Analysis Of The Film ' Benny And Joon '

Have you ever seen or met someone with a physical handicap disability? Do you know what it’s like for a person who has a physical form of disability? You may or may not. Randolph Bourne, in “The Handicapped” will be the first to tell you that it is quite the challenge. He has a form of disability that makes him look very different compared to other people. His face is deformed, he is oddly short, he’s forced to walk funny, and is laughed at for being handicapped. Randolph Bourne physical handicaps have been a hindrance on his life because he must work harder to overcome adversity, he is faced with discriminatory behavior from other people, and he had a rough childhood due to his handicaps.

In Nancy Mairs’ article for The New York Times, “Disability”, published in 1987, she expresses her distaste with the media's representation of handicapped people. Mairs, who struggled with multiple sclerosis herself, clearly and sharply conveys this disgust by stating, “I’m not, for instance, Ms. MS, a walking, talking embodiment of a chronic incurable degenerative disease.” (Mairs 13), and that she is actually, “the advertisers’ dream: Ms. Great American Consumer. And yet the advertisers, who determine nowadays who will get represented publicly and who will not, deny the existence of me and my kind absolutely”(Mairs 14). Mairs is greatly upset that disabled people are defined by their disabilities and, therefore, are underrepresented in public media. This might lead to one asking themselves, but why are they? And the answer, according to Mairs, is quite simple, “To depict disabled people in the ordinary activities of daily life is to admit that there is something ordinary about disability itself, that it may enter anybody’s life”(Mairs 14). Mairs concludes by pointing out how this effacement could have dangerous consequences for both disabled people and, as she called everyone else, TAPs (Temporarily Abled Persons) alike. Treating disabilities as an abnormal characteristic (as opposed to viewing them “as a normal characteristic, one that complicates but does not ruin human existence” (Mairs 15)) can cause one of these repercussions, as it makes the

The amount of people who live with disabilities is a controversial number. Depending on what law and diagnostic tools used, a person may have a visible disability, or one that may lie beneath the surface of his or her appearance. Some people believe that the term “disability” is merely a label use to hold back, or prescribe helplessness. Meanwhile, individuals who have been properly diagnosed with disabilities struggle to maintain respect and acceptance every day. In plain language, there is a lot of misunderstanding between people with disabilities and those without. It is firstly important to get everyone on the same page regarding the definition of disability.

In the book, The Short Bus, Jonathan Mooney’s thesis is that there is more to people than their disabilities, it is not restricting nor is it shameful but infact it is beautiful in its own way. With a plan to travel the United States, Mooney decides to travel in a Short bus with intentions of collecting experiences from people who have overcome--or not overcome--being labeled disabled or abnormal. In this Mooney reinvents this concept that normal people suck; that a simple small message of “you’re not normal” could have a destructive and deteriorating effect. With an idea of what disabilities are, Mooney’s trip gives light to disabilities even he was not prepared to face, that he feared.

Author of disability Nancy Mairs who’s a feminist and a cripple, has accomplished a lot in writing and teaching. Her remarkable personality shows in many of her essays especially in Disability which was first published in 1987 in the New York Times. In this essay, Nancy Mairs shows how disabled people are constantly excluded, especially from the media. By giving out facts and including her personal experiences, Mairs aims for making some changes regarding the relationship between the media and people with disabilities. Mairs thesis is shown implicitly in the first

The article “introducing disability Studies” by Ronald J. Berger was an eye opener in uncovering the past history of negative stigma associated with having a disability. Through history people have felt the need to stare at people with disabilities or to turn away in fear of maybe contracting the “disease”. This negative attitude was positively reinforced by ordinances such as the Chicago “ugly law” in which a person with physical deformities would have to pay a fine for simply being too “disgusting” looking to other citizens. This law was in place from 1880 to 1973, which is pretty recent in history. However there are positive glimpse in history when it came to uncovering and defining disabilities. Men like Leo Kanner and Asperger have dedicated

The film I selected to observe that displays a disability in the media is Pumpkin. The film Pumpkin is based on a young college girl name Carolyn that volunteers in yearly Challenged Games. In the Challenged Games Carolyn is partner up with a boy name Jesse that goes by the nickname Pumpkin, which has an intellectual disability and is handicapped. Despites everyone disapproval and differences in the film both Carolyn and Pumpkin end up falling in love in the film. The character in the film is portrayed as a young boy that is not “normal” enough to be around all the other students or even to have friends or a girlfriend. He is rather seen as an individual that has a disability that makes him different from everyone else and because of that disability

