“Flowers for Algernon” essay

Adam and Eve/Charlie Gordon

Introduction Paragraph

• Step I• Grab reader’s attention/hook your readers• 1. rhetorical question/thought provoking

question.• 2. Thought provoking statement (roadmap)• 3. anecdote (little story)• 4. fact or statistic• 5. Quote

1. rhetorical question/thought provoking question

• How does a child become an adult?• How does one lose innocence?• Why are children tempted to try adult

experiences?• Why are children tempted to cross the

threshold to the adult world?

2. Thought provoking statement (roadmap)

• Some people say one must grow up; others claim one may remain a child at heart...

anecdote (little story)

• Adam and Eve• Paradise/Garden of Eden/state of innocence• Tree of Knowledge• Temptation• State of Experience/knowledge of evil

anecdote (little story)

• Adam and Eve in a state of innocence enjoyed the Garden of Eden until they were tempted to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, driving them to a state of experience, aware of evil in the world.

fact or statistic #

• Informational texts!

• Charlie Gordon, born with an I.Q. of 68, wants to attain knowledge like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Quote

• “Of Man’s First Disobedience, and the Fruit Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,”

• John Milton’s Paradise Lost

2nd/3rd sentence: Link/transition/bridge

• Like Adam and Eve, in Daniel Keyes• short story “Flowers for Algernon” the

protagonist loses his childlike state.

Thesis: What the essay will be about.

• Dogs are great. (thesis)• Topic sentences • A. dogs are great because they protect.• B. dogs are great because they make great

companions.• C. dogs are great because they are loyal.

Thesis

• Charlie Gordon transitions from a state of innocence to state of experience when he obtains knowledge.

Sample Introduction

“Of Man’s First Disobedience, and the Fruit Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste

Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,” John Milton’s Paradise Lost

Adam and Eve’s story parallels Charlie Gordon’s path in the short story “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes.The protagonist Charlie Gordon begins in a state of innocence; however, after attaining knowledge, he enters a state of experience, aware of the evil in the world.

Body Paragraph I Friends

• Topic sentence- friends innocence to experience• Concrete detail (integrated quote from story showing

innocence)• Commentary (insight into the quote/your analysis)• Commentary• Concrete detail about state of experience, knowing about

evil.• Commentary• Commentary• Conclusion (finished feeling to the paragraph and it may lead

to the next paragraph)

Topic sentence for body paragraph I

• Ex.• Charlie Gordon begins in a state of innocence

in regards to his friends, but he then enters a state of experience, aware of his coworkers’ cruelty.

Concrete detail

• For example, before the operation takes effect, Charlie writes in his journal….

2 sentences of commentary

• Sentence starters• This shows…• One may infer…

• Reminder: do not write “ I think”; Stay in 3rd person p.o.v.

• Use present tense.

Body Paragraph II The Factory

• Topic sentence- friends innocence to experience• Concrete detail (integrated quote from story

showing innocence)• Commentary• Commentary• Concrete detail about state of experience• Commentary• Commentary• Conclusion

conclusion

• Restate a thesis in a new way• Ask how or why this is true• Go Universal or give advice• Go full circle (how did you begin the essay?)

• After the second time Charlie gets drunk with his “friends”

• After the second time Charlie imbibes alcohol with his “friends”