Lord Occultis Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 I'm starting this thread to start a list of books and movies with a positive potrayal of people with disabilities. I hope to use this info to give a list of books and such for youth with disabilities (and adults) that contain characters who are positive potrals of people with disabilities One that I am reading now is "The Eve of The Maelstrom", by Jean Rabe. The book is a fantasy book in the Dragon Lance series and has a positive potrayal of a half-ogre character named Growler who is deaf. The character is potrayed as a contributing member to the other characters, and the emphasis is not on his deafness, but on what he contributes to the other characters in the party (Dungeouns and Dragons book). There even is a type of "service dog" in it, where Growler has a wolf that he works with. What is nice about the book is that the other chacracters make an effort to leanr sing language to talk to Growler. All in all, a very positive potrayaql. A great movie that is a positive potrayal of mental illness is "A Beautiful Mind". The movie is superb in that he clearly shows how convincing delusions and hallucinations can be to a person suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. Moreover, the main charater, a brilliant mathematician, is presented not as a burden on society, but as positive contributer, a nice change from many stereotypes perpetuated about people with mental illness. What makes this movie special is that it shows things from the perspective of the main character. This also excellent for people who do not have disabilities, as often they have a hard time grasping the overpowering effect of delusions and hallucinations brought on by schizophrenia. Anyways, if you have any movies or books you read with a positive potrayal of people with disabilites ( mental illness, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, autism, e.t.c) please post it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsawtelle Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 There is the movie - RainmanThere is a book - A boy called It Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ananta Androscoggin Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 Kill-o-Byte by Piers Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youch Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 Most any modern biography of FDR.You may have to overlook poltical prejudices, but if you consider disabling war wounds as a disability, as I do, then there are a great many biographies of well-known veterans that are very positive and inspiring.One of the things I always find VERY inspiring are the TV shows that document triathelons or other similar physical/sporting events because there are always amazing stories of participants who have disabilities and yet persevere to overcome them to actually complete these events. I actually stand and cheer for them in my living room, and have often been so inspired as to shed a tear of awe!! Hope that helps,Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eynion De' Tilston Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenace" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluecat Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 My attitude to disability is that it's entirely in my interest and everyone else's. Just because I'm not disabled at the moment doesn't mean I may not be...There are 2 good autobiographical books by Simon Weston OBE (disfiguringly injured in the Falklands War) "Walking Tall" and "Going Back"The novel for young adults "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time" by Mark Haddon, has as its narrator a young man with Asperger's Syndrome (an autism-spectrum disorder). It is never actually stated in the book that this is what he's got, but it becomes apparent as you read on. Readers with the same thing (and their families and friends) tend to get a big tingle from the recognition factor. These books are quite British in setting and language, though Curious Incident is very readable.In Ursula K Le Guin's wonderful Earthsea books, the final book, Tehanu, has a severely abused and disabled character who has a surprise in store... unfortunately it is for other reasons the least good book in the series.Rainman (the film) is based on a combination of traits found in a number of different actual people, described in Oliver Sacks' collection of essays The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat. Not an easy read but very illuminating. This link has a readng list (possibly for younger readers, but there may be more than I've had time to check).http://www.wordpool.co.uk/ccb/disability/main.htmif you consider disabling war wounds as a disability, as I do, What on earth could one consider them, other than as a disability?A fashion statement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youch Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 What on earth could one consider them, other than as a disability?A fashion statement?You must not have been paying much attention to recent American politics and culture. There are some, some of whom assume the poster may possibly have endorsed, who think that wounded warriors have actually gotten what they deserve. Smearing or belittling the issue with comments such as "fashion statements" is really what deserves the statement. Must you really go there?Stay happy and healthy, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluecat Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Smearing or belittling the issue with comments such as "fashion statements" is really what deserves the statement. Must you really go there?Oh good grief, man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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