Progress Report 4

Summary

Charlie is back at the laboratory for more tests. He is now taking a thematic perception test where he has to look at photos and make up stories about the people in the photos. He refuses, saying he does not know the people in the photos. He considers this lying and remembers being punished as a child for lying.

He laughs at his tester who says that these tests help establish personality; for the first time, Charlie does not care about failing.

Unable to solve a simple maze game, Charlie is taken to an animal laboratory by Burt and introduced to a mouse named Algernon who can solve the maze test. Charlie is amazed at Algernon’s abilities and agrees to a competitive, timed maze test against the mouse.

He loses to Algernon several times but is happy to eventually learn from the mouse and solve the puzzle.

Analysis

Charlie’s openness about learning something new shows that despite his mental disabilities, he is keen and ambitious. He does not feel upset about losing against a mouse. This is a great sign of Charlie’s humility and simpleton acceptance of himself.