Flowers for Algernon

[dukealien]

Flowers for Algernon


People make the particular 
         wide-mouthed, wide-eyed
retarded look.

People who look at that and see,
     also
 make a straightface, cleareye
retarded look.

Interesting.  Would a moist-eyed, sympathetic look at the party of the first part also be retarded?  The particular look (by the first party) is presumably learned - or is it a sort of default, and retardation is in (not) learning other responses?  Or not learning to feel them, or being constitutionally unable to feel them?  Quite the can of worms this work decants!