The tone of this novel is likely to be stunned, with mixed emotions such as sorrow, excitement, and confusion.
Flowers for Algernon reminds me a lot of how underachieved people are looked down on, whether it's because of their musical talent, their work status, or even their social status. Many people feel compelled to pick on others under them in order to make themselves feel better; this is shown in the book when Charlie's coworkers mock him for being different.