Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Period 2
As we have been reading Flowers for Algernon, we have made many text-to-self connections in class. Think about what you know about Charlie and how things are going for him in his life. What connections can you make to his story? What advice would you give to Charlie if he were your friend? Have you learned any lessons from Charlie's "motor-vation?" Please fully explain all of your answers.
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if i was Charlie's friend i would tell him to not let anything people say get him down. i would also tell him that he is getting smarter by the minute because stuff he is learning is staying in his head. Also that he is starting to pick up on things he would never of picked up on if he hadn't gotten the operation. Also that he is starting to use figures of speech in his writing. that is what i would tell charlie if he was my friend.
ReplyDeleteI can connect to Charlie's story because sometimes people act like they want to hang out with me when they really just are using me, just like how Charlie thought that his friends from work wanted to hang out with him but really they just wanted to make fun of him. If Charlie was my friend I would tell him that he is a reallly nice and sweet person, and the fact that other people want to make fun of him shouldn't make him feel really upset, because that is just the way that some people are. Charlie's "motor-vation" has taught me that I should make more of an effort in everything that I do, because many things come easier to me than they do to Charlie and he makes even more of an effort that I do.
ReplyDeleteCharlie has been very mistreated and i feel bad for him and think that he shouldn't be treated different based on smartness. I really haven't been in Charlie shoes but i can imagine how bad it must feel to not know what is going on, and have a hard time with life and think people are you friends when they really make fun of you. That is a cruel and mean thing to do to anyone and i would hate to be treated like that. I think the best way for Charlie to get over this huge hurtle in his life would be to be nice to everyone and respect everyone. People who give you the same can't be a terrible person and you should consider them as a potential friend. I have learned a very valuable lesson from "Flowers For Algernon" treat people the way you would like to be treated. This is a huge lesson because people were mean to Charlie and he never did anything to them and now Charlie is all alone. He wanted to be his coworkers friend but he was never given the opportunity because he wasn't very smart and that is wrong.
ReplyDeleteCharlie in "Flowers For Algernon" is a man who has been labeled "retarded". Connections I can make to this story is the first time I took an Advil is the same as when he had the TV playing as he fell asleep. This is because the first time the TV was playing as he was sleeping, he thought it would not help. Because he thought "I'm sleeping so i can't learn as i'm sleeping!". That is the same thing I did with Advil. The first time I took it when I was feeling pain in my foot, I thought a little pill like that can't help my pain all the way down in my foot! I was wrong. It definitely did help the pain. If I was Charlie's friend, I would say that you should listen to people who you know are smarter than you. For example, when Miss Kinnian told him that it wasn't the cop who beat him up, it was his friends, he should have listened to her and took her advice because it really wasn't the cop, it was his "friends". I have learned from charlie's motivation that even if you are not very smart, you can still achieve things. And even though you may not have abilities other people have, you can still accomplish great feats.
ReplyDeleteCharlie is not upset with his life but wants to be smart like the people around him. I can't relate Charlie's disorder but I can relate to his feelings. I have always wanted to be in galaxy and had come close most years. I felt I wasn't as superior or smart as them and they were better than me in some way. Finally after working from 5th grade until now I am finally in galaxy. If I were Charlie's real friend I would tell him to keep working as hard as you possibly can. It doesn't matter how smart you are, but how dedicated you are. If you are dedicated and work your hardest nothing is beyond your reach. I think Charlie's motor-vation has proved the advice I would give to Charlie. I have learned that not everything will come to you easily and that you will have to work your way to be successful, just like Charlie did to get picked for the surgery.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading, Flowers for Algernon, I can relate to myself to Charlie, the main character. I remember in 1st grade everyone was picking on this new girl because she was slow in learning, talks to herself all the time, picks her nose, and is constantly failing class. I remember her getting bullied all the time, there was one time when this really mean boy on purposely pour a bottle of glue all over her, one time when people were throwing food at her in the cafeteria, and one time when a girl purposely tripped her in class and she fell in front of everyone. And I felt bad because to join in with the crowd I laughed at her too. Then I felt really sorry and whenever we have partner projects I with ask her to join and I remember me volunteering to be her partner when going on a trip. After a while many people started talking to her, help her when she needs help, and becoming friends with her. I noticed that it really only take one person to start and leading everyone in the right direction. If Charlie was my friend, I will try to help him and tell him to stay away from his working partners (the ones that made fun of him) and also for him to follow his doctor‘s and his teacher's directions and advice. From Charlie's "motor-vation" I learned to never give up, try your hardest, and to never let anything get into your way to succession.
