Portrayals of Disabled Characters

Use this forum to discuss the April 2019 Book of the month, "Adrift" by Charlie Sheldon
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Gracedscribe
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Re: Portrayals of Disabled Characters

Post by Gracedscribe »

angiejack456 wrote: 20 Apr 2019, 03:43 All of us have our limitations. Books like this, that cast a variety of characters with their own struggles, come across as authentic and genuine. It's great to read about others overcoming their own obstacles. It gives hope that perhaps we too can rise above our challenges.
I quite agree!! Couldn't have said it better!! We need such characters in our stories and novels to look up to, maybe remember when we go through our own struggles.
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Post by Laila_Hashem »

They were very inspiring to me too, especially when Tom Olsen saves William. That scene was beautiful.
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I don't think we have enough books where disability is NOT the main factor to pull heartstrings. Most books about disability scream 'woe is me' and 'my life is so much worse than yours' but this book doesn't really do that. I like that disabled characters are characters in their own right and not side pieces for us to feel bad for.
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Post by Areej Tahir »

I always look up to such people, they make me realize that determination lies in the head and doesn't correlate with our bodies.
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Post by alysha_walters14 »

It is good to see characters with disabilities in novels that AREN'T about their disabilities. To have real characters be real people without the focus on their disability is important.
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Post by SA2090 »

daviddawud wrote: 23 Apr 2019, 17:56 One of the reasons why I love this book is because the author crafted the characters of the disabled people in an impressive and a fascinating manner. It motivates me to read about their struggles.
Same here. I found it motivating and very realistic.
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Post by AbbyC »

I love well written characters who seize the chance to rise above their circumstances. It’s inspiring and encouraging. I also love it when authors don’t shirk from hard characters like those with disabilities. A lot of research has to go into writing a realistic character dealing with a disability so I really admire the authors who pull it off so well!
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Post by LeeleeByoma »

It always makes me happy to find physically challenged people suitably portrayed in the arts. Being a filmmaker, I hope to create an all-inclusive environment for actors regardless of the physical challenges they face, and to portray them as strong characters.
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Post by DD129 »

It’s really heartening to see disabled characters written correctly instead of having their disabilities act as accessories to their character. The fact that the author worked with each characters’ disabilities (who had one) and incorporated them into the story makes the book better and more realistic.
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Post by Amina Yusuf »

I think disabled characters have always sort of been underrated as characters. In this book, the author has shown their strengths, even more capable than their able counterparts. This needs to be portrayed more in books.
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Post by Sukkrose »

When u closely look upon the life of disabled people, u'll see what they exactly feel. Even if they continuously persistent towards their dreams, and always ready to get out of their label of Disabled, we never let them do so. Even when they achieve something, we just say "Oh, how marvelous!" And that's it. We can never feel their pain n sorrow, but the least we can do it understand them. Our society has to treat them equally, just not out of pity, but for the sake of their bright future. This book exactly shows vividly what they feel, and they're all ready to strive in their life forgetting all about their label. It can be inspirational to anyone!
A wonderful book and a cup of black tea in my hands make my day joyful! :tiphat:
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Post by Sarah Schmidt »

I liked that these characters had just as much room as the other characters. They blended well with the theme of strength, hope and perseverance that the book underscored. This was another one of the things I liked about this book.
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Post by Michelle Menezes »

editoronwheels wrote: 14 Apr 2019, 18:54 Adrift includes several characters who are disabled, either through natural circumstance, because of accidents or by reason of advanced age. I love how all of them, Heather, the diabetic steward from the Seattle Express Pete Wise, Tom, and Steve's son Jimmie, take opportunities to rise above their situations.

Jimmie gets to move out of a long-term care facility and live with Steve.

Heather undertakes the daunting task of hunting seal to feed her group of marooned survivors from the Seattle Express.

Pete is hired as a park ranger, a job that allows him to keep custody of his young son. It starts out as a desk job, so his knee can heal from a gunshot wound.

Despite a pronounced limp, elderly Tom Olsen braves rugged Pacific Northwest terrain to save William. his best friend.

These characters really resonated with me. I wondered if they resonated with anybody else. If so, why?
I loved how you put forward each character's strength and hardship. I agree with you on all the points. I think I felt more sympathetic towards Jimmie because he was a young man who became disabled as a child, whose mother abandoned him and father couldn't spend much time with him because he had to earn money to provide for him. Also the fact that he wanted to earn money and become independent, but couldn't, broke my heart. Even the facility he lived in had some horrible caretakers, but he tried to do what he could by taking the accounting course. I felt so happy when things turned out well for him. I actually cried.
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Post by Maria Ferreira Silva »

It's always nice when a novel includes diversity and not just the convencional characters.
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