Elizabeth Groz's Argumentative Essay On Freaks

Considering a society in which myopia or obesity are direct signs of imperfect chromosomes, and lead to a path of discrimination, Gattaca underlines the importance of physical perfection as a necessity to survive in the futuristic world. Juxtaposing this with societal values in the 1990s, the obsession with physical perfection is still prevalent with the availability of plastic surgery, hair and makeup salons and protein powders and slimming pills, all to allowing individuals to achieve societies idea of perfection and thereby become a successful member and role model in society. Considering Eugene, who was engineered to be the ‘perfect human’, a “9.7, (…) a catch” yet he achieves only second place in his swimming race, showing Niccol’s belief that success is not guaranteed through DNA, imposing the idea that someone may always be better, faster and

Freak the Mighty is a book about two boys who both have disabilities. Freak or Kevin has a disability with growing and Max or Maxwell has a disability with learning. They were in the same day care class when they were young, but then Freak moved. When they were entering 8th grade Freak’s family, his mom and himself, moved back next to Max’s family’s, his grandparents and himself, house. They became friend and took care of each other disabilities. Freak helped Max learn by expanding his vocabulary and teach him. Max helped Freak because Freak has trouble walking and now Max carries him on his shoulders.

And if “Had anyone been there with her, she’d have been still and faint and hot with chagrin, (Mairs 259).” Instead of pitying herself, Mairs is able joke about her hardships in her day-to-day life despite having physical incapabilities. She then continues with a steady, yet uplifting tone as she explains the reasoning behind why she labels herself as a “cripple”, stating that it is a “clean word, straightforward, and precise, (Mairs 260).” She believes that words like “disabled” or “handicapped” are words that are “moving [her] away from her condition, to be widening the gap between word and reality, (Mairs 260).” By using these euphemisms for her condition, people tend to view her as something she isn 't. She believes that these words characterize no one because "Society is no readier to accept crippledness than to accept death, war, sex, sweat, or wrinkles, (Mairs

The novel Freak The Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick is about two disabled boys named, Kevin Avery, nicknamed “Freak”, who is physically handicapped but very intelligent, and Maxwell Kane, a large, very slow, but kind-hearted boy. Together, they use valuable life skills that are efficient and effective in getting through hard times in life, as the world is very difficult for them both. When the two are alone, life is a challenge, and they face big hardships at school. Kevin is suffering from a disease called the morquio syndrome, which affects his metabolism. Max is suffering from dyslexia, which affects his reading. However, there are many clues in the story that show that Kevin and Max are not troubled by their disabilities and that their teamwork is useful.

“2.2 million people in the United States depend on a wheelchair for day-to-day tasks and mobility. 6.5 million people use a cane, a walker, or crutches to assist with their mobility”. Every single day, people varying in ages, struggle to live their lives due to conditions out of their control. Whether it be life threatening or not, it can have effects that are both socially and emotionally harming. Although some of them may change appearances on the outside, other people cannot forget that all people, not matter the disability, have brains and personalities of their own that may not be seen to the human eye. The book Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper, shares the story of Melody, a girl who is much more than her cerebral palsy: she is brilliant.

Nancy Mairs, a feminist writer who has Multiple Sclerosis, defines the terms in which she interest the most with the world. Nancy Mairs will name herself a cripple and not be by others. She will choose a word that represents her reality for example in the beginning of her story she mentioned about her being in the bathroom trying to come up with a story about cripples. She was in the handicap bathroom and when she tried to open the door she fell, landing fully clothed on the toilet seat with her legs splayed in front of her and she said “the old beetle -on-it’s back routine.” not only does she make fun of herself, but she also has a great sense of humor. The little details she puts on her stories will make you picture it in your mind. She just doesn't want her readers to see her as a handicap person, but a person who wants the world to see her as a tough woman. One whom the fates, gods, viruses have not been kind, but who can face the brutal truth of her disabilities.

Nancy Mairs forces a sharp-witted and blunt tone on the reader in her essay, “On Being A Cripple.” A new perspective is explored, on being disabled as well as the word “crippled” which is found offensive by most of society. While keeping the piece light and relatable, she shines a light on the guilty pity thrown on the disabled, treatment no one asks for. Although it is a generally light piece, Mairs uses humor, anecdotes, and diction to improve the treatment of physically disabled.