ReplyDeleteThe connection I have made is that Charlie had friends that used him or some would call "fake". I have had similar problems with friends that weren't really your friends but they just use you for their enjoyment which was what happened to Charlie. If Charlie were my friend I would try to help him and I would tell him to be friends with the people he knows very well like Ms. Kinnian and Dr. Strauss because he knows he can trust them. He should not be friends with people outside of the lab yet because he does not know if they are taking advantage of him and using him for their enjoyment. I have learned that no matter what obstacles stand in your way always keep trying and always do your best. That is what Charlie is doing he is determined to get smarter so he keeps trying to become smarter because it is a goal he wants to achieve. Also Charlie has showed great perseverance and that is always a good thing to have if you want to achieve a goal.
ReplyDeleteMany text-to-self connections can be made to Flowers for Algernon. There are many connections I can make to this story. Charlie and I are in similar situations sometimes where people treat us differently due to our intelligence. While Charlie is considered retarded and I am considered smart, we both sometimes end up in situations where people act as though our knowledge defines us, which is not always the case. I can also connect to him where he feels certain people are his friends, but they do not feel the same way back. I have experienced this as well, and I can understand how Charlie feels in Flowers for Algernon. The advice I would give to Charlie is to always stay positive and look on the bright side. Although he may feel as if he is failing tests and not getting smarter, he should just keep carrying on, because he is getting smarter, it is a gradual process. I would also advise him to be wary of who his friends are and aren't, because not doing this could come back to haunt you. Charlie's "motor-vation" has taught me to realize that things could be worse, and that things will get better. Charlie's character is extremely inspirational, and a good character to make connections to.
ReplyDeleteCharlie had trouble understanding everyone around him and similarly I did too. When I came to the United States in first grade I could not understand English. Like Charlie I practiced speaking and writing English everyday. I learned how to use punctuations in sentences and how to spell words correctly. At times I procrastinated and sort of gave up on trying to learn. But then I got motivated by hearing everyone else speak English. In the story "Flowers of Algernon", Charlie is motivated by his desire to be smart instead of dumb. The only advice I would give to Charlie is that keep that motivation on and keep working hard. Charlie's "motor-vation" has taught me to work hard and don't let anything came between me and my dreams.
ReplyDeleteIn "Flowers for Algernon," all the main character; Charlie wants to be smart. The first 2 years of middle school, I was in a lab. I wanted to become smart so I didn't have to take it in 8th grade. I was just like Charlie, I wanted to become smarter at spelling and grammar, so i studied just like him. If I was Charlie's friend, I would help him study and get smarter. I would have his back the whole time because that is want friends are for. I have learned many lessons thanks to Charlie. I learned how to tell the difference between a real friend and a fake one. His friends were just using him to get a good laugh. It was not funny. I also learned you can do anything you set your mind to. Charlie really wanted to become smart so he study and study till he became "smart."
ReplyDeleteKatelyn Osterlnd
When we have been reading Flowers For Algernon, I have made many connections throughout the story. Charlie seems to be doing great with the surgery and improving on his knowledge, but when he starts improving on his knowledge he notices some things about what is actually going on in hums life. Charlie is starting to realize that the people who he calls his friends might not be his true friends and are just making fun of him to his face with out even realizing it. Something like this happened to my brother when he was younger. People would call him stupid and be mean to him but he didn't even realize it and stand up for himself because he couldn't. If I was Charlie's friend I would give him some advise to think about what everybody around him is really like because people aren't always as nice as they seem. Those are some connections and details that I have noticed throughout the story.
