Touching stories let the audience View the world as another person sees it. Awakenings, by Dr. Oliver Saks, and “Flowers for Algernon”, by Daniel Keyes, are about the experiences of characters that go thru life-changing situations. Although “Flowers for Algernon” and Awakenings have several similarities, they also have many differences. Awakenings and ”Flowers for Algernon” have several similarities. To start, Awakenings and “Flowers for Algernon” have similar settings. The stories are both set in New York City in the late 1960s Another similarity is that the doctors in both stories truly do not know what they are doing. The “cure” in both stories is experimental, and the cures have never been tested for the purpose they are used for in the stories. After a brief period of amazing improvements, both patients, Charlie from “Flowers for Algernon” and Leonard from Awakenings, begin a rapid regression.
Before long, Charlie began to lose his intelligence as his brain deteriorated In the same way, Leonard returned to a catatonic state, Each story has unique differences. The protagonist’s Charlie from “Flowers for Algernon” and Leonard from Awakenings have different disabilities. Charlie’s disability is his limited mental abilities Leonard’s disability is his condition: Leonard is catatonic The doctors in Awakenings and “Flowers for Algernon” have different views for the patients Dr. Sayer, from Awakenings, cares for the catatonic patients In contrast, Dr, Nemur and Strauss from “Flowers for Algernon” experimented on Charlie for fame, and even argued over who was to receive the credits Charlies and Leonard have different privileges.
Even though Charlie and Leonard had a temporary cure, Charlie was allowed to leave the laboratory, while Leonard was always confined to the hospital unless he was accompanied by a doctor. In summary, Awakenings and “Flowers for Algernon” are two sentimental stories that are similar, but uniquely different. The stories are both about men that have been given an experimental cure to a chronic condition, the differently disabled men are given different treatments, but both patients later begin regressions Awakenings and “Flowers for Regression Awakenings and “Flowers for Algernon” show the world in a different point of view, and remind us that we should not take our own privileges for granted.
One of the primary differences between these works is the nature of the transformation experienced by the characters. In Awakenings, the patients undergo a physical transformation, as they move from a comatose state to an awakened one. This physical transformation leads to significant changes in their behavior and personality. In contrast, Flowers for Algernon focuses on a mental transformation, as Charlie gains intelligence and experiences significant changes in his thinking and perception of the world. Another difference between the two works is the way they portray the consequences of these transformations. In Awakenings, the patients’ awakenings are portrayed as positive, bringing them back to life and allowing them to experience the world anew.
In contrast, the consequences of Charlie’s transformation in Flowers for Algernon are much more complicated, with both positive and negative aspects. While Charlie’s increased intelligence brings him many new opportunities, it also leads to significant challenges, including increased loneliness and a loss of emotional connection with the people around him. In conclusion, Awakenings by Dr. Oliver Sacks and Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes both explore the theme of life-changing situations. However, they differ in the nature of the transformation experienced by the characters and in the way the consequences of these transformations are portrayed. Despite these differences, both works are thought-provoking and emotionally impactful, challenging readers to consider the nature of identity, perception, and transformation.
