Relevance of Non-Fiction Reading on Experience: Difference between revisions
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*[http://itech.dickinson.edu/wiki/index.php/The_Stevens_Center Back to The Stevens Center] | *[http://itech.dickinson.edu/wiki/index.php/The_Stevens_Center Back to The Stevens Center] | ||
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Throughout the duration of this semester, we have been reading various works that center on disabilities. These include, but are not limited to Jonathan Lethem's ''Motherless Brooklyn,'' "Fat," by Raymond Carter, excerpts from RoseMarie Garland-Thomson's ''Extraordinary Bodies'', Katherine Dunn's ''Geek Love'', and various other short stories, articles and poems. We have examined how these fictious works, as well as those of theory are applicable to our service learning. Following are a gathering of reflections upon the relation of literay works and the Steven's Center. | Throughout the duration of this semester, we have been reading various works that center on disabilities. These include, but are not limited to Jonathan Lethem's ''Motherless Brooklyn,'' "Fat," by Raymond Carter, excerpts from RoseMarie Garland-Thomson's ''Extraordinary Bodies'', Katherine Dunn's ''Geek Love'', and various other short stories, articles and poems. We have examined how these fictious works, as well as those of theory are applicable to our service learning. Following are a gathering of reflections upon the relation of literay works and the Steven's Center. | ||
As of last week, all visitors at the center have to wear nametags, just to identify them to the members and facilitate interaction, I suppose. What’s ironic about this is that not only do I now feel like I’m the “object of the gaze” as Garland-Thomson calls it, but I feel almost stigmatized for being “normal,” which is the complete opposite of what one would expect (26). It’s bizarre the type of inverted stereotyping that is happening, unintentionally of course. In the story “Fat” by Raymond Carver, the two main characters, the fat man and the narrator aren’t even allotted names. Culture deems them as so anomalous that their physical trait (large and small) defines them completely. At the Steven’s Center, on the other hand, my name is paraded loud and clear, marking me as different, even though I represent the ‘normate’ in this situation. I wonder, is this what it feels like to have a disability in such a narrowly defined world? | As of last week, all visitors at the center have to wear nametags, just to identify them to the members and facilitate interaction, I suppose. What’s ironic about this is that not only do I now feel like I’m the “object of the gaze” as Garland-Thomson calls it, but I feel almost stigmatized for being “normal,” which is the complete opposite of what one would expect (26). It’s bizarre the type of inverted stereotyping that is happening, unintentionally of course. In the story “Fat” by Raymond Carver, the two main characters, the fat man and the narrator aren’t even allotted names. Culture deems them as so anomalous that their physical trait (large and small) defines them completely. At the Steven’s Center, on the other hand, my name is paraded loud and clear, marking me as different, even though I represent the ‘normate’ in this situation. I wonder, is this what it feels like to have a disability in such a narrowly defined world? | ||
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Revision as of 03:42, 19 April 2005
Throughout the duration of this semester, we have been reading various works that center on disabilities. These include, but are not limited to Jonathan Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn, "Fat," by Raymond Carter, excerpts from RoseMarie Garland-Thomson's Extraordinary Bodies, Katherine Dunn's Geek Love, and various other short stories, articles and poems. We have examined how these fictious works, as well as those of theory are applicable to our service learning. Following are a gathering of reflections upon the relation of literay works and the Steven's Center.
As of last week, all visitors at the center have to wear nametags, just to identify them to the members and facilitate interaction, I suppose. What’s ironic about this is that not only do I now feel like I’m the “object of the gaze” as Garland-Thomson calls it, but I feel almost stigmatized for being “normal,” which is the complete opposite of what one would expect (26). It’s bizarre the type of inverted stereotyping that is happening, unintentionally of course. In the story “Fat” by Raymond Carver, the two main characters, the fat man and the narrator aren’t even allotted names. Culture deems them as so anomalous that their physical trait (large and small) defines them completely. At the Steven’s Center, on the other hand, my name is paraded loud and clear, marking me as different, even though I represent the ‘normate’ in this situation. I wonder, is this what it feels like to have a disability in such a narrowly defined world?
