English, MLA, University / 31.03.2022
Examine the way that Daniel Keyes describes his protagonist, Charlie, in his classic story “Flowers for Algernon,” and compare it with the way that Henry H. Goddard describes Deborah and her family in The Kallikak Family. Between 1912 and 1959, how much has changed in the way that these two authors imagine the interiority, humanity, and dignity of people with low IQ scores? Is Keyes improving upon Goddard’s stereotypes or perpetuating them? Using Goddard’s work as a backdrop, make an argument about whether or not Keyes’s story is effective at building empathy for the intellectually disabled among modern readers.
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