Term Paper on "Handicapped Characters in Contemporary Fiction: The Effect"

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Handicapped Characters in Contemporary Fiction: The Effect of the Handicap on the Development of the Disabled Characters

Handicapped Characters in Contemporary Fiction:

The Effect of the Handicap on the Development of the Disabled Characters

Fictional characters have been around for hundreds of years, but very few of these characters have had any kind of noticeable handicap. It is necessary, therefore, to understand why this is the case and what it means for society, as well as to discuss the characters that are handicapped in order to determine information about them, their handicaps, and why they were chosen over others. The development of the characters in works of fiction will be analyzed, and attention will be paid to how much these particular characters have been influenced by the disabilities that they have. Whether these characters have been affected in a positive or negative way will also be a point of consideration. Unfortunately, it appears that there has not been that much attention paid to handicapped or disabled characters within the realm of contemporary fiction, but there are more characters with disabilities than is first realized, and this is especially true if the idea of 'disability' is expanded to include those that have mental impairments as well as physical impairments.

When many people think of someone being handicapped, they think of people in wheelchairs or those that have lost a limb. However, mental issues such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and other mental problems also have their place in fiction works just as they do in life, and these are somewhat more prevalent than the physical disabilities that are also seen but that do not appear to be as obvious. The prevailing theory is that individuals do not like to see, hear about, or read about those that are 'different' and that 'mental problems' can often be 'hidden' better than those that are physical. This idea will also be explored.

Review of Related Literature

Literature - at least formal, peer-reviewed literature - on this particular topic is comparatively scarce. It does not appear that a study on this issue has been performed in the past, which is both good and bad, and will be discussed within the confines of the methodology. Here, however, it is important to address the literature that is available and the information that it provides. From Tom Hanks' portrayal of Forrest Gump in the movie of the same name to the wheelchair-bound policeman on Cartoon Network's animated show 'Family Guy,' handicapped people, with both mental and physical impairments, are showing up in various works of fiction. However, it is not just whether they appear that is important, but how they are portrayed and whether they evolve throughout the course of the fiction, or whether they simple remain the same types of background characters that they often are in the beginning.

In Forrest Gump, the main character has an IQ of 75, which is well below the average of 100 (Forrest, n.d.). This makes him technically handicapped, and therefore most of the historical and important events that he witnesses throughout the movie were those that he does not really understand or see the significance in. However, despite his handicap, Forrest does so many amazing things that it almost seems impossible (Forrest, n.d.). While the movie and the book are very different in many respects, the ability that Forrest has to accomplish so many things is still the same in both portrayals. This is very important to the idea of handicapped people and their ability not only to do things that 'normal' people would do, but to their caring, courageousness, and struggle.

Those that are handicapped and know that they have limitations (such as people with mental impairments that are not strikingly severe) often struggle a great deal because they are so aware of their deficiency. Some of these individuals are very bitter about what they can and cannot do, while others are more philosophical about their problems and enjoy their lives to the fullest despite the limitations that have been placed on them (Perry, 2004). The same is generally true for people that are physically handicapped, because they are aware of what their bodies will not allow them to do, but yet they often find that there are many things that they are still capable of doing, they must just approach these things in slightly different ways or modify much of what they do so that they can get the maximum benefit and enjoyment out of the physical abilities that they still have (Perry, 2004).

One character that shows this is the character of Joe on the animated television series "Family Guy." While the show is often crude in its humor and is not suitable for young children, it has a strong following among older teenagers and adults. One of the reasons for this is that Joe, while confined to a wheelchair, is still a very strong and able character. He is intelligent, he is athletic, and he is still a police officer, despite his injury. One episode of the show has Joe foiling a bank robbery, while another episode has him chasing down a criminal. There are other instances of his abilities as well, such as the episode where he plays on the baseball team that Peter (the main character) is involved with (a hero, 2005). Naturally, he does exceptionally well, and Peter feels left out because he wanted to be important and Joe has stolen all his glory (a hero, 2005). However, for those that are handicapped, Joe is an important character because he shows them that there can still be a full life, even in the face of 'problems' that are not going to get better or go away. Rather than be bitter and angry over these things, there are other ways to deal with them in order to lead a more fulfilling life.

Another type of handicap is also seen in movies, television shows, and written fiction, and it is becoming more prominent today. This handicap relates to those individuals that suffer from problems that many people do not take seriously, such as depression and anxiety. It is surprising how many people in society today still think that these disorders are made up and that they are not really anything but the 'sufferer' simply making too much out of a particular situation. However, they are real problems, and while it is questionable as to whether they fall into the category of an actual 'handicap' they can definitely be a limitation and a liability. Many people cannot work because of them, some people cannot drive a car, and there are also those that will not even leave their homes because they are too sad, too afraid, or both. Anxiety and panic attacks are more prevalent in real society today as well, because of the way that the world is changing and because of the stress and the strain of living with the world today (Anxietypanic.com, 2006).

Panic attacks in particular, such as those experienced by one of the characters in the recent theatrical release "Snakes on a Plane," are very real, very traumatic, and very hard to 'prove' to others that do not take the problem as being a serious one (Snakes, 2006). However, the idea that more handicaps and limitations are appearing in fiction today is actually very promising, because it shows that there is more recognition of the fact that these problems do exist within society and they should be recognized and addressed. Without the recognition of these problems which will lead to a better understanding of them, it appears likely that they will continue to be ignored and the people that suffer from them will also continue to be ignored and misunderstood. This seems to hold true for both mental and physical handicaps and problems, and therefore encompasses a relatively large number of individuals throughout society today.

Despite the fact that there are individuals in both real and fictional life with handicaps, however, it seems as though fiction still largely ignores them, which can be evidenced by the idea that the percentage of handicapped individuals in fiction is much lower than the percentage of handicapped individuals in 'real life.' Until this changes, there will continue to be a lower than desirable understanding and acceptance of handicapped people.

Methodology

Since a study of this nature has not been done in the past, it is important to understand exactly what will be done here. A study of this nature is designed to determine whether handicapped characters are portrayed in modern fiction, and how they are portrayed so that it can be better understood how their handicaps and disabilities (either physical or mental) affect who they are and how they grow as people throughout the course of the fiction work in which they are portrayed. This can include written fiction such as books, articles, and stories, but also other fiction such as television shows and movies. All of these venues will be examined in order to best… READ MORE

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