FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON

I read that story in Scholastic magazine when I was in 8th Grade. I think I read it in class—Sr. Henry was always giving me extra stuff. And then the movie came out (Charly, starring Cliff Robertson) and my BFF and I saw it at the local theater. I bawled during the happy scenes because I knew what was coming.

I had read it since, including the novelized version and it haunted me. So when I saw it in the library, I suggested to DD#2 that she read it for her next book report, which happens to be science fiction or fantasy--but no series books.

She’s in 7th Grade and is a very good reader, if a bit lazy. So I like to challenge her. I gave her a recap of what I remembered and she thought she might like it. So we brought it home.

This morning I was thumbing through it and there are some sections that I forgot about—those that deal with Charly’s emerging awareness of his sexuality.

Hmmm…

We discussed the book, briefly, on the way to school this morning.

“You know,” I began, “there may be sections of this book that are difficult for you to understand.”

“It’s okay,” she replied, rather blithely. “I already know I not going to recommend this book for people who are sensitive or drama queens.” And she rattled off the name of about eight classmates—including a couple of boys—who fit this category.

Those scenes were definitely not in the short story I remember reading. I don’t remember them from the novel. They are alluded to in the movie, which is why I thought to look for them now. By today’s standards, they seem rather mild and the fact that I didn’t remember them until I looked for them kind of tells me that they are not the main thrust of the story. She is bringing the book in and the teacher has to approve it. I have no doubt about DD#2’s ability to read the story, but does she have the emotional maturity to understand it?

When I was growing up, my parents let me read anything I wanted. They figured if the book was too difficult or too “adult,” I’d be bored and stop reading. But it was a different time: books were much less explicit, especially about the darker, rougher sides of life. The part of me that wants to encourage my daughter to read anything and everything is battling with the part of me that wants to preserve as much of her innocence about life as I can. It’s the part of me that limits how much news on television she watches and how much conversation she hears.

I slipped up on Flowers for Algernon. If her teacher approves it, I will let her read it and then keep tabs on what she thinks about it. If she’s uncomfortable, I’ll encourage her to drop the book and read something else.

However, she is her mother’s daughter and stubbornness is a family characteristic…