Toxicity and the Consuming Subject by Nan Enstad and The Social Construction of Disability by Susan Wendell are two compelling texts that explore the intersection of culture, society, and the human body. Both authors use a critical lens to examine how different social and cultural norms shape the way people experience their bodies and how they are perceived by others. Both Enstad and Wendell use compelling evidence to drive their point and convince their readers that there must be something done. Enstad uses more relatable and intriguing evidence to draw the reader into what she is saying, while Wendell uses more straightforward and bland evidence to make her point more credible to the reader. In Toxicity and the Consuming Subject, Enstad …show more content…
She argues that disability is not a natural aspect of the human body, but rather a socially and culturally created concept. Wendell gives the example of “ many women with disabilities are discouraged from having children because other people can only imagine caring for children in ways that are impossible for women with their disabilities” ( Wendell 39). She gives this example of people who have to resort to different ways of having children. This example gives the reader a good idea of one of the ways that people might be envisioned to have a disability. These examples also give the reader a great way to correlate what the reader is saying and give them a deeper understanding of what the author is trying to get across. Wendell and Enstad both do a great job at this as they both give examples of how people are disadvantaged in society. Even though Enstad and Wendell have similarities in using evidence to help their claim, there are also some …show more content…
She uses many different theories and studies done by highly educated individuals to get her point across. For example, “ Medical sociologist Arthur Frank argues that we, as a society, need to hear the stories of ill people, precisely because so many of them are rejecting modern notions of the body and are, therefore, theorizing “post-modern times” through the telling of their own experiences” (Enstad 64). As we can see through this example she uses a more intellectual insight to her claim. This gives the reader a sense of trust that the author knows what she is talking about and makes them trust what she is saying. By including evidence like this, it lets the author have their evidence speak for itself without much explanation. This is different from what Wendell uses as she uses more inviting and understanding evidence to get her point
In the short story, “The Scarlet Ibis” by: James Hurst, many characteristics of Doodle show how people viewed and treated people with disabilities in that time period. This is shown by direct and indirect characterization. One examples from the text that shows how people were treated those with disabilities in that time period is, “from the outset, a disappointment.” This quotes reveals that Doodle’s mental disability and those of others was overlooked. Doodle, who represents people with disabilities, is a little different than everyone else.
Claim: Beyond conventional sense, there is pride and beauty to be found in disabled bodies despite traditional societal contempt for such bodies. In conversation with Waldemar Januszcak: Indeed, the timeless artistic style that was used in sculpting Allison Lapper is criticism of long-standing exaltation of impossible physical ideals. It is the contrast in Lapper’s form and the idea of misrepresentation that exemplify the desperate human struggle towards a certain notion of beauty, and an equally subjective notion of ugliness. The irony is that in a sense, both types of bodies are exceptional: one because it can never be achieved, and one because it will never be desired, leaving humankind caught in the middle.
She used descriptive adjectives to relate the feeling of the story to the reader and added in verbs provide a sense of the work that went into the DNA search as a whole. Her use of strong vocabulary along with the well-constructed sentence structure allowed her to better convey her point or persuade the reader through the story to dig deeper into their own identity. She gave solid information in between the story in the paper and backed it all with evidence from the story. As she carefully worded the informational paragraphs they almost urge the reader to go and dig deeper into their own
The Weaponization of Food In the autobiography, A Child Called “It” by David Pelzer, the discussion of food and its weaponization is a common theme throughout. The novel follows the story of David and his fight to survive his mother, Catherine Roerva, as she grows evermore abusive and hostile. In what began as a seemingly perfect family, unseen horrors are happening in plain view. In her descent into alcoholism, she continuously uses food as one of her many means of torment and manipulation against David. The effects of this torture break him down to but a husk of his former self.
Murphy lacks mobility and sensation in his lower body other than the feeling of occasional muscle spasms, and has limited movement in his upper body below the neck including his arms. Murphy writes the story as it recounts events throughout his entire life, from childhood onwards. He was sixty-two when he wrote the novel. The story provides Murphy’s anthropological commentary on the life of a person with a disability and how society views and treats people with disabilities (Murphy, 1990). Murphy’s performance patterns both support and inhibit his occupational engagement.