ReplyDeleteWhen we read Flowers for Algernon in class, we make a lot text-to-self references. Charlie Gordon believes that his life is wonderful except for the one catch: he is mentally challenged. As a reader of the story, I can tell that Charlie's problems are far from over. His friends really are just pretending to like him for who he is; but what they're really doing, is laughing at him based on his intelligence quotient. If I were Charlie's friend, I would recommend that that he get new friends who really care about him. I personally would rather have a group of friends who I know like me for who I am, than have many "friends" who either laugh at me, or don't treat me with respect (they say they're my friends but really are using me).
ReplyDeleteThings seem to be going alright for Charlie. He is getting smarter but he is also realizing things that he never knew before. The connections that i can make to Charlie are that i too realized that people were making fun of me when i started to get older. Which Charlie realizes that people were making fun of him as he got smarter. If i were Charlie's friend, i would honestly tell him to find a new job. Nobody has the slightest bit of respect for Charlie at his job and it's terrible. I think that i have learned a lesson from Charlie's "motor-vation". I learned that i should never give up on my dreams no matter how much people doubt me. Charlie keeps getting smarter and hasn't stopped going to the hospital even though his "friends" make fun of him.
ReplyDeleteSome connections I may be able to make are that there are people who I might have thought were my friends but as life goes on, you find out they aren't. Sometimes I feel like I wish I were smarter so now, since we've read this story, I think of Charlie and they way he wishes he were smarter. But, in his case, things are harder. If I were Charlie's friend, I'd tell him not to pay attention to what others say about you and to just focus on what you are doing. If you want to get smarter, you should try to learn yourself and listen to whoever is teaching you. Also that he shouldn't just assume that people are his friends because some people don't like people that are weird or in their words may be stupid. There are lessons that I have learned from "Flowers for Algernon". I've learned that you shouldn't think someone is your best friend just because you've shared a few things. At some point you could be drifting away from them or just find out that they weren't your friend at all in the first place. They were just faking it. I've also learned that you should try to listen to the teacher and follow what they say and do all the work. I think "Flowers for Algernon" is a very well written short story.
ReplyDeleteIn the story you can tell that things are getting better for Charlie. First he could read and write better and then even though it hurt him he finally saw who his real friends are. That would be a hard thing for someone to figure out. I know if I were him I would take it a million times worse. If I were Charlie's friend then I would tell him that even if his intellect didn't last long he is still a great person. I have learned that even when things are going bad it's good to look at the positive things in life. Charlie does that a lot in the book (sometimes even to the point that he can be naive) and thats very good for someone like him.
ReplyDeleteCharlie Gordon is a thirty two year old man who is considered retarded. He had a score of 68 on his IQ test. Charlie is trying as hard as he possibly can to get smart. With the help of a few exercises organized by Dr. Nemur and Miss Kinnian, Charlie is on his way to becoming that smart person he always wanted himself to be. A connection I can make to the story "Flowers for Algernon" is that I always wanted to learn how to cook. With the help of my mom, dad, grandma, uncle, and aunt I am really becoming a great cook. I went from making PB&J's to making this evenings dinner. I am progressing like Charlie is. When he started writing his progress reports, he forgot a lot of the grammar. Now he is spelling a lot of the words right and has finally beat Algernon in the maze. When he started this activity he never beat Algernon. Now he can do it like that. The advice I would give Charlie is to never give up and keep trying until you achieve it. If you keep trying you will soon get it. I have learned that you can make a lot of things fun. In the story Charlie made punctuation fun. Of course he had no clue how to use it, but he helped me make grammar a little fun.
ReplyDeleteThe connections I can make are only from when i was growing up and learning something new. Like in class you learn something new and you understand it better after you talk about it. If I was Charlie's friend I would remind him that it will get eaiser after a while, also I would try to help him through it. From Charlie's "motor-vation" I learned that there will always be people that will either bring you down or try to bring you down like his "friends" at work. But some people will want to help guide you through your struggle like his teacher miss. Kinnian.
