Extended Ending #4

by WahhBAM

August 4

i cant leave. i dont want to. new york will just be another place that will make a fool out of myself again. im sick and tired of being like this. the more i stay like this, ill just go insane. algernon’s gone. nobody loves me anymore. ive done terrible things to them. i said mean things to Dr. Strauss and all the other people that were my friends. they probably hate me now. theyre only pretending to be sorry for me because im dumb. im in love with miss kinnian. ive tried very hard to forget her. i seem to be forgetting everything like my intelligence, but not her. i want to go back. i want to go back to the beginning and start all over again.



August 10

ive been out in the streets all night, and ive just realized that im penniless. im a bum. im a person without any identification. im not going to get a job this way. i need help. i need a home. no, ill just sleep in the bushes. thatll save some money. i don’t want to go back yet. itll be too hard to face those people so soon. i need time. i wish i never agreed to do the experiment because now ive lost everything.



August 13



i miss my mom and dad. why they left me all alone in this world i never knew. i dont want to know. i hate them. i wish i met them so i could just kill them for giving birth to me, an unwanted child. im the most ungrateful creature in this world. yesterday i met this guy named Jimmy. he told me, “since your so sad and depressed, why dont u just commit sucide? its the best solution. Jump off a bridge!” ive been considering that, but im too scared to do it myself. someone else should commit my sucide for me.







August 21

i talked to a kitty yesterday. it was a silky black furred one. it talked back to me. isnt that so cool? ME. the only person in the world who can communicate with a kitty. i was walking down the street the other day, and i heard the stop sign and all these cars talking about me! they told me i had pretty eyes. im so thrilled. i cant wait to share this news to Jimmy, my new BFF. A spoon told me that its husband cheated on it. can you believe that? who would do such a thing?! its husband is one backstabbing two-faced spoon!



August 24



i had a really bad headache last night and i roamed around the streets while listening to the streetlights whispering to me. i bumped into a very pretty woman, and she told me her name was miss kinnian. she hugged me and told me how much she was worried about me. i dont know who she is, but it just feels good to know that someone still cares for me.

Perspectives #3: Another Version of Algernon's Point of View

by queen4aday

Feeding-Time 73 of Consciousness

The big people don’t know I’m a lot smarter than they think. I can undo the latch on my cage and I found some report (it said Study on The Effects of...something something BORING.) and learned to write using it. I also found a TYPE-MATIC (that’s what it says on the side) and if I run over it right I can type. It’s hard and I have to wait until night-time when all the big people leave (I think they’re called “humans”). The food is nasty, but the mazes I do are fun. The report says I’m racing someone named Charlie but I don’t see him (maybe he’s one of the big people) and that my name is Algernon, and I’m a white mouse. I like Algernon, because it has Ns and I like Ns. NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNnnnnnnnNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN


Progress Report – Feeding-Time 115 of Consciousness

I figured out how the big people communicate a while ago. It’s called talking and they make noises, like squeaks, but lower. The doctors, Strauss and Nemur (that’s who the report was by), talk a lot about how the other one is bad and just trying to...what are coat-tails? I looked and I don’t think they have tails.

I saw Charlie, and he told me we have to be presented to the International Psychological Convention in Chicago tomorrow. I realize he’s been talking to a lot, but before I didn’t understand. He said he isn’t writing about this in his progress reports, and I liked the term progress report, so now I’m going to use it.


Progress Report – June 16 (Charlie looked at my Progress Reports and explained what a date is.)

I met someone new today. She’s named Fay, and she’s crazy. However, I like her, because she’s nice too, and she thinks I should have a friend.

I have Charlie as a friend, but a mouse friend would be nice too. The only problem is that Charlie says I’m a lot smarter than other mice. Still, I do get lonely when Charlie’s away.

I wish I could go around like humans do, but Charlie says I shouldn’t leave the apartment.


Progress Report – June 21

I’m starting to dislike the maze. It’s just...too BORING. Sometimes I get really frustrated after them and thro myself against the walls of my cage afterward. I try to leave my Progress Reports out for Charlie to read, but I feel like he’s ignoring them.

Charlie has been something of a conundrum. He still refuses to refer to my level of intelligence in his reports, although with all the stuff he pours into them, it seems like this little anecdote. (It’s funny how my intelligence is an anecdote, even though it’s everything to me.)

I have a suspicion that, since his theories don’t make an allowance for my intelligence, in a quite vain (and rather ironic) attempt to preserve his right-ness, he refuses to acknowledge I exist as a person, not just a test animal.

