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Reflecting an Autistic Character and Her Isolation in Society in Carol Cujec and Peyton Goddard’s Real

Year 2023, Volume: 1 Issue: 2, 19 - 31, 30.12.2023

Abstract

No matter how advanced a society gets, social perceptions on people with disabilities have predominantly kept going on. Considering technological advancements and scientific improvements, the fact remains that the disabled continue to be regarded as different and are still unable to have equal rights in contemporary societies. Being a minority in society means being a distinct subgroup characterized by certain features that distinguish them from the dominant majority group, and the word ‘minority’ often illustrates prejudices in many fields. Inspired by Goddard’s life, Real was written by Carol Cujec and Peyton Goddard. The novel portrays the experiences of Peyton who has struggled to show her existence as a human being and proves to the world that she is ‘intelligent’ although she is unable to speak due to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and despite the challenges she experiences while studying under unequal conditions. In the novel, Charity represents Peyton, and her narrative serves as an inspiration for the disabled. Through Charity, the novel delves into the value of overcoming challenges, working hard and not giving up for others who face similar challenges. Cujec narrates Peyton’s life story for the purpose of making people aware that the disabled experience various troubles in their daily lives. It advocates the importance of empathy and acceptance in society, which makes the book essential in both youth and adult literature.

References

  • American Psychiatric Association, D., & Association, A. P. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5 (Vol. 5). American psychiatric association Washington, DC.
  • Baldwinson, T. (2019). UPIAS: The Union of Physically Impaired Against Segregation. TBR Consulting.
  • Campbell, F. A. K. (2008). Exploring internalized ableism using critical race theory. Disability & Society, 23(2), 151-162. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687590701841190
  • Cujec, C., & Goddard, P. (2020). Real. Shadow Mountain.
  • Davis, L. J. (1999). J'accuse!: cultural imperialism-ableist style.[One of the most egregious acts of omission committed in the twentieth century by progressives and radicals has been the almost complete ignoring of the issues surrounding people with disabilities and deaf people]. Social Alternatives, 18(1), 36-40.
  • Devlin, R. F., & Pothier, D. (2006). Critical disability theory: Essays in philosophy, politics, policy, and law. UBC press.
  • Dickey, T. (2023). Connecting Bridges: A Critical Disability Reading of A Silent Voice (Publication Number 30314207) [M.A., The University of Alabama in Huntsville]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. United States -- Alabama. https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/connecting-bridges-critical-disability-reading-em/docview/2806639668/se-2?accountid=8403
  • DuBois, D., Ameis, S. H., Lai, M.-C., Casanova, M. F., & Desarkar, P. (2016). Interoception in autism spectrum disorder: A review. International journal of developmental neuroscience, 52, 104-111.
  • Glennon, T. (1995). Race, education, and the construction of a disabled class. Wis. L. Rev., 1237.
  • Goffman, E. (1963). Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. Simon & Schuster.
  • Haller, B. A. (2010). Representing disability in an ableist world: Essays on mass media. Advocado Press.
  • Linton, S. (1998). Claiming disability: Knowledge and identity. NyU Press.
  • Loftis, S. F. (2015). Imagining autism: Fiction and stereotypes on the spectrum. Indiana University Press. Manalili, M. A. R. (2021). Ableist ideologies stifle neurodiversity and hinder inclusive education. Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture, 3(1), 6.
  • McCarrick, J. (2024). Disability Identity Development in Early Childhood: Developing a Children's Book About Disability from a Social Justice Perspective (Publication Number 30523681) [Psy.D., Alliant International University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. United States -- California. https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/disability-identity-development-early-childhood/docview/2821508233/se-2?accountid=8403
  • Mik-Meyer, N. (2016). Othering, ableism and disability: A discursive analysis of co-workers’ construction of colleagues with visible impairments. Human relations, 69(6), 1341-1363.
  • Perkowski, M., & Oksztulski, M. (2018). Autism as Disability (from the Lawyer's Perspective). Bialstockie Studia Prawnicze, 23, 43.
  • Rose, C. A., Swearer, S. M., & Espelage, D. L. (2012). Bullying and students with disabilities: The untold narrative. Focus on exceptional children, 45(2), 1-10.
  • Schulz, S. E., & Stevenson, R. A. (2018). Sensory hypersensitivity predicts repetitive behaviours in autistic and typically-developing children. Autism, 23(4), 1028-1041. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361318774559
  • Thomas, C. (2007). Sociologies of disability. Impairment, and Chronic Illness: Ideas in.
  • Tulgar, A. (2022a). Issues of hyper- and hypo-sensitivity in the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and the movie Jack of the Red Hearts. RumeliDE Dil ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi, 31, 1350-1358. https://doi.org/10.29000/rumelide.1222267
  • Tulgar, A. (2022b). Representation of a Deaf Teenager: Disability and Discrimination in You’re Welcome, University. In E. K. Tuğba Baykara (Ed.), Bridging Cultures: Representation of Minorities in English and American Literature (pp. 195-216).

Carol Cujec ve Peyton Gaddard’ın Gerçek İsimli Romanlarında Otistik Bir Karakterin ve Onun Toplumdaki Yalnızlığının Yansıtılması

Year 2023, Volume: 1 Issue: 2, 19 - 31, 30.12.2023

Abstract

No matter how advanced a society gets, its viewpoint on people with disabilities has largely remained the same. When taken into consideration the continuous growth of technological advancements and scientific improvements, the reality remains the same that the disabled continue to be regarded as a minority group and are still unable to have equal rights in a contemporary society. Being minority means being a distinct subgroup, characterized by certain features that distinguish them from the dominant majority group, and the word often illustrates prejudices in many fields. Inspired by a true story, Real written by Carol Cujec and Peyton Goddard helps to foster the comprehension of children regarding autism and other disabilities, and what makes it distinctive is its perspective that shows clearly how important to treat the disabled equal in every field and give chance to educate themselves in public schools without leaving them in private centers for the disabled. Real presents experiences of a woman called Peyton Goddard who has struggled to show her existence as a human being although she is a nonverbal child with autism and has many challenges while studying. Using Peyton's narrative as a means to inspire readers to delve into the complex fabric of human difference, advocating for the significance of empathy, acceptance, and the commemoration of the distinct individuality makes the book important in not only youth literature, but also adult fiction world.

References

  • American Psychiatric Association, D., & Association, A. P. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5 (Vol. 5). American psychiatric association Washington, DC.
  • Baldwinson, T. (2019). UPIAS: The Union of Physically Impaired Against Segregation. TBR Consulting.
  • Campbell, F. A. K. (2008). Exploring internalized ableism using critical race theory. Disability & Society, 23(2), 151-162. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687590701841190
  • Cujec, C., & Goddard, P. (2020). Real. Shadow Mountain.
  • Davis, L. J. (1999). J'accuse!: cultural imperialism-ableist style.[One of the most egregious acts of omission committed in the twentieth century by progressives and radicals has been the almost complete ignoring of the issues surrounding people with disabilities and deaf people]. Social Alternatives, 18(1), 36-40.
  • Devlin, R. F., & Pothier, D. (2006). Critical disability theory: Essays in philosophy, politics, policy, and law. UBC press.
  • Dickey, T. (2023). Connecting Bridges: A Critical Disability Reading of A Silent Voice (Publication Number 30314207) [M.A., The University of Alabama in Huntsville]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. United States -- Alabama. https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/connecting-bridges-critical-disability-reading-em/docview/2806639668/se-2?accountid=8403
  • DuBois, D., Ameis, S. H., Lai, M.-C., Casanova, M. F., & Desarkar, P. (2016). Interoception in autism spectrum disorder: A review. International journal of developmental neuroscience, 52, 104-111.
  • Glennon, T. (1995). Race, education, and the construction of a disabled class. Wis. L. Rev., 1237.
  • Goffman, E. (1963). Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. Simon & Schuster.
  • Haller, B. A. (2010). Representing disability in an ableist world: Essays on mass media. Advocado Press.
  • Linton, S. (1998). Claiming disability: Knowledge and identity. NyU Press.
  • Loftis, S. F. (2015). Imagining autism: Fiction and stereotypes on the spectrum. Indiana University Press. Manalili, M. A. R. (2021). Ableist ideologies stifle neurodiversity and hinder inclusive education. Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture, 3(1), 6.
  • McCarrick, J. (2024). Disability Identity Development in Early Childhood: Developing a Children's Book About Disability from a Social Justice Perspective (Publication Number 30523681) [Psy.D., Alliant International University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. United States -- California. https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/disability-identity-development-early-childhood/docview/2821508233/se-2?accountid=8403
  • Mik-Meyer, N. (2016). Othering, ableism and disability: A discursive analysis of co-workers’ construction of colleagues with visible impairments. Human relations, 69(6), 1341-1363.
  • Perkowski, M., & Oksztulski, M. (2018). Autism as Disability (from the Lawyer's Perspective). Bialstockie Studia Prawnicze, 23, 43.
  • Rose, C. A., Swearer, S. M., & Espelage, D. L. (2012). Bullying and students with disabilities: The untold narrative. Focus on exceptional children, 45(2), 1-10.
  • Schulz, S. E., & Stevenson, R. A. (2018). Sensory hypersensitivity predicts repetitive behaviours in autistic and typically-developing children. Autism, 23(4), 1028-1041. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361318774559
  • Thomas, C. (2007). Sociologies of disability. Impairment, and Chronic Illness: Ideas in.
  • Tulgar, A. (2022a). Issues of hyper- and hypo-sensitivity in the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and the movie Jack of the Red Hearts. RumeliDE Dil ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi, 31, 1350-1358. https://doi.org/10.29000/rumelide.1222267
  • Tulgar, A. (2022b). Representation of a Deaf Teenager: Disability and Discrimination in You’re Welcome, University. In E. K. Tuğba Baykara (Ed.), Bridging Cultures: Representation of Minorities in English and American Literature (pp. 195-216).
There are 21 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects British and Irish Language, Literature and Culture, Literary Studies (Other)
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Merve Aydın 0000-0002-6179-0574

Early Pub Date December 30, 2023
Publication Date December 30, 2023
Submission Date October 31, 2023
Acceptance Date December 25, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023 Volume: 1 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Aydın, M. (2023). Reflecting an Autistic Character and Her Isolation in Society in Carol Cujec and Peyton Goddard’s Real. Melius: Journal of Narrative and Language Studies, 1(2), 19-31.

Content of this journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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