Analysis Of The Poem ' Daystar ' And ' Enemy Of The People And Proof Are All Literature Pieces Essay

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.

“The curious incident of the dog in the night time” written by Mark Haddon demonstrates that disabilities also come with advantages, as shown by Christopher Boone.

Richard Blanco is a Cuban- American poet who was given the oppurunity to write an inaugaration poem for Barack Obama's second swearing-in. He wrote a poem titled "One Today" that praised the good and unique things about the United States and also the everyday people who's daily routines help to make America the proud country that it is.

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.

Humans are social creatures. We identify ourselves through our community, loved ones, and those who genuinely appreciate our presence. Our identity defines our personality traits, highlight social roles. Those with disabilities are often confused about their identity because they are misunderstood and stigmatized. Through the use of literature, one can empathize better with other people especially those who are misunderstood by society. Disabled people are more likely to be neglected and subjected to prejudice or discrimination. In “Delusion of Grandeur”, Terry Ann Thaxton, talks about the struggle between Adam and his mother because of his disability. Adam struggles to cope with his environment and finds himself isolated and misunderstood. Families ultimately suffer but through their experience, they can learn some amazing lessons.

Those with disabilities have to accept their lives as being deprived of some joyful instances that may never happen. Individuals with handicaps may not be able to be active with their (or other’s) children, dream jobs may not be within grasp, memories may not be accessible while other’s take them for granted and shun those who desire that which they’ve already acquired (“People With Disabilities”). Provided, life is hard with a disability but additionally, those with handicaps must suffer isolation which is unfavorable in multiple ways. With isolation the person has no help, no support, no companionship, and feel ultimately rejected shutting them down in a social manner (“People With Disabilities”).

The article Redefining Normal: A Critical Analysis of (Dis)ability in Young Adult Literature by Jen Scott Curwood discusses the importance of proper disability representation in young adult literature for the benefit of school children. Curwood writes "young adult literature should not only provide accurate portrayals of individuals with disabilities, but must offer themes that are not 'didactic, condescending, or pedantic" (Curwood, 18) because " 'literature about disabilities and differences can be a powerful tool to heighten the achievement of all students by broadening attitudes and perceptions of self and other '" (18). She also argues that if schools don 't include diverse characters and topics, then that "effectively condones prejudice and stereotypes" and continues to further the "othering" aspect. In contrast to Me Before You, the book Accidents of Nature by Harriet McBryde Johnson is a book that provides readers with both a positive representation of life with disability as well as showing a wide range of disabilities. Accidents of Nature is set in the year 1970 and is about a seventeen year old girl named Jean who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair to get around. Despite her condition, Jean has always thought of herself as the same as everyone else as she goes to a "normal", abled-bodied school and has "normal" abled-bodied friends. She has never even known another disabled person before going to Camp Courage for a week, a camp solely for disabled youths.

There are many hard jobs in the world. One of the hardest jobs is being a mother. In Rita Dove’s Daystar, we watch as a mother of two struggles to find a moment of solace in the chaotic world that is mothering. In this lyric poem, we find evidence of double entendre, thick imagery, and even some sarcasm. We watch as the mother seeks for a moment where she is “nothing” and nothing can bother her (Dove 21). We even see her achieve this moment of “pure nothing” where she is sat outback, watching the crickets, or the leaves, or the back of her eyelids (7-11, 22). It seems the weight of raising her children without her husband’s assistance is beginning to weigh down on her, and her spirit. In a patriarchal world we can understand how the father would be the one who was off at work, where the mother is the one who is to stay home with the children. This is a system that has been set in place for centuries. Due to the time in which this poem was written, 1986, we feel a sense of dissatisfaction and resentment from the mother about the way the things in her life have turned out. She may feel as though it is not fair for her husband to be the one who gets to leave to go to work all day while she is left to take care of their children. She may also not even realize this is how she feels. Due to the second wave of feminism, we can get a sense that she is unhappy with the role that’s been given to her, as

Throughout history, disabled people have been profoundly discriminated against. Our society today has become more accepting of people for who they are, but there are still many challenges in this area. In his short story “The Scarlet Ibis,” Hurst works to raise awareness and sensitivity towards children and other people with disabilities by demonstrating how disabled children were generally treated in this time period, by illuminating how the narrator eventually makes connections with his special needs brother, Doodle, and by painting a vivid picture of how the unattainable expectations placed upon Doodle became too much for him to bear.

“Daystar” comes from a book of poems written by Dove entitled Thomas and Beulah, which tells both the real and unreal stories of Dove’s maternal grandparents (Stein 64). Unlike Dove, who grew up during a time of women’s rights, her grandmother most likely did not have an admired career as a housewife. In discussing Thomas and Beulah, Stein explains, “It is almost painful to witness Thomas and Beulah, two people clearly devoted to each other, continually misinterpret each other's behavior” (70). Although “Daystar” is not necessarily written from an autobiographical perspective, Dove is using the research of her family and her own experiences to welcome us into the lives of the distressed Beulah.

Normality is a word that describes the common behaviour in society. It is always different depending on society and how it depicts its “norm”. In the book “Feed” by M.T Anderson and the film “Wall-E” directed by Andrew Stanton, normality is a vast concept that supports the development of the plot and the characters. Normality is impacted by the internet due to technology and the advertisements the characters see. Furthermore, in both worlds normality is influenced by conformity in their society and since nobody wants to be the “odd one out”, everyone confines to be the same. However, in both worlds, there is no real normal as it is constantly changing depending on the behaviour of society. In both texts, everyone

Disabilities within the characters of “The Life You Save May be Your Own” by Flanner O’Connor

“Daystar” by Rita Dove is an expressive poem, which centers on the main character, a young mother and wife, who internally struggles with her burdensome, daily duties, which creates a lack of freedom in her world.   Dove’s choice of words lets the reader empathize with her confined life.  In this poem, irony exists for the mere fact that from birth to adulthood the female population is brought up to feel fulfilled by simply becoming a wife and mother; however, this poem describes the monotonous duties and the joyless bond that can be between husband and wife.

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,

Daystar by Rita Dove emphasizes gender roles and the expectations society has towards being a mother. It is often believed that mothers should assume responsibility for cooking, cleaning, tending to their demanding children and husbands. The poem illustrates the challenges women endure to live up to society’s expectations to be a fit mother and wife. As seen through the main character mothers have to make sacrifices that often puts everyone else’s happiness before their own. For example, the women in the poem desired to have time to herself but she couldn’t because she had endless chores and children to care for. Not having time to herself made her feel lost and unfulfilled.