What's love got to do with it? Everything, as Charlie soon figures out. He doesn't think he's worthy of love without a big brain, a misguided idea that he carries with him throughout the entirety of Flowers for Algernon. But intelligence doesn't automatically guarantee love, as Charlie learns in his first try at a relationship with Alice Kinnian. And sex and love are most definitely not mutually exclusive, as his interactions with Fay show pretty clearly. It all comes down to Charlie's desire to love and be loved as a human being, not a brain on legs.
Questions About Love
- In Progress Report 9, Charlie has a flashback to his first ill-fated experience loving a little girl named Harriet (9.52). Is Charlie truly in love with Harriet, or is he trying to be like his peers? How do you know the difference?
- Why is Charlie unable to have sex with Alice without loving her first?
- Does Charlie distinguish between types of love? Besides Alice, whom does he love?
Chew on This
By rejecting the idea that you can earn love through being intelligent, Charlie learns what love is all about.
Charlie's childhood experiences in a loveless home make him more anxious to find a loving relationship.