Analyze Theme Development Flowers for Algernon

How did the actions of Charlie's coworkers demonstrate the theme that "Ignorance is bliss?"

Essential Question

Poll

Are you ready to answer the essential question?

• Yes, it's so easy.

• Yes, but I probably would have a hard time explaining the answer.

• No, I understand the question but I don't know the answer.

• No, I have no clue what's going on.

Class Goal

I CAN EXPLAIN HOW THE ACTIONS OF CHARLIE’S
COWORKERS REVEAL THE THEME (MESSAGE) OF THE
STORY.

Multiple Choice

Which of the words below are NOT included in the learning goal?

• Actions

• Theme

• Summarize

• Flowers for Algernon

Open Ended

What do we know about Charlie's coworkers?

Charlie’s Coworkers

• Frank

• Joe

• Friendship

• Defends Charlie to others

Analyzing Theme
Development Steps

1.

Identify the actions of Charlie’s coworkers in the
text.

2.

Create a timeline of these actions.

3.

Ask, “How did these actions change over time?”

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a step in analyzing theme development?

• Identify the theme.

• Identify the Character's actions.

• Create a timeline of the Character's actions.

• Ask yourself, how did the character's actions change over time?

Multiple Select

Which of the following is a theme in Flowers for Algernon?

• Ignorance is bliss.

• All human beings deserve to be treated with dignity.

• Everybody can contribute to society.

• Goodness always prevails.

Ignorance (or lack of knowledge) is bliss.

Theme

Explain Theme

• Ignorance is bliss.

• Ignorance: lack of

knowledge or information.

• Bliss: to be happy

Theme
Explanation

• The smarter Charlie gets,

the more unhappy he is.

How is the theme, "ignorance is bliss" supported in the text?

Essential Question

Class Goal

• How do the actions of

Charlie’s coworkers reflect
the theme that Ignorance
is bliss?

​Beginning of the Story

"Sometimes somebody will say hey look at Joe or Frank or George he really pulled a Charlie Gordon. I dont know why they say that but they always laff."

​End of the Story

"It's a funny thing I never knew that Joe and Frank and the others liked to have me around all the time to make fun of me."

Open Ended

Identify major actions from Charlie's coworkers.

Identify Actions of Charlie's coworkers.

1. They make fun of Charlie in Part 1.

2. They get Charlie fired from work in Part 2.

3. In Part 1, they hang out with Charlie multiple times.

4. In Part 2, they ignore Charlie.

Create a timeline of these actions.

Reorder

Put the actions of Charlie's coworkers in the correct order.

• Charlie's coworkers like Charlie and takes him out to the bar.

• Charlie's coworkers are making fun of Charlie.

• Charlie's coworkers don't want to hang out with Charlie.

• Charlie's coworkers get Charlie fired.

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Match

Match the following actions.

• Before Charlie got smart (beginning of the story)

• Before Charlie got smart (at the beginning of the story.)

• After Charlie got smart (at the end of the story)

• After Charlie got smart (at the end of the story.)

Frank and Joe are making fun of Charlie.

Frank and Joe hang out with Charlie

Frank and Joe get Charlie fired.

Frank and Joe don't want to hang out with Charlie.

• Frank and Joe are making fun of Charlie.

• Frank and Joe hang out with Charlie

• Frank and Joe get Charlie fired.

• Frank and Joe don't want to hang out with Charlie.

How did the actions change over time?

• Beginning of the story (before he got smart): Charlie’s

coworkers were nice to Charlie and would invite him out.

• End of the Story (after he got smart): Charlie’s coworkers

were mean to Charlie and didn’t want him around.