Flowers for Algernon

by

Daniel Keyes

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Flowers for Algernon makes teaching easy.

Fanny Birden Character Analysis

A worker at the bakery alongside Charlie Gordon—the only worker who doesn’t sign the petition to have Charlie fired. While Fanny doesn’t dislike or resent Charlie, she’s suspicious of Charlie’s operation, and cites the Biblical story of Adam and Eve as proof that humans are not meant to pursue knowledge.

Fanny Birden Quotes in Flowers for Algernon

The Flowers for Algernon quotes below are all either spoken by Fanny Birden or refer to Fanny Birden. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Ignorance, Intelligence, and Happiness Theme Icon
).
Progress Report 11 Quotes

She stared down at the bride and groom on the wedding cake she was decorating and I could see her lips barely move as she whispered: "It was evil when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge. It was evil when they saw they was naked, and learned about lust and shame. And they was driven out of Paradise and the gates was closed to them. If not for that none of us would have to grow old and be sick and die."
There was nothing more to say, to her or to the rest of them. None of them would look into my eyes. I can still feel the hostility. Before, they had laughed at me, despising me for my ignorance and dullness; now, they hated me for my knowledge and understanding. Why? What in God's name did they want of me?

Related Characters: Charlie Gordon (speaker), Fanny Birden (speaker)
Related Symbols: Adam and Eve
Page Number: 107-108
Explanation and Analysis:
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Flowers for Algernon PDF

Fanny Birden Quotes in Flowers for Algernon

The Flowers for Algernon quotes below are all either spoken by Fanny Birden or refer to Fanny Birden. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Ignorance, Intelligence, and Happiness Theme Icon
).
Progress Report 11 Quotes

She stared down at the bride and groom on the wedding cake she was decorating and I could see her lips barely move as she whispered: "It was evil when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge. It was evil when they saw they was naked, and learned about lust and shame. And they was driven out of Paradise and the gates was closed to them. If not for that none of us would have to grow old and be sick and die."
There was nothing more to say, to her or to the rest of them. None of them would look into my eyes. I can still feel the hostility. Before, they had laughed at me, despising me for my ignorance and dullness; now, they hated me for my knowledge and understanding. Why? What in God's name did they want of me?

Related Characters: Charlie Gordon (speaker), Fanny Birden (speaker)
Related Symbols: Adam and Eve
Page Number: 107-108
Explanation and Analysis: