I took part in an amazing roundtable on Dead Headspace regarding being an author with a child who has a disability. He is required to earn the respect that other characters are simply given. It isn’t enough for him to simply be who he is, but he must perform some amazing trick as to his disability in order to be considered worthwhile. Some readers feel this is again leaning into the savant aspect of a disability in that the character must do something with the disability in order to redeem himself. It slides into the plot like a key into a lock, and his childlike quality is used as a literal protection for him.

As his intellect gradually decreases, he is once again a tragic character who is considered “less-than” and pitied.Īnother debatable character is Stephen King’s iconic Tom Cullen, whose simple M-O-O-N refrain eventually becomes crystal clear near the end of the book. In “Flowers for Algernon” we see firsthand how Charlie Gordon is given more value and esteem when he’s at his highest mental point.

Who can forget the soul-crushing ending of “Of Mice and Men?” Lenny isn’t rewarded for his strength and innocence. They don’t accurately represent most people with autism.Ĭharacters with special needs of any kind are quite often written for tragedy. While there are, of course, autistic savants, they are few and far between. Or the character was an autistic savant with the uncanny ability to figure out numbers/solve crimes/show off his photographic memory. Once upon a time, these characters were included almost solely to have somebody to laugh at. My son has Williams Syndrome and autism, and this has opened my eyes to the need for inclusive characters in literature and other media. Did I have any authority to write about it? Would it be stepping on somebody else’s toes or telling someone else’s story? It is so vitally important to be respectful and accurate when you’re dealing with people’s lives and experiences, especially for a marginalized group that so often has their voices silenced. When I pitched this idea to the editor at Apex, we discussed the delicacy and importance of the article. There’s a risk even discussing the subject. How is the character being portrayed? Is it a positive portrayal? Is it accurate? Is the character there to be the butt of every joke? What is the author’s purpose for having a disabled character in the first place?

When I’m reading a book and come across a character with a disability, my mind starts to spin. There’s so much emotion attached, and rightfully so. Discussing disabilities in literature is a tricky thing.

Seraphina's Lament by Sarah Chorn