Shelby, Libby, & Meredith’s Final Paper

Libby Wruck, Shelby Steele, Meredith Miller

ENGL 384-01

Dr. Foss

April 28, 2020

Reading Victor Frankenstein as Autistic

Autistic characters often appear in Victorian literature, although there was no concept of autism during that time. By retrofitting a modern diagnosis to a piece of gothic literature, we are making the claim that a character is autistic, not an autistic person. This means that the characteristics that we associate with autism are not necessarily accurate to the real life experience of autism, nor should these stereotypical characteristics be used as a reference for real people with autism. Using Stuart Murray’s “Autism” as a baseline on the current knowledge of the condition and as well as the current diagnostic materials found in DSM-V we make the argument that Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley’s novel, “Frankenstein” can be read as autistic.

Our modern understanding of autism is based on the facts that were given by Murray. It is agreed that the knowledge on autism is based less so on the definitive signs and symptoms and many autistic people present various traits. Many of the symptoms have become stereotypes, so we use the book by Murray to separate the harmful stereotypes from the variations of Victor’s experiences. Although autism is relatively undefinable as the experience is varied, we use patterns of traits that are found in autistic people in modern times to create this diagnosis. We admit to not being medical professionals; we make this ‘diagnosis’ as an observation using our acquired knowledge on the condition. Some traits that can be grouped into a social interaction category are of atypical relationships or negative relationships with those who are neurotypical, either heightened or lack of empathy, and overall discomfort in social situations. Similarly, we outline some behavioral traits as special interests, isolation, a lack of sense of personal danger, the prominence of masking, and atypical reactions. Masking is a common autistic concept where an autistic person hides their autistic traits in an attempt to blend in with neurotypical society.

One of the most defining aspects of Victor Frankenstein’s character, is his construction of the creation. He spends the years leading up to his creation studying vigorously at school, “Two years passed in this manner, during which I paid no visit to Geneva”(Shelley 22). He is hyper-fixating on this project at the cost of his social bonds with his family and his own health. Frankenstien’s need to complete his experiment at all costs can be associated with the modern interpretation of autistic men’s special interest with STEM, though this is a stereotype. Frankenstein can even be read as a savant, a harmful stereotypical trait the media associates with autistic men.

Frankenstein does not have typical responses to death and the human body, “Darkness had no effect upon my fancy, and a churchyard was to me merely the receptacle of bodies deprived of life, which, from being the seat of beauty and strength, had become food for the worm. Now I was led to examine the cause and progress of this decay and forced to spend days and nights in vaults and charnel-houses. My attention was fixed upon every object the most insupportable to the delicacy of the human feelings”(38). He only views a body as a body, not a person who has lived. This lack of empathy and connection between a body and a person reveals some of the workings of an atypical mind. Frankenstein tries to mask when interacting with the creation; “I thought that as I could not sympathize with him, I had no right to withhold from him the small portion of happiness which was yet in my power to bestow” (129). He does not agree to make the creation a wife out of sympathy for his plight, he does it because he does not want the creation to keep bothering or threatening him. This lack of empathy can be found in people with autism, not to coincide with a lack of empathy in autistic characters with evil actions, though this connection will be touched upon later.

Even Frankstein’s responses to social interaction fit under the purview of autism. Early in the book, he describes his social comfort as “It was my temper to avoid a crowd and to attach myself fervently to a few. I was indifferent, therefore, to my schoolfellows in general; but I united myself in the bonds of the closest friendship to one among them” (24). Victor is content with his few friends and has little desire to make more, this can also be read as him either not knowing how to make more friends or his classmates not being able to understand his behavior. Because of his lack of typical empathy as shown above, his relationships with his family are damaged because they are unable to understand this lack of interaction with them as not indifference, but rather an inability to understand their desire for this interaction.

With the modern knowledge of autism, the traits of Victor Frankenstein portrayed in Mary Shelley’s novel hold an austistic narrative. Many autistic stereotypes are viewed as negative in both fictional works and reality; however, stereotypes are what must be used in reading characters as every case is different. The common public perception of autism results in a stereotypical expression of people with autism in all forms of media, including literature. A reading of Victor Frankenstien as autistic gives insight into the negative portrayals and stereotypes associated with autistic people. Throughout the novel, Victor makes decisions neither the characters nor the readers fully understand, resulting in the villainization of the character. This is because the other characters and the readers expect a neurotypical response, while Victor is unable to react in that way. Because of this, the creation is given a more sympathetic narrative, despite Victor losing his entire family and best friend as well as people’s inability to sympathize with Victor’s neurodiversity. The stereotypical autistic traits Victor portrays have a direct correlation to why he is read as evil and often viewed as the antagonist of the novel. Much of the treatment for autistic people is determined by public perception of autism that is fueled by stereotypes. Thus, making Shelley’s use of stereotypes to be both negative and positive.

Word count: 1022

I hereby declare upon my word of honor that I have neither given nor received unauthorized help on this work.

The Power of Language Surrounding Disability as Presented in Stuart Murray’s Autism

Lizzie Wordham

Stuart Murray’s Autism covers a broad spectrum of topics from history of the condition to controversies surrounding it to gender statistics. In a couple different chapters, Murray touches on the dangers of certain language that is used with autism and the dangerous affects it can have. Referring to autism as an “illness” or a “disease” as opposed to a condition causes autism to be seen as something that must be healed or cured. This type of language is harmful to the autistic community, as it directs autism studies away from focuses of understanding or learning and instead towards potentially invasive procedures and a lack of acceptance by nondisabled people. This language also can make it more difficult for families to connect to their autistic family member. It is important to the wellbeing of autistic people that we think of autism instead as a unique part of humanity, instead of referring to it as something that needs to be removed.

Referring to autism as an illness puts the condition in an enveloping category that skews the true definition of autism. As Murray writes, “the baggy nature of this word allows for the easy crossover between illness and a neurobehavioral condition such as autism” (37). Thinking of autism under the terms of an illness rather than a condition influences the way it is dealt with. Instead of being thought of as something unique that can provide new information about humans and influence what we know about the qualities of humanity, this language redirects study of autism to focus on trying to fix it. This type of approach to autism, finding a cure, influences the type of care and autistic person may get. The families of an autistic person may view the condition as problematic, which in turn would affect their treatment of and attitude towards their autistic family member when that family member would have benefitted simply from being engaged in and loved by their family.

The idea of searching for a “cure” for autism has resulted in numerous organizations that seek to lessen the symptoms or actually remove the autism from a person’s body. Murray writes about one in particular called Generation Rescue (91). This organization uses language such as “heal” or “rescue” your son from autism. This type of language puts distance between the families and their autistic child. It seeks to separate the child from the condition and makes it seem as though quality of the child’s life is hindered because of it. Language like this distances a family from connecting with their autistic child, as it paints autism as some kind of barrier between them and their child’s true self. Another organization that Murray writes about, called Son-Rise, revolves around language that pertains to resurrection or exorcism. He observes that the idea of “purging the body to remove the condition… creates an idea of autism as either a toxin or some form of malevolent presence” (Murray 93). This lexicon used by organizations like this makes autism sound very negative and can result in treatment of autistic children that is uncomfortable and unnecessary.

Not only can language like “cure” or “illness” create distance between an autistic person and their family, but it can subject the autistic patient to procedures that are painful and jarring. There are rituals, injections, and creams that are meant to either lessen symptoms or remove the autism from the body, but none have been proven to work. It is the hopefulness of the family that it will work that causes them to participate in procedures and products that are not proven to be effective by scientists (Murray 94). Murray reminds his readers that “those who are autistic themselves often view the curing or healing debates with a mixture of hostility and resigned weariness” (94). This in itself implies that attempting to rid an autistic person of their autism is more the desire of the family than the autistic person. This desire of families of autistic children is influenced greatly by the types of language they have been exposed to surrounding autism, displaying yet again why it is so problematic.

