DBAD

DBAJ- Dan Cayo, Brian Siwka, Alex Smith, and Jason Obrycki-Smith

__1960's life/Charlie's experience__
As Charlie gained intelligence, the world changed for him. He was aware of what went on around him, which turned out to be good and bad. He realized that when he was less intelligent, he was made fun of by "friends" and shunned by his own family. His life was a joke now that he knew what was really going on. He believed that if he became smarter, he would gain respect and have actual friends. He was wrong, becuase as he surpassed the normal person intellectually, they feared him. They no longer made fun of him because he was the smarter one. They believed Charlie thought he was better then them, when they did not realize that they were in the same situation before, with them on top. Now, Charlie was a freak of nature, or experiment, too smart to fit in with the world, and shunned for it.

This situation was common for many people in this time era. If you had anything different from the "normal" person, you were looked at strangely. For example, if your skin color was different, you were treated differently, usually worse. The idea is shown in this book that if you are different in anyway, good or bad, you were frowned upon by society. The people of this time didn't know any better because as a whole they were not as smart as we are now.

To gain from this story, we can make an effort to help the mentally handicapped, or treat them better, as normal human beings. The point is to learn from our mistakes and try to change our ways as times change, progressing into the future.

- Jason Obrycki-Smith

The Window - Many of Charlie's childhood memories involve him looking through a window, such as when he witnessed other children playing from the window of his house. When he recalls these memories as an adult, it is an indicator at how disconnected Charlie was from society because of his disability. When Charlie is an adult, he sees the old Charlie staring back at him through the window. This shows that even Charlie is on the other side (more socially and mentally capable and connected) he still feels that he is distant and isolated from the world. The window is a barrier between the disabled Charlie, and the temporarily enhanced one.
 * Symbolism**

Algernon - Since Charlie and Algernon both endured the same experiment, the results of Algernon foreshadows Charlie's future. As Algernon gradually progressed, and then rapidly progressed, so did Charlie; but as Algernon went into a craze and regressed, it indicated what Charlie was in store for. Also, Algernon is viewed as property to the scientists, and when their experiment "succeeded", they viewed Algernon as their creation, the same was for Charlie.

-Alex Smith

-Daniel Cayo

Charlie's development When the book opens, Charlie is retarded and works in a bakery after being disowned by his parents. In the reports he misspells most words, and is oblivious to the mistreatment he receives from many people. After the operation his spelling slowly improves as a sign of how he is progressing. He surpasses his coworkers and even the scientists running the experiment. Many people start to hate him due to him now being on top intellectually. He loses his job and his relationship with Alice starts to crumble. He starts experiencing hallucinations and becoming a bit OCD.

While all this occurs, Algernon's intelligence peaks and he begins to go insane. Charlie becomes a scientist himself, trying to find some way to prevent his deterioration. He is able to prove that it is inevitable that he is doomed, but unable to find a cure. He pursues a brief relationship with Alice, but after he loses it like Algernon she has to leave him. He eventually turns out just as bad as before the experiment, and is moved to the Warren State Home, in many ways worse than before, but having contributed to helping others like him.

-Brian Siwka