Progress Report 7

Summary

Charlie has surgery and is now able to spell words a little better. He still has bandages on his head. He is perplexed that the surgery happened while he was sleeping—he cannot understand the concept of anesthesia.

He is excited about getting smarter so he can have conversations about politics, religion, and philosophy with other people. He is encouraged to write about his past, his feelings, and his thoughts but Charlie finds himself incapable of doing so.

Charlie begins to have meaningful conversations with his nurse Hilda. Hilda is against brain surgery because she believes in accepting fate and God’s wishes but Charlie explains to her that he holds intelligence in very high regard and wants to be smart. However, Hilda’s words have an impact on him—he does not wish to anger God.

Charlie’s nurse is changed to a woman named Lucille. Charlie asks her how babies are made. Lucille blushes and doesn’t answer.

Charlie tells Miss Kinnian that he does not feel smart; he is unable to understand why the surgery is not showing results immediately. He is impatient to return to his job at the bakery to show everyone how intelligent he is.

Analysis

Though Charlie appears smarter, his primary motive still remains to gain friends and their affections with his intelligence. He shows the first signs of heightened intelligence in being able to understand Hilda’s religiosity and fear of God. He craves social and filial acceptance—the primary motivator for his surgery to become intelligent.