Negative and incorrect language in reference to autism results in a lack of understanding by the nondisabled community. Murray points out that the autism condition is “one of developmental delay” (94). Family members of autistic children will convince themselves that certain procedures are working because they’ll see differences in their child’s abilities. What they haven’t been taught to understand is that, “like all children, children with autism will grow up” (Murray 94). If the families of autistic children instead took the time to learn about the condition instead of attempt to suppress it, they could understand that their autistic loved one will grow and develop like any other child, just on their own timeline and in their own unique way. This is why negative language is so harmful to the autistic community—its affects the way their family members view their condition and results in a lack of understanding. Autism is a human condition, as Murray reminds his readers several times throughout his book, and should be viewed as something uniquely human.

In closing, autism is a developmental condition, not an illness. Words such as “illness” or “disease” cause it to often fall under a category of illnesses that it does not belong to. Words like “cure,” “rescue,” “fix,” and even “heal” depict the condition as something that is wrong and needs to be gotten rid of. This language is harmful to the autistic community for many reasons. It results in potentially uncomfortable procedures, it prevents true understanding of autism by the nondisabled communities, and it can result in a distancing of family members from their autistic loved one. It is important that this type of language surrounding autism is changed and replaced with something that benefits the autistic community, focusing instead on understanding and acceptance. This implementation of more positive and thought-provoking language should improve relationships between autistic people and their families, direct autism studies in a more productive and progressive direction, and give autistic people the rights and treatment they need and deserve.

Word Count: 1019

Works Cited

Murray, Stuart. Autism. The Routledge Series Integrating Science and Culture, 2011.

Meg’s Final Analysis on the Birth of Frankenstein’s ‘Creation’, and Ableist Parent’s Autism Diagnosis Experience

Earlier in the semester, we focused quite a bit on the character of Victor Frankenstein, the titular character in Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein. We discussed how Victor could represent a character with depression, schizophrenia, or a number of other possible invisible disabilities. We touched on his ‘creation’ from time to time as well, in associate with Rosemary Garland Thompson’s Introduction: From Wonder to Error—A Genealogy of Discourse in Modernity” from Freakery: Cultural Spectacles of the Extraordinary Body, among other theories. But I think that we should circle back and revisit Dr. Frankenstein and his creation now that we have learned more about autism. By analyzing the passage in which Victor Frankenstein experiences the ‘birth’ of his ‘creation’ it is impossible to ignore the way in which his experience coincides with the depiction of the experience of an ableist parent, such as Jenny McCarthy, discovering their child’s autism diagnosis, outlined in Julia Miele Rodas, “Introduction” rather succinctly, which shows us just how far we have left to go in deconstructing the rampant ableism in our own society.

Shelley begins Dr. Frankenstein’s experience, at the moment the creature opens his eyes, “How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful!” (Shelley 37). It is clear that up until this moment, throughout the two years he had been working on his ‘creation’, he never once thought of him as anything less than his own beautiful summation of his blood sweat and tears. His ‘creation’ was exactly as he was intended to be, with, “limbs […] in proportion” and “beautiful” features (37). This mirrors what a parent typically sees in their child(ren): the most beautiful thing(s) they have ever created. We see similarities in Jenny McCarthy’s depiction of her son in the doctor’s office just before his diagnosis, as written in her book Louder Than Words, “Evan ‘had taken those ear cones the doctors use to look inside your ears and had made the most perfect row lined up across the room’”. McCarthy goes on to detail that she found this behavior ‘”cute”’ (Rodas 15). McCarthy’s choice of the words “perfect” and “cute” illustrate that prior to her son’s diagnosis, she, like Dr. Frankenstein and his ‘creation’, saw no problem with her child. The similarities do not stop here.

Within the first line of this passage, the reader is aware of Dr. Frankenstein’s flurry of emotions upon witnessing the birth of his ‘creation’. His use of the words “catastrophe” and “wretch” illustrate the change in the doctor’s perception of his ‘creation’ from “beautiful” to seemingly grotesque. Frankenstein continues, “The different accidents of life are not so changeable as the feelings of human nature. I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing lie into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.” (Shelley 37). In this passage Dr. Frankenstein acknowledges his change in feelings toward his ‘creation’. He, not unlike a parent, has put his all into his ‘creation’ for years until this point. But, the moment his ‘creation’ opens his eyes he no longer recognizes him as the “beautiful” being he was moments before.

This, again, mirrors Jenny McCarthy’s own ableist reaction to the diagnosis of her son, “’Everything I had thought was cute was a sign of autism’” (Rodas 15). As we’ve just read, moments earlier McCarthy had seen her son’s behavior as “cute”, and she has now dehumanized them into strictly symptomatic behaviors, or as Rodas puts it, as “autism’s antihuman identity” (Rodas 16). McCarthy goes on, “The things I’d thought were character traits were in fact autism characteristics, and that was all I had. Where was my son, and how the hell did I get him out?” (16). McCarthy’s inability to see her son, and insistence upon seeing his once “cute” “character traits” as non-communicative autonomic compulsions that he needed saving from, illustrate the dehumanization of her own son due to her ableist blinders. This is further exemplified by McCarthy’s interaction with her own doctor, who states that her son “is still the same boy you came in here with”, and her response “No, in my eyes he wasn’t,” (16). Much like Doctor Frankenstein no longer sees his ‘creation’ as the same “beautiful” being that he had known for years, neither does McCarthy see her own son as the “cute” boy that she had raised until this point.

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein is chock-full of material to analyze through the lens of Disability Studies, from the Doctor’s many possible invisible disabilities, to the various possible physical and invisible disabilities that his ‘creation’ could be seen to represent. But perhaps more interesting, at least to me, is the way in which the interactions between the Doctor and his ‘creation’ or either character and the outside world, can be seen to represent interactions between the disabled community and the non-disabled community. How do we see things differently today, or do we? One example can be found in the problematic way that many ableist parents fear the diagnosis of autism for their children as most parents would fear a deadly illness. Which is ironic, given that this same fear pushes many to avoid modern medical treatments such as vaccines, under the misguided notion that they may cause autism; literally risking their children’s lives to avoid an autism diagnosis. This best illustration of this dehumanizing fear is Jenny McCarthy’s experience of the diagnosis of her son with Autism, and the succinct reflection of that experience within Dr. Frankenstein’s experience of witnessing the birth of his ‘creation’, which shows us that although we’ve come a long way in terms of we still have a very long way to go in dismantling the ableism in our society.

Word Count = 1014

Works Cited:

Rodas, Julia Miele, and Melanie Yergeau. Autistic Disturbances: Theorizing Autism Poetics from the DSM to Robinson Crusoe. University of Michigan Press, 2018. < https://www.dislit2020.chris-foss.net/blog/readings/>

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Susan J. Wolfson. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelleys Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus. Pearson Longman, 2007.

Thomson, Rosemarie Garland. Freakery: Cultural Spectacles of the Extraordinary Body. New York University Press, 1996. <https://www.dislit2020.chris-foss.net/blog/readings/>

I hereby declare upon my word of honor that I have neither given nor received unauthorized help on this work.

Major Project, Tori Percherke, Netflix’s “Atypical” T.V. Review

ATypical

Disability & Literature

An Episode Review: S1, E5 “That’s my Sweatshirt”

To bring awareness to Autism, I have dedicated a review poster of the show, Atypical. A show which brings attention to the everyday life of Sam Gardner, a teenager who is on the spectrum. By talking about Sam’s symptoms, lifestyle, and the community that interacts with him, readers will get a better understanding with people with this disability. By watching this series, viewers will realize that Sam Gardner doesn’t need to be treated any differently than your friends or neighbors. I am very passionate about bringing attention to those with disabilities, and telling the world that those who have disabilities do not want to be fixed by anyone that they encounter.

Sam Gardner

The main character of this television series, Atypical, stars a high schooler on the Autism spectrum. Autism defined is a “developmental disability that affects an individual’s ability to communicate and the ability to engage in social interaction” (2). Sam Gardner is 18 years old, and is eager to explore newer things while he grows to be more mature. Sam works at a technology store called “Techtropolis” with his best friend, Zahid, and enjoys listening to Zahid’s stories about girls. Listening to these anecdotes, Sam brings up to his therapist (in previous episodes) on how he would get a girlfriend. In this episode, Sam gets a girlfriend that he so much wanted.. However, he gets seriously frustrated when his new girlfriend takes his green hoodie.

Little did Sam know, girls love having something of their man’s to feel closer to them!

Another thing viewers should know is that Sam is very passionate about Antarctica, and it’s wondrous penguins that live there! He often relates his own life to the animals that live in the Arctic. With his fascinating memory, and genuine heart, Sam is not afraid to speak his own truth whether somebody wants to hear it or not.

People with autism have different ways of learning, paying attention, and reacting to situations. Signs of autism last throughout a person’s life, so I broke this review down by titling the symptoms that Sam Gardner shows in Atypical.

Lack of eye contact and trouble adapting to “newness”

In the beginning of the episode, Sam says that before he started working at Techtropolis, he learned about every detail within the store. Including the products, the store’s rules, and procedures. Sam even included in his thoughts that he had to watch what he says to customers. Like, not telling customers they smell bad when they seriously do!

A common trait that people with autism struggle with is being unemotionally blunt. While some of Sam’s bluntness can be harsh, some of it can be rather funny. Sam described his boss as “having hairy knuckles, but being very nice” (0:26). Something like noticing someone with hairy knuckles as a first impression is very unusual but comical. Oftentimes, people on the spectrum will avoid eye contact in first times of meeting. Which carries into an assumption that people like Sam are “socially awkward.” Sam often notices other particular things that most people don’t in social interactions. Which makes his character unique and fun to learn more about. Makes viewers wonder what Sam Gardner has to say about you?

After Sam’s first shift, he explains to his audience how he doesn’t enjoy new things coming into his life. But, then relates his situation to how arctic animals need to experience newness to survive (1:25). Sam is also encouraged by his therapist to explore new things as he grows up. Two of the things being a job, and getting a girlfriend.

Trouble expressing their needs using words or motions

Paige Hardaway, Sam’s girlfriend, is super controlling when it comes to being in a relationship. In this particular episode, Paige attempts to control Sam and his “arctic talk” by giving him an amount of cards. Each time Sam talks about Antarctica or animals that live there, he has to give up a card to Paige. Once he runs out, he cannot talk about the Arctic anymore. Paige manipulates the fact that Sam likes to follow rules, and feels that his factual information is annoying, and irritating to others. Sam is questioned by his mother if he likes this method or not, and Sam bluntly states that “it’s annoying, but it makes everyone happy” (6:50). Sam clearly doesn’t like when others try to fix what he is passionate about. Let alone, Sam doesn’t want anyone to mess up on his idea of order. When Paige walks into his room, she starts to fidget with every single one of his things (7:14). This irritates Sam, and causes him to do the only thing he feels that would work: locking Paige in the closet. The only way Sam knows how to express his emotions is by simply doing. Finding comical relief in this scene, Paige, oddly accepts that Sam needed to be alone. But, still, doesn’t seem to respect Sam’s personal space. While she is locked in the closet, Paige secretly takes Sam’s sweatshirt.

The following day, Paige prances up to Sam at school wearing his green hoodie. Sam immediately notices, and can’t stand the thought of somebody wearing a piece of his clothing (12:17). After Paige rambles about how cool it is to wear this sweatshirt, Sam physically leaves the conversation without an explanation. Thus, showing viewers the best way Sam can handle that situation, was to just take himself out of the problem physically (12:50).

Trouble understanding one’s feelings towards something

Towards the end, Paige wonders why Sam has distanced himself from her. So, she goes to Sam’s sister, Casey, for advice. Casey bluntly tells her that she needed to lay off her brother because he didn’t eat his lunch the other day. As she continued, Casey reminded Paige that “this is what you get with Sam”, giving her brother a negative connotation (19:20). Being the protective sister she is, Casey then questions why Paige is with him in the first place.

Paige describes Sam with such positive qualities. But then, describes Sam’s way of thinking as interesting.

Casey warns Paige one last time that if she leaves, Sam will be more hurt than anyone else. People with autism barely like change, so Casey assumed that it would be best if that relationship stopped (20:25). While some with autism might struggle with serious and emotional feelings. Sam certainly wants to explore that on his own. Just like no one should make those sorts of assumptions about anyone.

Sam makes that known to Casey that she was wrong for pushing Paige away, and that he is well-off (23:19). Go Sam!!

Prefer not to be affectionate unless wanted

When Sam finally realizes that he wants to keep Paige around, he interrupts the French class she is currently in. Not giving one single care in the world that he is showing inappropriate behavior. Sam confesses that even though Paige can be a handful, he’d much rather have her around than not (27:40). Also, so Paige doesn’t steal anything of his, Sam kindly bought her something that would remind her of him when they are a part. At the end of his speech, Paige, being the highly emotional girl she is, proceeds to kiss Sam. But, get this! Sam doesn’t close his eyes or kiss her back (28:40). Two very common reactions to being kissed by someone. Not Sam! Which makes this scene hilarious but also letting the viewers know that Sam doesn’t really appreciate affection unless he asks for it. And you can tell, he’s totally not into it!

Conclusion

Sam Gardner is a bright, honest, and courageous man. He isn’t afraid to tell people what he thinks of them, and stands up for himself when he feels that he isn’t being treated equally. While his family is protective of him, Sam shows that he is bold enough to explore the unknown; mostly Paige and that handful.

By reading this review, readers will entail: the signs and symptoms of those with autism, how others feel that they have to treat those with autism, and how assumptions should not be made.

Just like anyone, no one wants to be treated any differently than your friend or neighbor.

Season 1-3 are streaming on Netflix.

500 Word Write Up –

Atypical Episode Review: “That’s my sweatshirt”

I am a sucker for a good Netflix binge, and I also love reading into T.V. and movie reviews. So when I was brainstorming for project ideas, I thought what could be better than doing a review on not only one of my favorite Netflix shows, but a show that supported the awareness of people with autism. I am also a staff writer and editor for the Blue & Gray Press. So I felt that I had the skills to bring this T.V. poster to life with my journalism background.

Sam Gardner, which is the main character of the series, is on the Autism spectrum. Sam is an 18 year-old, going through everyday life as a high schooler. Of course, he finds himself in drama with his girlfriend, Paige. Along with some other troubles, like defending himself with the help of his sister, and the affair in his family. Sam is super independent, and can tell you the hard truth without even asking for it! I admire Sam’s character because of his eagerness and heart for others and of course, his love for penguins! He is brilliant in the ways he can recall any fact about Antarctica, and it’s arctic animals.

My process for this project was to find a layout that was easily presentable and with a big image. I found a poster layout on Google Docs, that presents a picture, along with titles that provided sections of the poster. Making this review pretty, and organized will attract readers and interest into watching the series. I also decided instead of focusing on the entire show, I chose an episode from season one that showed a lot on what I wanted to focus on: Sam’s signs and symptoms with autism (within this particular episode). Stating these signs and symptoms can bring attention to those who don’t know what people with autism struggle with. It’s important that disability studies should be known, and what better way to learn than to watch a fictional, fun and informational series? I also wanted to include in my review how others talk and approach a person with a disability like autism. In this particular episode: how Paige and Casey (Sam’s sister) talk about Sam.

In “That’s my Sweatshirt”, Sam’s girlfriend, Paige, doesn’t respect Sam’s personal space at home. Sam locks Paige in his closet for punishment, because he claimed that he didn’t like others in his “den”. He uses the word, ‘den’, to relate himself to the animals he studies. Which I think is a fascinating thing that Sam does on a normal basis. Paige, a controlling girlfriend, creates a “game” on how much Sam can talk about his Arctic facts by giving Sam a certain amount of cards. Paige then takes them away each time he says something about the Arctic.

I felt that talking about how others feel as if they can “help fix or save” people with disabilities should be mentioned in my project. The significance and importance of my T.V. review is to reach out to people who don’t know much about autism. By watching this Netflix series, people can experience a real and raw show that will present the everyday life of a teenageer with autism. It’s important that we don’t treat people like Sam differently or feel as if we have to fix them. Instead we should treat them equally, and with kindness.

Write up – Word Count: 566

T.V. Review – Word Count: 1371

“I hereby declare upon my word of honor that I have neither given nor received unauthorized help on this work.”

X Tori Percherke

Citations:

“Signs and Symptoms.” Autism Society, www.autism-society.org/what-is/symptoms/.

“What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 Mar. 2020, www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html.

3. “That’s My Sweatshirt” Atypical, Robia Rashid, Dennis Saldua, 11 Aug. 2017, www.Netflix.com

(Picture) “Atypical.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 11 Aug. 2017, www.imdb.com/title/tt6315640/.

Final for Amy Rouse; “Label Breaking on Autistic Abilities”

Amy Rouse

04/17/2020

Prof. Foss

Final Paper

Label Breaking on Autistic Abilities

Labels can put pressure on people to either outperform or underperform. With this pressure on those with autism there is a predominant focus on what they can’t do, and how autism has taken away and hidden a child under its grasp. The act of being labeled autistic; might provide slight relief to the parents, but also leaves them wondering who their child is without the autism, how might they form a connection with this child stereotyped to be connectionless? Autism didn’t take away a child, it gave you a unique child who is fully capable of connections, identifying with others, understanding what is being said to them, defying odds. That is an autistic child.

These connections and accounts are found in Ralph James Savareses’ “Prologue: River of Words, Raft of Our Conjoined Neurologist” from See It Feelingly, in “Perspectives” a poem by Craig Romkema from his collection of poems titled “Embracing the Sky: Poems Beyond Disability,” and Troubleshooting by Selene dePackh. All show those with a diagnosis of autism and call attention to what others think they can’t do while showing that the individuals mentioned can do those things and many more. Here, we will see these stereotypes that are forced upon autistics but also, how they are defying expectations and changing those stereotypes.

Having feelings such as empathy is presumed to be missing from those diagnosed with autism. Savarese shows us with his autistic and nonverbal son, DJ, that feelings and identification are possible for autistic individuals. His son feels “‘character’s feelings”’ so much so that he physically shows them which can be heavy breathing that the character themselves was perceived to be doing within the story, (Savarese, pg. 15). Identification is also mentioned for those with autism as being difficult and absent from them, but DJ “morphs into [Harriet Tubman], so she morphs into him,” (Savarese, pg. 16). Being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and feel what they were or might have been at that moment, is a skill to be appreciated and applauded, not one to be ignored because the individual themselves is non-verbal and is assumed to not understand.

Deficits in emotions are a portion of the DSM-5 diagnosis for autism, but what about those who feel sorrow, who have empathy? DJ is one of them, he does feel emotion so much that he is “ so attuned to the pain that it becomes his own,” (Savarese, pg. 18). Thoughts and opinions on what an autistic can’t do are summed up into broad categories in the DSM, but here we have a child who is not fully categorized within the autism diagnosis aside from his nonverbal form of communication and not wanting physical affection. There is a note made about these “prevailing stereotypes” concerning autism and emotions specifically, (Savarese, pg. 18). With a glimpse into DJs mind, we see how society has made him think of himself. For his graduation, he wanted to walk on stage and shake the Principal’s hand without flapping his arms, though he did not succeed, he “felt proud. I looked great and autistic at the same time. I realized in my own life something I had begun to learn from the books I was reading; simply conforming to the dominant culture is not always a worthy goal,”’ (Savarese, pg. 21-22). Many focus on the negatives and the so-called disruptive behavior that those with autism can perform, but why can’t they focus on the fact they just graduated? Through Savarese and his son, we see how stereotypes are demolished and outperformed, while also embracing who one is and being proud of it and letting the world see that.

In his poem “Perspectives,” Romkema hints upon the fact that those around him can fix him with “vitamin A” and by “measuring [his] head,” (Romkema). Everyone is always insistent on finding a cure for autism, but no one is taking time to notice what is actually going on in their heads. The label of autism is “freely” made and leaves parents “telling [him] always they knew [he] was there / Inside / And somehow we would find each other, / Connect / The way they could with the sisters and brother,” (Romkema). This embarks on the fact that many perceive those with autism as being disconnected from everyone, from the world and having to provide self-stimulation which can result in arm flapping and sometimes destructive self-harmful behaviors. Romkema calls attention to many stereotypes of autistics while also showing how they become more than those stereotypes and are not limited to them. He notes, “From that little boy so willingly labeled. / But now I can type thoughts, questions, / Responses, / Enter discussions on Shakespeare and / Algebra,” among other mentionings of voting and giving his own opinions not monitored or given for him, (Romkema). Those with autism are able to speak for themselves and prove they can on a daily basis whether they are deemed verbal or non-verbal.

