SUMMARY

Charlie begins dictating his progress reports to a tape recorder The first part of this report is recorded on a flight to Chicago, where Nemur and Strauss are scheduled to reveal their preliminary findings at a scientific convention. Charlie and Algernon will be the star exhibits of the presentation. As the plane takes off, Charlie is uncomfortable putting his seat belt on because he dislikes the feeling of confinement. Trying to remember why, he flashes back to a time in childhood when his mother took him to a quack doctor named Guarino, who promised to increase Charlie's intelligence to a normal level. This visit took place before Norma was born, when Rose's energies were still primarily focused on making Charlie normal.

Though Charlie's father was skeptical, Rose insisted that Charlie go through with Guarino's regimen, which included being strapped onto a table. This claustrophobic procedure instilled in Charlie a fear of confinement. Though Guarino was a crook and his process a sham, Charlie bears him no ill willGuarino was always kind to him and never made him feel inferior for his disability. Charlie also remembers that his father harbored bitterness about the expensive therapy sessions, as they forced him to continue working as a barbershop-supply salesman, postponing his longtime dream of opening his own barbershop. By the time the plane lands, Charlie no longer feels uncomfortable in his seat belt.

At the hotel before the conference, Charlie meets many curious scientists and students who have heard about him. They engage him on a wide variety of topics, and his vast range of knowledge enables him to discuss with ease everything from contemporary economic theory to obscure linguistics and mathematics. When Charlie hears Nemur discussing the experiment with a student, Charlie asks Nemur about an article recently published in the Hindu Journal of Psychopathology on related scientific matters. Charlie is shocked to learn that Nemur did not read the article because he does not speak Hindi. Charlie is further stunned to learn that Strauss does not speak Hindi either.

Strauss claims to speak six different languages, but that number is unimpressive to Charlie, who has learned more languages than that in just the past two months. Charlie realizes that he now understands more about the experiment than Nemur and Strauss, and he storms away, angrily declaring that they are frauds. Burt catches Charlie and urges him to be more tolerant of others' shortcomings, especially since Nemur and Strauss have never claimed to be all-knowing. Charlie sits on the stage during Nemur and Strauss's presentation. Listening to Burt deliver his paper about Algernon, Charlie learns that Algernon's behavior grew erratic and selfdestructive at the height of his intelligence. Charlie is annoyed that this information has been withheld from him.

He also grows increasingly frustrated at hearing the scientists suggest that he was subhuman prior to their operation and feels like a debased carnival sideshow act. Charlie privately toys with the idea of creating havoc in the convention by letting Algernon out of his cage. During Nemur's remarks, Charlie suddenly realizes that there is a scientific flaw in the experiment: Nemur and Strauss have miscalculated the amount of observation time necessary to determine whether or not Algernon's increased intelligence will be permanent. Charlie realizes that he may yet lose his intelligence. Angry with Nemur now both for his patronizing attitude and for his lack of scientific thoroughness, Charlie succumbs to his urge to free Algernon from his cage.

As the mouse scampers away, the auditorium descends into chaos. Charlie is able to catch Algernon, and he runs away from the conference with the mouse in his pocket. He catches a flight back to New York, where he plans to find an apartment and hide from Strauss and Nemur for a while. A new sense of urgency falls upon Charlie with the knowledge that his intelligence may desert him.

ANALYSIS

Charlies recollection of his visit to Dr. Guarino offers further insight into why he suffers from anxiety in certain situations and why he developed such a strong desire to become smarter. Charlies ego seems to bloom with the treatment he receives by the younger conference attendees upon his arrival in Chicago, where a celebrity-like status is forced upon him. His assessment that Strauss and Nemur are mere men implies that he feels his intellect has far surpassed theirs. However, as Burt Selden suggests, although Charlie has made tremendous growth intellectually, his emotional growth remains stunted. One area in particular which remains underdeveloped is that of tolerance. Nemurs insensitive treatment of Charlie, as nothing more than a test subject or something that he and Strauss created, reflects one of the novels important themes: Mans inhumanity to man. Charlies released of Algernon is a particularly interesting moment, for it foreshadows Charlies eventual mental decline.

CHARACTERS

CHARACTERS
Charlie Gordon Rose Gordon Air Stewardess Matt Gordon Dr Guarino Prof Nemur Dr Strauss Younger psychologists An attractive young clinician Burt

Professor White Professor Clinger Psychologist/Scientist group from Alaska and New Zealand Algernon

SETTING

Strato-jet Church Charlies house Dr Guarinos office Chicago Chalmers Hotel Independence Hotel New York Grand Ballroom Ladies

END OF PROGRESS REPORT 13

PROGRESS REPORT 14-15, WILL CONTINUE