After losing the ability to operate her legs properly, Mairs begins to declare herself a “cripple”. She proclaims this knowing people cringe whenever someone is called a cripple. Mairs herself doesn’t fully comprehend why she decided on this title, but she believes that she wants others to see her as a “tough customer”. A person who “fates/gods/viruses have not been kind”, yet still can accept the brutal truth. By claiming all this, Mairs makes the reader realize that she’s a unyielding individual, yet also appeals to pathos by invoking feelings of sympathy from the reader. Also, one would likely agree that

In the passage Nancy Mairs calls herself cripple. She uses different rhetorical mode and devices such as similes to the reader an emotional appeal. In the passage cripple is used to symbolize handicap and disabled. This gives the reader an emotional appeal to how she’s feeling. Nancy Mairs being called handicap lowers confidence, making her feel weak. When people hear handicap they think not able to care for themselves. Nancy wants to be known as a tough individual able to take care of herself. The reader can feel the agony of what Nancy is feeling. The tone of this passage is determination and agony. Nancy feels that cripple is more stronger word than “handicap” or ‘disabled.” The word word cripple gives Nancy hope and strength and makes her a strong individual. But her having to go through agony and pain of being called handicap or disabled, doesn’t give her the confidence she needs. Even though Nancy calls herself cripple to give hope and strength. Cripple symbolizes weak, meaning not being able to take care of herself but in this passage cripple symbolizes confidence and strength.

Waist High In the World is a novel that focuses on the importance of accepting everyone with dignity and respect despite their disabilities and differences. The author of the book, Nancy Mairs purpose when writing the book was to create awareness and share her experience as a “cripple” in order to create consciousness and understanding of those who are going through the same process. Mairs uses different persuasive strategies to convince readers to want a world with people like her in it, this includes the use of pathos, logos and ethos.

Murphy lacks mobility and sensation in his lower body other than the feeling of occasional muscle spasms, and has limited movement in his upper body below the neck including his arms. Murphy writes the story as it recounts events throughout his entire life, from childhood onwards. He was sixty-two when he wrote the novel. The story provides Murphy’s anthropological commentary on the life of a person with a disability and how society views and treats people with disabilities (Murphy, 1990).

The United States of America is founded on equality. Our society fights for equality everyday. Fahrenheit 451 and the short story Harrison Bergeron both encompass equality to an unreasonable extent. The society of Fahrenheit 451 banned books in order to restrict the smarter people mentally and bring them down to the lowest level. In Harrison Bergeron, the society is physically restricted with weights, masks, and earphones. Fahrenheit 451 and Harrison Bergeron are perfect examples of a dystopian society.

Individuals, who suffer from any type of disabilities, sadly live a different life due the societal stigma attached to it. The film When Billy Broke His Head and the reading Deaf Matters Compulsory Hearing and Ability Trouble both illustrate the hardships and struggles disabled individuals go through as a result of stereotypical misconceptions created by the media and the larger society. Firstly, exemplified in the media through a portrayal of disheartened characteristics like constant anger and bitterness about life, a misconception of an unapproachable individual starts to become produced. Through a continuous loop of negative illustrations of disability, an unawareness and lack of knowledge about certain disabilities, a stigma of this unfamiliar

The main character in “The Freak Series” by Carol Matas is Jade, who is fifteen years old and has recently discovered that she is a psychic. Through the series, Jade is haunted by visions and dreams of bombings in her local synagogue, innocent women murdered with their own scarves, and a small room with someone screaming. Jade tries to solve these mysteries for the her own good and the people she loves. She solves these problems with her exceptional traits such as having a quick reaction and a strong conscience.

Like many other sci-fi stories, Phillip K. Dick's Do androids dream of electric sheep has futuristic setting that once again redefines what is normal. In terms of disability criticism, the societal statuses for this story range from abnormal to normal to great. The Pennfield mood organ that regulates emotions in humans and raising animals is normal. Being worthy enough to migrate to Mars and live a luxurious life with androids to serve you is great. If a person fails to be normal or great, you are left with chickenheads like John Isidore and rebel androids who want to pass for human. While the novel gives us a clear idea of what this society considers normal and acceptable, there points in the story where the lines between normal and abnormal blur.