Romkema himself is autistic but also has cerebral palsy, which can now explain to the readers why he was lying in his bed and other lines of his poem concerning his body. Connection, thoughts, and other daily actions that neurotypical individuals do look different on an autistic individual, and there is nothing wrong with this. While Romkema’s poem hits a few of these stereotypes, it showcases the brilliance of how someone with autism, laying in their bed doing what other may call “self-stimulation” but actually may be “ponder[ing] new theories while / watching [his] fingers, / Doing Nothing,” (Romkema). “Perspectives” truly gives us a new and recurring perspective: that of the parents, the doctors and other professionals, but also the individual labeled with the diagnosis. He “understood every word” those around him were saying, disproving another stereotype (Romkema). While stereotypes are disproven throughout the poem, it is seen how he can do everything a neurotypical child would be able to do, only in different ways that are not mentioned but can be assumed.

In the beginning pages of dePackhs book Troubleshooting, a patient is introduced with her ability to look in someone’s eyes instead of looking away. “I’m autistic, but I don’t look down and away like a good autistic; I stare. That complicated my diagnosis for the early years of my life,” (dePackh, pg. 2). Here, we have a very predominant example of focusing on what autistics shouldn’t be able to do, but we also have the example and label of a ‘good’ autistic, one who complies with the diagnosis standards. A whole diagnosis depends on deficits in the individuals, in this case, a deficit on eye contact was not there. This complicated a diagnosis that is plastered with aspects that an autistic individual shouldn’t be able to do. So shouldn’t it be said that she defied the odds, surpassed the expectations, derailed the label she was given? A label she had both physically and metaphorically tattooed on her, was enough for people to assume she couldn’t and should be able to do certain things. “I went up and introduced myself even though making social,” is something she would rather avoid, she does not shy away from things as it would be stereotyped (dePackh, pg. 3). Social situations are often avoided by those with autism, as would be assumed and is in the DSM-5 as a part of the diagnosis.

One very specific notion that is focused on in this first chapter consists of the tone of voice and connecting it to words and their meanings and how they become “callibr[ated]” to where it doesn’t take as long as her normal “‘auditory processing lag,’’’ (dePackh, pg. 7). Not only does this call attention to what is going on inside the brain of someone diagnosed with autism, it shows the readers the difference but the same way everyone understands words. It is like learning something new for a neurotypical individual, sometimes we get it if we have background knowledge (calibration) and sometimes it takes longer to be fully understood, so “taking the scenic route,” (dePackh, pg. 7). Her lag would be something the doctors, teachers, and others would focus on and try to rid her of and cure it, as it is noted later in the chapter in a high functioning autism classroom but also her own mother is trying to cure her autism and “cleanse” her from it, (dePackh, pg. 17). Focusing on her lag proves the point that the negatives and deficits a child may have with autism, is only part of who they are. Positives should be focused on instead because they, just like neurotypical children, can do so much more than they are perceived to. dePackh illustrates this from the few examples covered. Having a connection with your child despite the fact they may be unable to make one, depends also on the parents as well.

Common perceptions of autism include those that diminish the ability of these individuals. The literary works written by Savarses, Romkema, and dePackh prove that stereotypes put pressure on their children, others, and themselves, but these deficits that appear are solely focused on. There is never an article saying all the things that those with autism can do, only what they can’t do in order to get a diagnosis for their child. Autism presents itself in many ways, and that may be nonverbal but it can also be to look and stare into someone else’s face and be included in social interaction. The analysis offered here in this paper shows that autism is thought of as deficits, but those deficits are being disproved by those diagnosed.

Word Count; 1,594

I pledge,

Amy Rouse

Label-Breaking-on-Autistic-Abilities Download

Works Cited

Depackh, Selene. Troubleshooting: Book One, Glitch in the System. 1st ed., Reclamation Press, 2018.

Romkema, Craig. “Perspectives.” Embracing the Sky: Poems Beyond Disability, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2002.

Savarese, Ralph James. “Prologue: River of Words, Raft of Our Conjoined Neurologies .” Seeing It Feelingly, 1st ed., Duke University Press, 2018, pp. 15–22.