I don’t think he’s my friend anymore.


july 10

its hard to type and i cant remember most of the words so ill try to make this short. im getting stupid and I feel sick. a while ago I bit someone. I don’t know who it is. I cant understand charlie very well now.


(There are no more “Progress Reports” from Algernon. This excerpt is from a complete group of papers that were found buried with some flowers next to Algernon’s grave.)

Perspectives #2: The Story from Miss Kinnian's Point of View

by Milkman

March 5, 1965

Dear diary,

In my night class for disabled adults, one stands out, partly because of his extreme disability, and partly because of his extreme motivation. His name is Charlie Gordon. He is mentally retarded. He is 37 years old. I find that so sad, and I really like him, which makes it sadder, because he is such a nice person. Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur are planning an operation, hopefully tripling the intelligence of a human permanently. They asked me to recommend one person from my night class, and I recommended Charlie. He was too “stupid” for them! Dr. Nemur did not want to use Charlie because they thought he was too far back for the experiment! That angered me greatly and I told him that Charlie had the greatest motivation I had ever seen, and that it would be a shame if they did not use him. They both said they would think about it.

March 8

Dear diary,

They will use Charlie! I was so excited when I heard. Dr. Strauss soon saw what I was saying, and managed to convince Dr. Nemur. They told Charlie and he was even more excited than me! When I was able to speak to him, I told him, “Charlie, you’re going to have a second chance. If you volunteer for this operation you might become smart. They don’t know if it will be permanent, but there’s a chance that it will be.Don’t be scared Charlie. You’ve done so much with so little. I think you deserve the operation most of all.” I don’t know if that was what made him accept, or if he would have anyway. It probably will be one of those many things that I will never know.After I talked to him, he seemed more determined, so maybe I did make a difference. On my way out, I saw him one last time walking briskly down a different hallway. Who knows what will happen? Maybe I just changed the entire fate of the whole world.

March 19

Dear diary,

I haven’t seen Charlie for a while since his operation. I have a feeling that he is growing frustrated and disappointed. I can see he has improved greatly, but he can’t. He hasn’t beaten Algernon yet and that is how he measures his intelligence: if he’s smart he’ll win, and if he’s dumb he’ll lose.
So he thinks of himself as dumb, like he was before the operation. That is not true! I see his spelling and vocabulary beginning to skyrocket, and his understanding of grammar is improving immensely.
Yesterday I went for a walk in the park, without my fiancé. It was so peaceful and quiet. I would hear the occasional bird chirping, and sometimes a child talking to his mother. I stayed for about an hour, listening to the sounds of nature, and then I left and went back to the lab. I don’t usually go for walks in the park; it was just something I felt like doing to get away from the doctors and the research, the smell of the lab, and constant thoughts about Charlie. It was helpful. Maybe I will do it again.

April 21

Dear diary,

A lot has happened in the past few weeks. Charlie has been getting exponentially smarter, and today I ended the engagement with my fiancé after finding about him cheating on me! I am still literally trembling with rage and shock. How could he do this to me? We were going to get married so soon, and then this happened!
I will try not to think about it, and focus on the happy things in life. Charlie is now able to read over twice my speed, learning languages at an amazing rate, and has greatly surpassed me in use of words and writing of the English language. On top of that, his memory is superb! He was easily able to remember in detail all of Robinson Crusoe when I asked a casual question about it.
His mind may be very advanced, but it is still emotionally that of a small child. Recently, he realized that his “friends” at the factory were not really his friends. He became awfully upset, and still is not going into work at the factory. I hope he feels better. Now that I am single, I feel somewhat attracted to him…

April 28

Dear diary,

Charlie asked me out to dinner last night. I didn’t know what to say, but I eventually said yes (how could I refuse him?). Anyway, it was a nice dinner and we both enjoyed ourselves. I told him he was coming along so fast, that he’d leave me behind soon. The interesting thing is that he doesn’t perceive himself as smart, because he knows that there are so many things he does not know. That, to me, means he is already a genius: the first step is fully comprehending what you don’t know, not what you do. I only hope he stays smart permanently.

May 6

Dear diary,

Charlie and Algernon were presented to the WPA (World Psychological Association) today. It was a great success. Just thinking about how three months ago Charlie had an IQ of 68 and could barely speak well, let alone read and write, and now he is a complete genius brings tears to my eyes. It is such a great breakthrough!

