Flowers for algernon by daniel keyes question?

what is the overall message/theme of this book? i know it is about the mistreatment of the mentally retarded and dealing with your past, etc. but what is underlying message that the reader supposed to learn? sorry if this seems like a dumb question.. im just not sure. thank you!

Flowers for algernon by daniel keyes question?
Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.





Mistreatment of the Mentally Disabled





http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/algernon/t...








Flowers for Algernon Lit Guides





http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/algernon/





http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monk...





http://www.bookrags.com/notes/alg/





http://www.novelguide.com/FlowersForAlge...





http://litsum.com/flowers-for-algernon/





Good luck.
Reply:You also forget that the guy becomes really smart and still doesn't fit in to normal society. The mouse dies, I think, and the retarded becomes retarded again. He never did fit in to society.
Reply:Uh - not to mistreat the mentally retarded, I guess?





No, I think the theme is ethics - is it OK to change a person, even if it's "for their own good?" And what is good for a person, anyway? Who decides that, especially in the case of somebody like Charlie who can't really decide things for himself? Is it OK to "enhance" a person if the person will later revert?
Reply:That you have to find happiness in your life and that changing for other people won't fix your problems.