Charlie may think he just wants to have sex with no strings attached, but he seems more interested in some good 'ole intimacy. He's too much of a good guy to pressure Alice into sex, but he still wants to hang around for the cuddles, and even though he has lots of sex with Fay, it's not as fun or fulfilling as he thinks it should be. Then again, Charlie's mom really did a number on him by making him think of sex as dirty and impure. It takes him a while, but Charlie finally figures out how to have a loving relationship, sex and all, in Flowers for Algernon.
Questions About Sex
- Why is Rose worried that Charlie is a sexual threat to Norma?
- When Charlie first tries to have sex with Fay, he reverts back to old Charlie. Why does this happen?
- How does Charlie finally succeed in having sex with Alice?
Chew on This
Charlie conquers his fears of sex by pretending to be a different, more experienced person.
Having sex with Alice represents Charlie's last obstacle to achieving intimacy with another person.