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Foreshadowing
Genre
Explanation and Analysis:
Science fiction is a literary genre that explores imaginary concepts based on science or technology. It examines the impact of scientific advancements on society and often raises questions about the ethics of experimentation. Flowers for Algernon uses a science fiction idea—an imaginary brain surgery that promises to make intellectually disabled people smarter—but the writing does not try to explain the process or the medical details behind it. The story treats the surgery as something possible in the world of the book, but the focus remains on Charlie’s mind and personal experience.
Although it’s based on this imaginary medical procedure, Flowers for Algernon is also a work of psychological realism. Psychological realism is a literary genre that focuses on characters' inner thoughts and emotions to make them seem real for the reader. In this novel, the author uses a journal format that brings the reader as close as possible to Charlie’s experiences before and after his operation. His progress is the main engine for the novel’s plot, as the reader moves through the story by following Charlie’s direct thoughts and observations. This structure lets the reader see changes in Charlie’s awareness and understanding as they happen. Instead of centering the action on the laboratory or doctors, the book stays close to Charlie’s perspective. The science fiction aspect provides the setup, but the real subject of Flowers for Algernon becomes the effects of the operation on Charlie’s life and relationships. The realistic, self-reporting writing style helps the reader track how Charlie views his own identity before and after the operation.
Related Themes:
