Jeison Aristizabal Character Analysis

Authors in many instances use the main elements in the story such as setting and narrative to prove a point in the story. For example, writers often use characters, their actions, and their interaction with other characters to support or prove a theme. In the short story “Our Thirteenth Summer”, Barry Callaghan effectively uses characters to develop the theme that childhood is fragile and easily influenced. One of the ways that Callaghan makes effective use of characters to develop the theme is by describing the tension between Bobbie and his parents. This usage of characters supports the theme because Bobbie’s childhood is no longer free to do what he wishes, but has to bow down to his parents’

Unspeakable Conversations by Harriet McBryde Johnson is an article about her experience visiting Princeton University to exchange views and challenge Peter Singer, a professor who strongly believes that all disabled people, like herself, are “better off” not been born at all. The article provides an insight into Johnson’s life as a disabled person. She takes the readers on a journey that explores both sides of her own and Singer’s contrasting beliefs. She protests the prevalent stigma and prejudice of disabled people and gives voice to this marginalized community. Johnson challenges stereotypes of disability, uses her a personal experience to better understand the world and help others, and attempts to directly address oppression by arguing against Professor Singer’s theory and assemble a group of diverse and like-minded people for social change.

Jon Owens was born on March 1, 1960. Jon’s parents feared of having a child with mental retardation. Jon family members are mom is a psychotherapist and dad is a psychiatrist. Jon had two sisters Jennifer and Jennice and a brother Charlton. Jennifer is a filmmaker. Jennifer says Jon is a spiritual teacher. Jennice is a keynote speaker. Charlton is a lawyer and doctor. When Jon was born, a pedestrian told his parents he would never reach age 5. Jon’s parents spoke with a fellow friend and doctor who had brother with Downs’s syndrome. The family friend expressed the grief of putting brother in an institution and how it ruined his family lives. Jon’s parents thought it would best to put him in nursing home. Jon was in a crib all his life. Jon lived in a nursing home for 6 ½ years until his caregiver died. Jon’s parents had received a call to make decisions on Jon’s care. Jon was diagnosed with having Down’s syndrome. Jon was more than a little slow, but mentally retarded. Jon had limited intellectual and physical abilities.

Lost in a Desert World relays the story of the life of Roland Johnson, a man born with an intellectual disability and placed in an institution who eventually went on to be the president of Speaking for Ourselves, a group that encourages those with disabilities to stand up for themselves and their rights. This memoir offers a rare first-person, nonfiction account of the life and experiences of someone with an intellectual disability. Though filled with the harsh realities of the treatment of those with intellectual disabilities, the book is also one of passion, strength, and hope.

The moment she got trampled under the stomps and shoves of others, one could identify what she’d been feeling like previously - a witness to her own inconvenience. This incident not only exemplifies but also symbolizes the burden she feels having been born handicapped, unable to provide assistance or gain to the world. These feelings Adahs has for her life are later rebutted by her longstanding dreams of attending medical school and improving science. By achieving her academic potential, she finally recognized herself as an important asset to the world- no longer being seen as handicapped, physically or mentally.

Jimmy knows too well the agonies of abandonment. First, when his mother, Cecilia, ran away with Richard to pursue a better lifestyle. Then, due to his father’s, Damacio Baca, alcoholisms and violent behavior; he also had to leave Jimmy behind. In spite of the drawbacks from abandonment to being a maximum security prisoner in Arizona State Prison, Jimmy preserver’s the darkness of prison by overcoming his illiteracy. However Cecilia and Damacio is not as fortunate as their child; Cecilia is shot by Richard after confronting him for a divorce and Damacio chokes to death after he is released from the detox center(Baca 263). Therefore the most significant event in this section of the memoir, A Place to Stand by Jimmy Santiago Baca is the death of Jimmy’s parents.

Jon Owens was born on March 1, 1960. Jon’s parents feared of having a child with mental retardation. Jon family members are, mom is a psychotherapist and dad is a psychiatrist. Jon had two sisters Jennifer and Jennice and a brother Charlton. Jennifer is a filmmaker. Jennifer says Jon is a spiritual teacher. Jennice is a keynote speaker. Charlton is a lawyer and a doctor. When Jon was born, a pedestrian told his parents he would never reach age 5. Jon’s parents spoke with a fellow friend and doctor who had a brother with Downs’s syndrome. The family friend expressed the grief of putting brother in an institution and how it ruined his family lives. Jon’s parents thought it would best to put him in a nursing home. Jon was in a crib all his life. Jon lived in a nursing home for 6 ½ years until his caregiver died. Jon’s parents had received a call to make decisions about Jon’s care. Jon was diagnosed with having Down’s syndrome. Jon was more than a little slow, but mentally retarded. Jon had limited intellectual and physical abilities.

It became very clear to me the role of Occupational Therapist in changing people’s mind about people with disabilities. There are many people with severe disabilities, however I feel as if, the society also chose to see what they can’t do and miss to see how capable they truly are. People often give up right away and most of the time hopelessness tend to takes over and blinds us from the possibilities of getting back into our feet and live the life we want. Julia Tavalaro’s story taught me that patience and persistence can a long way. Both occupational therapists on these short stories did not give up on helping their patients improve their daily lives. They work harder than their patients to find practical and realistic approaches to not only enhance the quality of their patients life, but also to boost self-worth and dignity. Reading success stories just like these fuels my desire to become occupational therapist. As a person who has so much love and passion for life, I want others to love theirs as

Jerry Kenny came in and talked to us about his disability, how it happened when it happened, who all it has affected, and how adapted from it. Jerry’s disability is that he is a double amputee of both hands.

Eiesland describe the image of God as a disabled servant just like her, who faced challenges of being a person with disability in her life specially in her early years. Growing up she wondered what is the features of God. “Who is God for us and for the people with disability.”

Both my brother, and Sundiata overcame their disabilities, and were able to rise up, and show that they are more then their disability, and who they are should not be discarded just because of their

Paulette Esquivel was told by medicine professionals that she would never walk and she is now a “gold-medal runner.” “Esquivel, 15, won a long-distance race at the special Olympics Texas Spring Games in Weslaco.” Many people often tend to believe that if someone is mentally ill or handicapped that they aren’t capable of achieving glory in an athletic point of view. Esquivel, as previously mentioned, is an example of how capable these children really are, they give it their all. I have first-hand experienced how hardworking, dedicated, and athletic this children are by volunteering at our annual Special Olympics at Weslaco High School.

In A Life Beyond Reason, Chris Gabbard discusses life with August, his disabled son, and how it affects him and his family. During August birth, he was unable to take his first breathe which caused him to suffer severe brain damage because of several medical misjudgments (194). Eight month after August was born, the doctors did a CT scan of his brain; unfortunately, his brain had so many dead patches, it resembled Swiss cheese (194). August is legally blind, nonverbal, paraplegic and who must wear a diaper. (190).

Much like today, each of these characters must deal with their own disability, but what is interesting is how someone with a disability of their own can have misconceived notions about others disabilities. Margo, a young woman with spina bifida, is brought

The Special Olympics gives out opportunities to those who are considered different and pushed you the side by reality, but thanks to Sarget and Eunice Kennedy Shiver, they’ve supplied more than enough opportunities for those with intellectual disabilities for 45 years. In the 1990’s, the first international summer games was held at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Thousands of people with intellectual disabilities from 26 different states and Canada competed in Track and Field, Swimming and Floor Hockey. This foundation was made because Eunice saw the unjustifying and mistreatment intellectual disabled people were getting. Later in the 1970’s and 1980’s, the amount of respect and admiration for disabled people and the movement of