Mistreatment is an abusive act towards another being that is completely useless and out of place. Such acts are unjust and cruel regardless of race, gender, intellect, or any characteristics the victim may or may not have. While it is common knowledge that one should treat one's peers as they would like to be treated, everyone has been mistreated multiple times throughout their lives. Daniel Keyes, the author of Flowers for Algernon, presents acts of mistreatment throughout his novel. The story is based on a realistic, near-future world in which a middle-aged man with mental problems undergoes an experimental operation that raises his intelligence over several months to the point where he becomes much smarter than the scientists who designed and performed the operation. With such a drastic change in his mind, he realizes that his "friends" were not as friendly to him before the operation as he once thought, so he becomes cold and distrustful. The main character, Charlie Gordon, goes through a long psychological and emotional journey to reconcile with himself and the people around him over the course of nine months. Contrary to what he expected, Charlie is treated worse after the operation due to the hostility of his friends and the scientist who insults him. One way Keyes shows Charlie's mistreatment is through his friends' fear and avoidance of him. Before the operation, Mr. Donner, the owner of the bakery where Charlie works, had made sure that Charlie would always have a job and a home at the bakery. Otherwise Charlie would have to live in an institution for people with mental problems. Even though the other bakery employees tease him without his knowledge, he considers them his friends, who he talks to and goes to parties with. When he has surgery, he becomes much smarter than his friends and they can no longer make fun of him. He is capable of doing it