A-Z CLASSIC LITERATURE

Synopsis: Charlie, a factory worker with a low IQ, is selected for experimental surgery. The procedure dramatically increases Charlie’s intelligence and changes his personality from a quiet, unassuming man to a selfish, arrogant one. The changes brought about by the study are not permanent, however. Charlie’s IQ returns to its previous level, leaving him unable to understand what happened to him.

Talking Points: The meaning of intelligence, societal attitudes towards intellectual difference, friendship, grief, and loss.