Première English Name:____________________________

Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes

Review Sheet

Comparisons:

Charlie

Algernon

Alice

Fay

Younger/Pre-Operation Charlie

Older/Post-Operation Charlie

Definitions:

1. Theme: A main idea in a literary work. (Example: A theme in Fahrenheit 451 is censorship.)

Three themes in Flowers for Algernon are…

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2. Moral: A lesson taught by a literary work. (Example: A moral of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is that we should all have more understanding and respectful of the struggles others are going through in life.)

Three morals to be drawn from Flowers for Algernon are…

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3. Symbol: Something in a literary work that on the surface is itself, but also represents an idea larger than itself. (Example: In Oedipus Rex, physical blindness is a symbol of inner understanding. In Fahrenheit 451, the phoenix is used at the end as a symbol of being re-born after destruction; that humans may rise again, rather than being totally destroyed by fire.)

Some symbols in Flowers for Algernon and their meanings are…

• putting flowers on Algernon’s grave:

• a maze:

• the name Norma:

• the quotation from the “Allegory of the Cave” on page 199:

• the incinerator (pp. 151-152):

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(Find a symbol on your own and define it.)

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(Find a symbol on your own and define it.)