This report covers the
events leading up to and immediately following the operation. Charlie tells
how he was scared, but the operation was performed in his sleep. Charlie's
first nurse, Hilda, is replaced after telling him that perhaps the operation
shouldn't have been performed, suggesting that it was against God's will. Miss
Kinnian, Charlie's teacher at the Beekman School for Retarded Adults, visits
and tells Charlie that he will have to work hard if he wants to get smarter.
Charlie is able to correctly spell "progress" and "report," and he again
expresses his desire to get smarter and to reconnect with his family.
Analysis
Charlie's lack of
understanding of general medical procedures further illustrates his limited
intellect. Hilda's comments introduce a main theme in the novel, namely
whether man has the right to tamper with God's work. Charlie's ability to
remember how to spell the words "progress" and "report" offers the first
evidence of his improved mental power. However, Charlie does not recognize the
change in himself.
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