July 25

Dear diary,

I can’t believe it. Charlie regressed. He is now in the state he was in before the operation. I don’t want to think about it. But there is nothing else to think about. How could God do this to a person? Make them smart then take it back. That’s like giving a blind man sight, then taking it away again. It’s so cruel. Why did this have to happen? I went to his door but he turned me away. He said he did not like me anymore. Maybe the sudden deterioration has clouded his emotions. Probably. I don’t feel like keeping a diary anymore. This is my last entry. Good bye.

Perspectives #1: The Story from Algernon's Point of View

by Da'Vine

march 7
today there was a lot of balding, big, and whisker less mice.it was much different than usual,there was like a whole extra ten of the mutant mice.a new mutant mouse came in and he looked really freaky. they put me in box with walls around it and one opening.i ran.then freaky man looked at something beyond the box. I got to the food.
weird freaky mutant said something.would he have said something about me.does he have a problem with me.i wonder if he will ever talk to me.it is getting boring because i want to interact by listening.its calming to me. i like getting done with the path game so I can have food.

april 6
today the freaky mutant came again.he has made me so much calmer.when ever he leaves or i get to food before he looks at me he starts to talk to me.but something weird happened.the freaky mutant looked at me before I got to the food.after that he got all jumpy.it was pretty creepy.i didn’t know how to respond.so i just looked up and ate my food.i even heard him say"i beat him,i beat him!!!"
then i went back to the beginning to another path.when I was running I heard a huge bop that came from the ground.the next thing you know you see the creepy guy jump up.he sits down in the chair very excitedly.after that I kept going back to the beginning to start another path faster than ever.after a while the creepy mutant talked at me for a while.that made me calm for the nite.i slept well.

may 15
i was being taken out of the room in my cage.they put me in a big round uneven moving thing.when we passed the door there was a lot of other weird mutants.lots of big boxes.with really big mirrors attached to the out side.they looked really tall.
i kept asking myself a question.it was “were am i.”i was really confused.the creepy looking mutant looked very different.i wonder wat happened.did he always look like that.am I seeing things.any ways we stoped moveing.
we opened the box that was moving.then I got to see big box with mirrors on the outside even closer.it looked really big.we went through the doors.it was really scary.there was so many weird mutants.i couldn’t count.i nearly lost my little breath.or at least my breath is little to these big mutant mice.their breath is like a big tornado to me.
i went on a big ground with a sudden drop.but I was on the creepy mutants paw.we were in front of so many mutants.i figured that I should just go on my back so i don't black out.i tried it and it made me feel so much better.

may 23
I am feeling so unusual.i don’t know what is happening.i wonder if that is weird.i think I have an attitude now.the creepy mutant came in today.i think he is just visiting me.he does it some times.i think I am going to get really mad if he picks me up.i think I am going to bite him.well of course he picks me up.then I bite him.he was really surprised by it.then he put me down in my cage.no one messed with me for the rest of the day.

may 24
I feel like I am really not my self.i don’t know what to do.i never want to do the path any more.i don’t even want to look smart and pick the button that gives me food.i never want to do anything any more.they did something to my head a while ago.i think they did.but maybe something got changed.what will happen to me in time.what if I hurt myself.that isn’t going to help me.i am getting scared.what am I going to do.

Extended Ending #3

by Holmie

August 1 I arived in oakland today. Its a very nice town. I used the money from the operashun to ride the plane. While I was on the plane I tried to read the book I brought along but couldnt. I found a apartment in alameda but theres not much around here. I was near a airport so planes took of every day but not as often as in New York.

August 6 Today I got a job. I work in a factory again still as a janitor. Its right outside the airport but I learned its not a airport, its a Naval Air Station. I learned that many people life and work on it but they wont let me on even to look around. I thought it was mean how they let people live on it but I couldnt just walk around it to look at it.

I have new friends now at my new job. They like me just as much as Joe Carp and Frank Reilly. My new friends will stand up for me too no ones mean to me. Sometimes people laff at me but I don't know why no one ever said that they pulled a Charlie Gordon though. I think theyre going to like me more because they never new me as the “quiz kid” like that new guy back in New York.

August 10 There is a new adult nite school that I will be going to soon. The day isnt hard to remember because its the same as Miss Kinnian's. Boy do I miss her. Sometimes I never wish I left or that I could have talked to her before I left. I think that was a really bad idea.

August 11 Today I went to a party with my new friends. They all had alcohol but didn't make me have any. Im glad about that because my old friends made me have some and then made fun of me. The job is going well. My boss Ms. Mall is nice to me and pays me well she gave me money before I earned it so that I could get a house. I still don't have a car so I have to walk but it's not to far only a few blocks. She even stands up for me when someone tries to pull a joke. This makes me fell save and everyone is nice to me usually. Even more after she does that.

