History YMMV / FlowersForAlgernon

* AdaptationDisplacement: Few people know that ''Flowers'' was originally an award-winning short story. Those who do probably remember reading it in ''The Hugo Winners'' anthology.
** Or that the movie grew out of an 1961 episode of the anthology TV series ''The United States Steel Hour'', in which Cliff Robertson portrayed Charlie Gordon. He bought the movie rights in order to make sure he could play the role again.

* FairForItsDay: The novel's frequent usage of the word "retard" and the outdated depiction of psychology has definitely made the book questionable by today's standards. Nevertheless, being written in a time period where the mentally disabled were looked down upon in society, the novel's message was definitely something that needed to be told.

* TheWoobie: Charlie, obviously. [[spoiler:Realizes that his so-called friends were simply using him as a toy, finally reaches genius levels of intelligence, only to lose it, and starts to forget almost all the notable events that happened to him towards the end.]]

* ItWasHisSled: One of the few things people who haven't read the book know about it is that Charlie is a mentally-handicapped man who becomes intelligent and reverted back to how he was beforehand. The fact that [[FlowersForAlgernonSyndrome there's a trope]] on Wiki/ThisVeryWiki named after the story [[NiceJobBreakingItHero probably isn't helping.]]

* TheWoobie: Charlie, obviously. [[spoiler:Realizes that his so-called friends were simply using him as a toy, finally reaches genius levels of intelligence, only to lose it, and starts to forget almost all the notable events that happened to him towards the end.]]

* BestKnownForTheFanservice: You might think that [[SocietyMarchesOn more modern challenges]] to the book would involve the constant use of the word "retard" [[note]]today, really uncomfortable, but in the 50s, that was the term used[[/note]] or some of the unintended implications about disabled people [[note]]the story unintentionally implies that being teased and being incapable of realizing it is a natural part of being mentally disabled - totally mainstream thought in 1958, but questionable today, to say the least[[/note]]. But even in TheNewTens, the biggest, practically only, reason the book is challenged for removal from school libraries and elsewhere? Its (utterly mild) sexual content.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: The book is very clear that the treatment of the mentally disabled by abled people is horrific. Things actually have improved in the treatment of the developmentally disabled since then - and probably at least partially as a result - In the 1950's it was very common for families to send away these folks and they were often encouraged to do so. Nowadays it's more acceptable to have a special needs child.

* AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame: One of the few things people who haven't read the book know about it is that Charlie is a mentally-handicapped man who becomes intelligent [[spoiler:and reverted back to how he was beforehand.]] The fact that [[FlowersForAlgernonSyndrome there's a trope]] on Wiki/ThisVeryWiki named after the story [[NiceJobBreakingItHero probably isn't helping.]]

* FamilyUnfriendlyAesop: If you were born mentally-handicapped, there is nothing you can do to change it. Neither your own efforts nor advanced medical technologies will help you. Sadly this was essentially the mindset during the time period.

* {{Glurge}}: See FamilyUnfriendlyAesop.

* InspirationallyDisadvantaged: Charlie (pre and post surgery)
* ItWasHisSled / AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame: One of the few things people who haven't read the book know about it is that Charlie is a mentally-handicapped man who becomes intelligent [[spoiler:and reverted back to how he was beforehand.]] The fact that [[FlowersForAlgernonSyndrome there's a trope]] on Wiki/ThisVeryWiki named after the story [[NiceJobBreakingItHero probably isn't helping.]]

* {{Glurge}}: See FamilyUnfriendlyAesop

* EverybodyRemembersTheStripper: You might think that [[SocietyMarchesOn more modern challenges]] to the book would involve the constant use of the word "retard" [[note]]today, really uncomfortable, but in the 50s, that was the term used[[/note]] or some of the unintended implications about disabled people [[note]]the story unintentionally implies that being teased and being incapable of realizing it is a natural part of being mentally disabled - totally mainstream thought in 1958, but questionable today, to say the least[[/note]]. But even in TheNewTens, the biggest, practically only, reason the book is challenged for removal from school libraries and elsewhere? Its (utterly mild) sexual content.

* AdaptationDisplacement: Few people know that ''Flowers'' was originally a short story.
* EverybodyRemembersTheStripper: You might think that [[SocietyMarchesOn more modern challenges]] to the book would involve the constant use of the word "retard" [[note]]today, really uncomfortable, but in the 50s, that was the term used[[/note]] or some of the unintended implications about disabled people [[note]]the story unintentionally implies that teasing and being incapable of realizing it is a natural part of being mentally disabled - totally mainstream thought in 1958, but questionable today, to say the least[[/note]]. But even in TheNewTens, the biggest, practically only, reason the book is challenged for removal from school libraries and elsewhere? Its (utterly mild) sexual content.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: The book is very clear that the treatment of the mentally disabled by abled people is horrific. Things actually have improved in the treatment of the developmentally disabled since then - and probably at least partially as a result - In the 1950's it was very common for families to send away these folks and they were often encouraged to do so. Nowadays its more acceptable to have a special needs child.

* ItWasHisSled / AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame: One of the few things people who haven't read the book know about it is that Charlie is a mentally-handicapped man who becomes intelligent [[spoiler:and reverted back to how he was beforehand.]] The fact that [[FlowersForAlgernonSyndrome there's a trope]] on ThisVeryWiki named after the story [[NiceJobBreakingItHero probably isn't helping.]]

* IAmNotShazam: The guy writing the story who's getting the surgery is named Charlie.

* NightmareFuel: In the 1968 movie adaptation, Charlie's mental breakdown which involves him running from his older self. The music and the creepy smile of the other Charlie are unsettling enough, but then Charlie gets trapped in a maze and at one point, he's struggling to escape down a long hallway while the other Charlie slowly approaches him. That whole scene is genuinely terrifying.

* EverybodyRemembersTheStripper: You might think that more modern challenges to the book would involve the constant use of the word "retard" [[note]]today, really uncomfortable, but in the 50s, that was the term used[[/note]] or some of the unintended implications about disabled people [[note]]the story unintentionally implies that teasing and being incapable of realizing it is a natural part of being mentally disabled - totally mainstream thought in 1958, but questionable today, to say the least[[/note]]. But even in TheNewTens, the biggest, practically only, reason the book is challenged for removal from school libraries and elsewhere? Its (utterly mild) sexual content.

* ShootTheShaggyDog

* FreudWasRight: Poor Charlie. Upon seeing his sister in the bathtub as a child, was struck by her (seeming) lack of genitalia. Not only did he come to the conclusion that their parents [[{{GroinAttack}} removed it to punish her]], but his mother caught him and...[[BrotherSisterIncest jumped to the wrong conclusion.]] This earned him a traumatic experience with a knife and a deep-seated fear that he'd be castrated one day as well. Anytime he tries to have sex, bam! Traumatic memories.

* Glurge: See FamilyUnfriendlyAesop