ReplyDeleteCharlie in Flowers for Algernon is a mentally challenged person. As many people know, there are people in this world today challenged by issues such as Charlie's. Deaf people, or autistic kids have issues like Charlie does, and they have to deal with those issues daily. Now if Charlie was my friend, some advice I would give him was to make sure he motivated himself, and that he should keep on going no matter what, and even though it may be hard, its not impossible as long as he trys. I myself have learned from Charlie's motor-vation, and it has lead me to keep trying again and again, and to not give up on any task that comes before me.
ReplyDeleteConnections I can make between the story and I is that I have struggled to learn before and constantly during the day. For example in LA when I was younger I was struggling to learn and did not see anyway I was getting smarter. Charlie in the story does not understand how the TV by his ear is helping him learn and is struggling to remember rules and such for his classes. If I were Charlie's friend I would tell him to be careful around people and not everybody is as they seem or show you how they are. I have learned from charlie's "motor-vation" to never give up and keep on trying like he does with learning. ( I do not remember reading this part in the book or do not understand the question ) I believe you should not give up because if you give up you'll never know if you may succeed. This is like when this year I finally tried out for the play and did not give up with the help of my family and friends and found out i could succeed in doing this and got into the play.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading "Flowers for Algernon" we have many self-to-text connections. One of those is when Charlie was ditched by his friends i imagined how it would feel to be in his position, and felt bad for him. If i was one of Charlie's friends I would tell him to remember to pick his friends wisely and to try to tell the difference between real friends and fake friends. Also i would tell him that the people he thought were his friends at the factory really weren't so he wouldn't have his feelings hurt. A final thing I would tell him is that he needs to keep on trying to get smart even though it will provide many challenging tasks. Finally some lessons that i have learned from Charlie's 'motor-vation' is that when times get tough you have to just keep pushing on through it. For example the challenges that the lab were making him do weren't easy for him but he did it no matter what it was. I also learned that with perseverance you can achieve anything. For example Charlie has a ton of perseverance, and that's helping him to get smarter. Therefore us as people can learn a lot of different things from Charlie.
ReplyDeleteA connection I can make with Charlie's story is that how he rose from the bottom of intelligence to the development of a genius. His "friends", who he finally realizes are making fun of him, don't really like him now that he's getting smarter. He is now realizing a lot of things about them that he didn't know about them. If I were Charlie's friend, I would tell him to not pay attention to the "mean people" in life, like his "friends". These are the people who were making fun of him, and if you get too hung up in it, it won't benefit you in the least. I have learned lessons from Charlie's "motor-vation". I learned that you just need to keep trying, even if there is the slightest glimmer of hope, you need to keep trying because you might get to your highest goal.
ReplyDeleteI can connect to this story because I have witnessed people making fun of others who are different because they are not used to seeing people like that. Also, it makes them feel better about themselves. If I were Charlie's friend, I would tell him not to mind his "friends". They only take advantage of him. Charlie even works harder than them. He performs the same tasks as them even though his brain is less advanced. Also, I would tell him to keep focusing and to do whatever his doctors tell him to do.I have learned to never give up and that if you keep trying you can accomplish almost anything from Charlie's motor vation. Charlie refuses to give up on the fact that one day he will be smart in this story, and because of his perserverance that may be true very soon.
ReplyDeleteIf I was Charlie's friend, my advice to him would be that everyone is different and you have to be a bit mindful of yourself around certain people who may get mad or upset at something said or done. Meaning, if you're going to joke with someone, you should think about if they may take offense or not find it too funny. People may also joke with him, and I'd tell him not to take anything seriously, that most people mean well. I've learned from my life these things and I think they are important to share to someone like Charlie who doesn't have a good grasp on emotions.
ReplyDeleteIf there was one thing I've learned from Charlie's story so far it is to maintain a positive attitude while trying. I don't think he would be anywhere if he hadn't believed that he could. He also is excited by learning, and that's a good thing as well. Believing that you can will get you far, as demonstrated by Charlie Gordon, who once had the IQ of a 68, but is now looked as as a genius.