Extended Ending #2

by Superchick

Progress Report-My new life Dec.2

I at leist rember how two speil PROGRESS REPORT I no I speiled it wright becus I looked at al my old PROGRESS REPORTS . Evry one in a wile I look back and see how good I used to wright . Im not all the way dum ant I stil rember a fuw things . I went to live in californya . It don’t get much cold here . I miss miss.Kinnian and I miss Algernon . I somtims think about going to visit miss.Kinnian and Algernons grave but I don’t want to miss them when I have to come back . It wus hard to find a plase to stay and a plase to work . When I first got here a old man started to tell me where I shold live and were I shuld go to work . He was nice .


Progress Report-Dec.5

I keep firgeting what day it is . Today I have ben feeling som pains in my chest but I think its becus of the way I sleep . My head also hurts when my chest does two . I hope the pains go away becus its making me wory . I wonder If Algernon felt this pain .


Progress Report-Dec.7

I went to work today and I stil have the pains . I culdnt constentrait on anething . When I came home I stood stil just staring at my wall .


Progress Report-Dec.8

Last nite I had a dream about my parents . I think it was my parents . I think it was a dream . The only thing I rember wus that I wus running and I had ice cream . I triped and fell . The two people I think wus my parents piked me up and hugged me . Ther wus maybe more but I don’t rember . Today Im going for a walk and got lost . I sat on the bench and closed me eys to think for a little .


Progress Report-Dec 9

I don’t know how I got here but im in the hostpital . The nurse said that I have a cold . I don’t know why she said that becus I don’t feel cold . Did she mean cole . what is that .


Progress Report-Dec 10

I met the doctr todai and he sed he had something important to tell me that the nurs did not say . He sed I had sumthing wrong with ma . I told him there was no thing wrong with me and that im just dumb . He asked if I were afraid of dieing and I told him no and that I no it wus coming . He looked at me for a wile and started to look sad .


Progress Report-Dec 11

The doctor told me that he had bad news and that I had to have riscky operashun .

Im tired of operashuns . He told me that I might not wake up . I told him I would do it and that if I don’t wake up what wuld happen . He said I wuld die .


Progress Report-Dec .12

Im about to go to the operashun room . I hope I will wake up but if I don’t I know that I will go where algernon is going

Extended Ending #1

by 6tabdanger

Progress Report July 29

I’m lonly now. I reely miss Miss Kinnian. I miss her smile and the way she taut me. I miss racing with Algernon and feeding him. I’m happy to know that I’m away frum the harsh feelings. I’m gonna study hard to learn more agan. I have a new teacher now. Her name is Ms.Thaler. Hopefully I will learn as much as Miss Kinnian taut me. I gezz smart people are onli smart for a litle wile. I got on the rong trane and it took me to “Claremont Middle School”. At least I can spell “School” again.

Progress Report July 30

I woke up today and I got smarter! I was able to read and write correctly! Today was a fantastic day. I tried to read as much books I could so that I would remember what they were about. I re-read Einstein’s Theory of relativity and Cat in the Hat (just to see what it was like to have an imagination again.) I re-read my progress reports and made my own conclusion to Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss’s experiment. I found out that I was tricked into becoming smarter. When I beat Algernon I didn’t get smarter, he got dumber. Then he died. Could I be dying….slowly? I would like to stay alive to help people become more intelligent individuals.

Progress Report August 2

I woke up this morning and I fell very ill. I had major headaches and I vomited most of the time. I called the local hospital and was taken to Kaiser Hospital Emergency room. I was tired and my eyes were red. The doctors ran numerous tests on me. They came to the conclusion that I had two brain tumors. I am scarred of what’s going to happen next. My doctor name is Dr. Dangerfield. He is a nice fellow. He told me that it is crucial to get as much sleep as possible and drink lots of water. I am going to go to sleep now. Sorry Miss Kinnian…I have failed you.

Progress Report August 7

Dr. Dangerfield told me that I have a short time to live. He told me that something had gone wrong in his previous operation. I HAVE 3 DAYS TO LIVE!! I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IM HAPPY TO HAVE THE OPERTUNITY OF BEING A GOOD PERSON AND NOT A JERK LIKE THE REST OF THE PEOPLE ON EARTH. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I LOVE YOU MISS KINNIAN AND FAREWELL ALGERNON!

Andy's Comic

Gnomie's comic

"Flowers for Algernon" projects

Our class just finished reading "Flowers for Algernon," a short story by Daniel Keyes. Over the next week, I'll be posting some of the projects the students completed. Enjoy!

- Ms. Thaler