In this episode, we will look at changes in how the mediaportray atypical characters and their helper guides in books, films and tvshows. Among some famous neurodivergent characters, like Sheldon Cooper, in BigBang Theory, there is no mention of a diagnosis. Nevertheless, there is anunmistakeable pattern of traits and behaviours consistent with Asperger’s. Thecomedy we find in modern day characterizations of people on the spectrum, orhaving similar sensory issues, (Monk, Geek Girl, Young Sheldon, Sam Gardner) isa far cry from the dark, tragic depictions of atypical characters in classicbooks like Of Mice and Men and Lord of the Flies. We can further trace atransition from dark, to chiaroscuro (a mix of dark and light), to a greaternumber and variety of stories of atypical characters that are more light intone and hopeful in perspective. Alongthe way, we find that the treatment of helper characters also evolves, from thesolitary figures who cannot overcome their society’s response to neurodivergence,to individuals like Siobhan in The Curious Incident of the Dog in theNighttime, who make all the difference in smoothing the road to maturity forthe atypical Christopher Boone. Please comment if you know other books withatypical characters and whether you would characterize them as having a dark,chiaroscuro, or light perspective -- or none of the above -- and why!
This article was written by Dr. Dana Colarusso and cannot be reproduced whole or in part without the author's express written permission.
Narrated by Dana Colarusso with guest narrator Beth McBarnett.
Music composed by and used with permission of Peter de Mello.
Website Cited:
Books with Autistic Characters for Kids and Teens on thewebsite andnextcomesL.
https://www.andnextcomesl.com/2019/03/autism-fiction-chapter-books.html
Works Cited:
Dark
Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. Covici Friede Inc., 1937.
Golding, William. The Lord of the Flies, Coward-McCann,1955.
Darabont, Frank. The Green Mile. Warner Bros. 1999.
Chiaroscuro
Haddon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in theNighttime. Doubleday, 2003.
Larsson, Stieg. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. VintageBooks, 2009.
Light
Demonia, Lori. Leah’s Voice. Halo Publishing International,2012.
Hoang, Helen. The Kiss Quotient. Berkley, 2018.
Smale, Holly. Geek Girl. Harper Collins, 2015
