In Daniel Keyes' short story Flowers from Algernon, Charlie undergoes an operation that takes him from being mentally handicapped to being extremely intelligent for a short time before mentally and physically deteriorating. Along the way he is able to see what it is like to experience both extremes of intelligence. The operation performed on Charlie did improve his life despite the side effects.

The operation on Charlie greatly altered his intelligence and also made him more emotionally complex  and gave him a depth of experiences that he previously did not have. The amount of intelligence Charlie gains is more than a lifetime worth as he learns multiple languages and sciences. He also discovered the Algernon-Gordon effect and writes a paper about his operation and its effects. Not only did he offer an insight into his life, but he contributed to humanity by discovering the Algernon-Gordon effect. The amount of knowledge he gained also outweighs the short time he had that knowledge. Because of his emotional intelligence , he was able to be grateful for the intelligence he was given even if he lost it. Before the operation he was very angry at how he could not see anything in the ink blots and other various things that are a result of his low intelligence. He still was able to experience the one thing he always wanted to be even if he lost it . Charlie gains insight and awareness of social things happening around him. When a boy working at a restaurant is teased Charlie stands up for the boy because the boy was like Charlie.  Charlie also gained emotional intelligence as he was able to express his love for Ms.Kinnian and able to give advice to Mr. Strauss on how to make friends.

Some might  argue that the operation did not benefit him because he lost everything he had before including his life. Although it is true that Charlie was enjoying his life before the surgery even with the knowledge of his low IQ. Before the procedure, Charlie had a simple and happy life enjoying time with friends like Joe and Frank. Then after the surgery he lost his friends, and made people scared of him. His relationship with Ms. Kinnian was still better than anything Charlie had before, as he was able to finally express his love. Despite the fact that Charlie lost his friends and became a social outcast, he still was grateful for the fact that he gained intelligence. Before the operation he was happy and he did have friends but he still longed to be intelligent. Even after he lost his intelligence he was still grateful for his short experience of a different life. Charlie himself thought that his experience was worth it even if he lost everything.

The operation did harm Charlie but it benefitted him much more. Charlie’s experience shows the rigid standards of society and how society treats the extremely smart or extremely unintelligent. Charlie’s experience also shows how how someone does not need intelligence to be happy but instead has to be grateful for what they are given.