Friends vs. Foes. When it comes to smart vs. dumb people, there is much more to it than just the outer layer, and the stereotypical ideas. In Flowers for Algernon, Charlie says he wants to be smarter so that he can have more friends. He believes that smarter people have more friends because they might be more popular. We believe differently. Friendship isn't based on intelligence but whether your personality and similarities with others. Smart people can be spotlighted for friendship because they could be used. They are the calculator in math, the people that will help you with your homework and the people that will help you do better in school. This is why they are targeted as friends, but they don't always have friends because they can be know it alls. But, smart people are just like dumb people, they are just more in tune with some academic skills. Dumb people aren't really dumb, they just aren't as skilled as others in a certain topic or area. They are tagged as stupid and such, but sometimes they can be the nicest people and will have many friends. But that isn't always true. Smart vs. Dumb is all a big stereotype.
People like Charlie are autistic but that doesn't classify them as dumb, doesn't mean that do or don't have challenges that regular people have. People all have the kind of challenges. An autistic child or adult will have to work harder and that can be a challenge but how do children get smart in the first place. Some challenges that both categories have alike can be family problems and social problems. They both might be going through the situation of divorced parents, or losses in the family. Both groups will have fights with friends and will break apart or join with other people. Parents of 'smart' children might have higher expectations of their children, which will stress the adolescent and maybe add more challenging situations. Parents of autistic children want their child to do well and might not apply as much pressure on the child, and just hope for average skill. But that doesn't mean that they are any less intelligent that the average person. In Flowers for Algernon, Charlie was taking a test of sorts and they help up ink blots. He said he didn't see anything in the ink blots, while others might see a frog, a person, etc. People might not connect things in their minds as other might. People don't see things the same way. This can be presented as a challenge but all challenges can be overcome.
Challenges are there for both 'smart' and slower children. The challenges can be different and they can be the same. Challenges like divorced parents, mean groups, and such are alike for both. Challenges such as more pressure are alike for both. Slower children may be confined or cut out, and smart people may be crowded or overcome with assignments/pressure. Always know that challenges can be overcome.
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