For instance, both Flowers for Algernon and Awakenings include themes towards the treatment and respect of those living with mental and physical disabilities. In Flowers for Algernon, Charlie was unknowingly used as a punchline by his supposed friends and colleagues at the bakery, merely because he was mentally challenged and the incompetence that resulted from this made others feel superior to him. Following the surgery and the increase of Charlie’s intelligence, the doctors insinuated that he wasn’t considered a human being prior to the experiment. They implied that those with impaired mental abilities are not individuals capable of independent thought and feeling, which is disproved through Charlie’s progress reports. Similarly, Awakenings sheds light on the treatment of those who have physical challenges, in the manner that the nurses and doctors treated the patients before the medicine was administered. They are visibly reluctant to tend to the patients, and attempt to avoid work with television shows because they lack compassion and understanding towards their conditions. The staff thought efforts to help them were futile due to their catatonic states, therefore neglecting them, treating them like obligations rather than individuals. However, both stories show that in spite of their circumstances, those with disabilities are not lesser people and are deserving of compassion and respect just as others are; though they are often ill-treated and misunderstood.

People who suffer from the difficulties of having a disability as well as being discriminated against may have complications managing. In daily life, individuals seek the approval, acceptance, and companionship of their peers; those with disabilities are no different in what they seek. Therefore, being out casted can have very disturbing conclusions. A woman and her daughter experienced severe brutality because of the daughter’s mental disabilities. In order to escape the cruelty the woman killed both her daughter and herself (Williams, Rachel). As if it isn’t wretched enough, others with disabilities also feel the discrimination against them, more so than other groups of society. In addition to discriminating, people do it

I have chosen to do my cultural immersion project on adults with disabilities. I was able to visit with two different women with different types of disabilities Darlene and Rhonda. Darlene is around 60 years old with a developmental delay that had her mental age around 6 years old. Rhonda is around 50 years old with psycho-affective disorder with features of Schizophrenia, Manic Depression, and Bipolar disorder. One I thing I found interesting was how they were able live in the same household with very different personalities. Darlene is very much like a typical 6 year old talkative, hyperactive, and always on the go while Rhonda is more reserved, does not like to do any activities, and enjoys being a couch potato (her words). I assume that they would bicker like anyone would living in a bigger family in tighter corners ,

Disability has appeared frequently in recent films (Byrd & Elliot, 1988), a reflection of society’s interest in the subject. These films often misrepresent disability using stereotypes. These stereotypes reinforce negative and incorrect social perceptions of, and attitudes towards,

The novel Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon illustrates living with a disability and overcoming society’s stereotypical views. People with disabilities are often labeled as abnormal. In the novel the main character, Lou

The book "Master Harold"...and the Boys, is a play written by Athol Fugard. It is about a boy, Hally, dealing with his abusive alcoholic father and his relationship with Sam, who is more of a father figure than his dad. The film adaptation of Athol Fugard’s play directed by Lonny Price is an impactful piece of art and it truly compliments the play. In the scene of how we meet Hally who becomes concerned when he hears his dad is coming home from the hospital, we could see the director did such a great job at interpreting the play into a movie. What's significant about this scene is that it draws two major emotions - joy and anger- residing in the mind of Hally and it enhances the

Despite the response to disability varying greatly between times, places and cultures (Barnes, 2012), there is no doubt that disability has an immeasurable impact on people’s lives. Disability affects an individual’s identity and their ability to work, socialise and be involved in society. In this essay I will discuss how approaches to disability have changed over time, specifically how approaches to disability have developed in recent centuries. I will start by discussing the medical model before moving on to its direct challenge in the social model. Finally I will discuss responses to the social model, in particular the biopsychosocial model.

Prior to the course, Perspectives on disability, my understanding of disability was a fundamental, concept of disability, in which I knew it existed, and also have seen and interacted with people considered to have a disability. I never took a deep look at all the social and political factors that exist within the spectrum of disability. This course has allowed me to examine all aspects of disability, which has changed my view and approach of what a disability is and how it is viewed. "Historically, disability has been viewed fundamentally as a persoal tragedy, which has resulted in diasbled people being seen as objects of pity or in need of charity. They have been subject to descriminatory policies and practices in which the predominant images of passivity and helplesness reinforced their inferior status"(Barton 4). Uncovering the framework of disability, by studying the historical, soicial political and educational standpoint, I see the intricacies in which gives me a greater understanding and awareness of the topic.