Flowers For Algernon Quotes

“Why am I always looking at life through a window?”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“But I've learned that intelligence alone doesn't mean a damned thing. Here in your university, intelligence, education, knowledge, have all become great idols. But I know now there's one thing you've all overlooked: intelligent and education that hasn't been tempered by human affection isn't worth a damn...Intelligence is one of the greatest human gifts. But all too often a search for knowledge drives out the search for love...Intelligence without the ability to give and receive affection leads to mental and moral breakdown, to neurosis, and possibly even psychosis.”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“Just leave me alone. I'm not myself. I'm falling apart, and I don't want you here.”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“Intelligence and education that hasn't been tempered by human affection isn't worth a damn.”
― Daniel Keyes

“And now - Plato's words mock me in the shadows on the ledge behind the flames: '...the men of the cave would say of him that up he went and down he came without his eyes.”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“The only question now is: How much can I hang on to?”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“All the barriers were gone. I had unwound the string she had given me, and found my way out of the labyrinth to where she was waiting. I loved her with more than my body.”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“I may not have all the time I thought I had...”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“No, you don't understand because it isn't happening to you, and no one can understand but me. I don't blame you. You've got your job to do, and your Ph.D. to get, and-oh, yes don't tell me, I know you're in this largely out of love of humanity, but you've got your life to live and we don't happen to belong on the same level. I passed your floor on the way up, nad now I'm passing it on the way down, and I don't think I'll be taking this elevator again. So let's just say good-bye here and now.”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“I felt like that character in Flowers for Algernon. Not Charlie, the lady teacher from the college who realizes, 'I've got to stop dry-humping this mentally challenged guy!”
― Tina Fey, Bossypants

“Strauss again brought up my need to speak and wrtie simply and directly so that people will understand me. He reminds me that language is sometimes a barrier instead of a pathway. Ironic to find myself on the other side of the intellectual fence.”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“Flowers for Algernon again? she asks. Doesn't that book always make you cry?
One day it won't, I say. I want to be sure to be reading it on that day.”
― Nicola Yoon, Everything, Everything

“Three blind mice, three blind mice,
See how they run, see how they run,
They all ran after the farmer's wife,
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,
Did you ever see such a thing in your life,
As three blind mice?”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“Who's to say that death is better than your darkness?”
― Daniel Keyes

“It's paradoxical that an ordinary man like Nemur presumes to devote himself to making other people geniuses. He would like to be thought of as the discoverer of new laws of learning—the Einstein of psychology. And he has the teacher's fear of being surpassed by the student, the master's dread of having the disciple discredit his work.”
― Daniel Keyes

“Every part of me is attuned to the work. I soak it up into my pores during the day, and at night--in the moments before I pass off into sleep--ideas explode into my head like fireworks. There is no greater joy than the burst of solution to a problem.”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“Դոկտոր Շտրաուսն ասում է, որ լավ է որ գրումեմ իմձ հետ եղած ամեն ինչի մասին բայց պիտի ավելի շատ պատմեմ թե ինչեմ զգում ուինչեմ մտածում: երբ ասացի որ չգիտեմ ոնց են մտածում ինքը ասաց ոչինչ փորցիր: երբ վիրակապերը աչքերիս վրա էին ես անընդհատ փորցում էի մտածել: ոչ մի բան չստացվեց: ես չգիտեմ, թե ինչ մասին մտածեմ:երևի եթե իրեն հարցնեմ ինքը կասի թե ոնց մտածեմ:հիմա պիտի որ արդեն կամաց կամաց սկսեմ խելացի դառնալ:հետաքրքիր է ինչ են մտածում խելացի մարդիկ:ինձ թվում է շատ սիրուն բաներ: ես էլ կուզենայի սիրուն բաներ իմանալ:”
― Daniel Keyes

“Հաշվետվությոուն 10
Ապրիլ 14- Վերջացրեցի Ռոբինզոն Կրուզոն: Ուզումեմ իմանալ, թե հետո ինչ է լինում իր հետ, բայց միսս Կինիանն ասում է, որ վերջ այսքանն է: Ինչու:”
― Daniel Keyes

