Abstract
The representation of disabilities is complex and its dissemination through media is prevalent in social construction. In this paper, I will be using identity-first language which places the disability before the person as the descriptor. Through analyzing A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer, this paper investigates what kinds of representation are found in young adult literature and how that representation affects the influence and use of disabilities in the genre. This will be done using narrative frameworks and Julia Kristeva’s social paradigm. Disabled characters frequently suffer from narratives that go against progress in disability discourse and lack the substance to create real change in the field (Goethals et al., 2020). The quality of representation in texts should be based on interactions between disabled characters and their society rather than simply good or bad (Prater, 2003). Conclusions suggest that A Curse so Dark and Lonely is a model for robust representation of disabilities; disability studies is a broad field and needs more attention by scholars.
First Page Number
1
Last Page Numer
9
Canadian Undergraduate
1
Current Undergraduate
1
Recommended Citation
Shelley, Sophia M.. "Representation Matters: Disability and its Narratives." Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts 7 (2023) : 1-9. Print.