“Only 50 years ago persons with intellectual disabilities were scorned, isolated and neglected. Today, they are able to attend school, become employed and assimilate into their local community” (Nelson Mandela). Prior to the later part of the 20th century people with intellectual disabilities were often ridiculed, treated unfairly, feared, and locked away in institutions. According to Rhonda Nauhaus and Cindy Smith in their article Disability Rights through the Mid-20th Century, The laws of any nation reflect its societal values. The real life issue of discrimination towards people with intellectual disabilities in the United States and Australia is demonstrated in the novel, Of Mice and Men by showing how this issue affects one of the main characters, Lennie Smalls.
In the essay, “On Being a Cripple,” Nancy Mairs uses humorous diction and a positive tone to educate people about life as a cripple and struggles of people with disabilities. She does this to show how hard it is to be disabled and how it differs from the life of someone without a disability. She talks about the struggles and the fears that disabled people must deal with on a daily basis. Mairs use of rhetoric creates a strong sense of connection and understanding for the reader. Nancy Mairs is successful in using detailed imagery, diction, and tone to educate her readers about the difficulties of living with a disability.
In “Unspeakable Conversations” she details her experience. Harriet McBryde Johnson effectively uses the rhetorical appeals of ethos and pathos, along with her uses of first-person narrative and descriptive language, to support her argument that contrary to stereotypes, a person living with a severe disability can live a happy and fulfilling life. Harriet McBryde Johnson was born in 1957 with a neuromuscular disease. At the time of this essay, she had been disabled for over four decades. Born to parents who both taught foreign language, they were able to afford hired help but she knew it could not be for her whole life.
When people hear handicap they think not able to care for themselves. Nancy wants to be known as a tough individual able to take care of herself. The reader can feel the agony of what Nancy is feeling. The tone of this passage is determination and agony. Nancy feels that cripple is more stronger word than “handicap” or ‘disabled.”
People with disabilities and their caretakers are stigmatized for not being able to keep up, but they are not viewed as not having a “real” disability if they are too productive. Instead of viewing this as a symptom for their disease or disability, Hillyer believes this is a healthier way of living, and she encourages her readers to adopt similar techniques for managing their responsibilities. She especially criticizes the unrealistic, fast-paced speed that women are expected to maintain, despite personal obstacles. Hillyer, having lived in the intersection between the feminist and disability communities for most of her life, emphasizes the importance of allowing women to abandon the traditional concept of a highly productive “superwoman” and instead replace it with the knowledge that every woman dealing with a disease or disability, in themselves or loved ones, is a
Question 2 2.1 Describe ways in which having a child with a complex disability or condition can impact on different aspects of families lives. To live with disable child can have deep impact on overall family members. It turns out to be an exclusive shared experience for the families and this may impact on the overall family functioning. While considering the positive impact, this widens the horizons, raising more awareness among family members considering their
For instance, O’Rourke explains her specific story throughout the entire book, bringing in examples of how she was discriminated against and treated differently compared to her fellow males. This piece of evidence is important in helping the readers understand how significant of an issue discrimination is in society. Near the end of the book, O’Rourke explains that if she had been diagnosed with Lyme Disease earlier, she would not be suffering, at lease not to the extent that she is today. This forces the reader to think deeper on how discrimination and not trusting the patient can ultimately change their lives forever. Additionally, O’Rourke uses statistics, specifically when talking about physicians refusing to care for specific individuals, and when she talks about different treatment men vs. women receive in emergence departments.
Scott Hamilton once stated, “The only disability in life is a bad attitude.” Disability is only an obstacle in a person's life, but it does not set the identity of that person. John Steinbeck's novel shows how disabled people are treated differently by writing about their heartbreak and sorrow. Many individuals with disabilities feel that a disability is a wall blocking them from achieving their goals. In our society, people are told what to be and what to do with their disability, but one should have the choice to carve their pathway to success.
n Nancy Mairs essay, “Disability”, she illustrates the lack of representation of people with disabilities in the media. While disability plays a major role in Mairs’ life, she points out the various ways her everyday life is ordinary and even mundane. Despite the normalcy of the lives of citizens with disabilities Mairs argues the media’s effacement of this population, is fear driven. She claims, “To depict disabled people in the ordinary activities of daily life is to admit that there is something ordinary about the disability itself, that it may enter anybody’s life” (Mairs 14). Able bodied people worry about the prospect of eventually becoming physically impaired.
In this report I will discuss both the Social and Medical Models, define their pros and cons and give a short reflection on my own opinion of the two models in everyday use today. Both the medical and the social models of disability describe how they see disability and how they feel disabilities and those suffering should be treated. Both models have very different views on the causes of, how disabilities should be taken care of and by whom and both have their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to caring for those with disabilities. Medical Model