“Three blind mice... three blind mice, See how they run, See how they runt
They all run after the farmer's wife, She cut oft their tails with a carving
knife, Did you ever see such a sight in your life, As three... blind... mice?”
― Daniel Keyes

“Algernon is so smart he has to solve a problem with a lock that changes every time he goes in to eat so he has to lern something new to get his food. That made me sad because if he coulnt lern he wouldnt be able to eat and he would be hungry.”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“Charlie, don't push me. I don't know. Already, you've gone beyond my intellectual reach. In a few months or even weeks, you'll be a different person. When you mature intellectually, we may not be able to communicate. When you mature emotionally, you may not even want me. I've got to think of myself too, Charlie. Let's wait and see. Be patient.”
― Daniel Keyes (author)

“When we got to her doorway, she turned quickly and kissed my cheek. "Good night, Charlie. I'm glad you called me. I'll see you at the lab." She closed the door and I stood outside the building and looked at the light in her apartment window until it went out.
There is no question about it now. I'm in love.”
― Daniel Keyes (author)

“My most absorbing interests at the present time are etymologies of ancient languages, the newer works on the calculus of variations, and Hindu history. It's amazing the way things, apparently disconnected, hang together. I've moved up to another plateau, and now the streams of the various disciplines seem to be closer to each other as if they flow from a single source.

Strange how when I'm in the college cafeteria and hear the students arguing about history or politics or religion, it all seems so childish.

I find no pleasure in discussing ideas any more on such an elementary level. People resent being shown that they don't approach the complexities of the problem they don't know what exists beyond the surface ripples. It's just as bad on a higher level, and I've given up any attempt to discuss these things with the professors at Beekman.”
― Daniel Keyes (author)

“You don't know the books I've struggled over, the lectures I've sat in on at Beekman, and yet whenever I talk about something, I see how impatient you are, as if it were all childish. I wanted you to be intelligent. I wanted to hdp you and share with you-and now you've shut me out of your life."
As I listened to what she was saying, the enormity of it dawned on me. I had been so absorbed in myself and what was happening to me that I never thought about what was happening to her.
She was crying silendy as we left the school, and I found myself without words. All during the ride on the bus I thought to myself how upside-down the situation had become. She was terrified of me. The ice had broken betWeen us and the gap was widening as the current of my mind carried me swiftly into the open sea.
She was right in refusing to torture herself by being with me. We no longer had anything in common. Simple conversation had become strained. And all there was between us now was the embarrassed silence and unsatisfied longing in a darkened room.”
― Daniel Keyes

“The odors of the laboratory animals, dogs, monkeys, mice, spin me back into memories, and it is difficult to know whether I am experiencing a new sensation or recalling the past. It is impossible to tell what proportion is memory and what exists here and now- so that a strange compound is formed of memory and reality; past and present; response to stimuli stored in my brain centers, and response to stimuli in this room. It's as if all the things I've learned have fused into a crystal universe spinning before me so that I can see all the facets of it reflected in gorgeous bursts of light.”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“It doesn't mean," she shrugged. "It just is - like a poem.”
― Daniel Keyes

“You're damned right, something is happening! A cloud of smoke was hanging in front of my eyes, and with one breath you blew it away. A simple idea. Trust myself. And it never occurred to me before."
"Charlie, you're wonderful."
I caught her hand and held it. "No, it's you. You touch my eyes and make me see."
She blushed and pulled her hand back.
"The last time we were here," I said, "I told you I liked you. I should have trusted myself to say I love you.”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“Intelligence without the ability to give and receive affection leads to mental and moral breakdown, to neurosis, and possibly even psychosis. And I say that the mind absorbed in and involved in itself as a self-centered end, to the exclusion of human relationships, can only lead to violence and pain.”
― Keys, Daniel

“P.S. Пожалуйста, если у вас будет возможность, положите цветы на могилу Элджернона во дворе”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“Я не знаю, что хуже: не знать, кто ты, и быть счастливым, или стать тем, кем ты всегда хотел быть, и чувствовать себя одиноким.”
― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon