctuation too, and there are lots of other marks to learn.

She said; You, got. to-mix?them!up: She showd? me” how, to mix! them; up, and now! I can. mix (up all? kinds of punctuation— in, my. writing! There” are lots, of rules; to learn? but. Im’ get’ting them in my head:

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 could be smart-like-her;

Punctuation, is? fun!”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

'Flowers For Algernon' also puts forward a number of themes. One of the themes in the story focuses on ‘Man Playing God’. Numerous overt references to this topic run all throughout the novel. Various characters in 'Flowers For Algernon', including the protagonist Charlie, talk about messing with man's intelligence and the insight he is born with.

16. “Charlie doesn't know why they make such a fuss about a girl and why they always want to talk to her (he'd rather play ball or kick-the-can, or ring-levio than talk to a girl) but all the boys are in love with Harriet so he is in love with her too.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

17. “This is something else I've discovered for myself very recently. I present it to you as a hypothesis: Intelligence without the ability to give and receive affection leads to mental and moral breakdown, to neurosis, and possibly even psychosis.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

18. “In some ways, you're so advanced, and yet when it comes to making a decision, you're still a child.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

19. “Downhill. Thoughts of suicide to stop it all now while I am still in control and aware of the world around me. But then I think of Charlie waiting at the window. His life is not mine to throw away. I’ve just borrowed it for a while, and now I’m being asked to return it.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

20. “One of the things that confuses me is never really knowing when something comes up from my past, whether it really happened that way, or if that was the way it seemed to be at the time, or if I’m inventing it.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

21. “Don’t think about it…Feel it. Let it sweep over you like the sea without trying to understand.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

22. “It may sound like ingratitude, but that is one of the things I hate here - the attitude that I am a guinea pig. Nemur's constant references to having made me what I am, or that someday there will be others like me who will become real human beings. How can I make him understand that he did not create me?”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

23. “Intelligence and education that hasn't been tempered by human affection isn't worth a damn.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

24. “Even in the world of make-believe there have to be rules. The parts have to be consistent and belong together.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

25. “I never knew…that [they] liked to have me around…to make fun of me.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

26. “I may not have all the time I thought I had.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

27. “Life and work are the most wonderful things a man can have.”

- Daniel Keyes, ‘Flowers For Algernon’.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 'Flowers For Algernon' quotes, then why not take a look at 'The Fault In Our Stars' quotes, or 'The Handmaid's Tale' quotes.