Okay, all; new dilemma to ponder. I just got the textbooks I am to use for
1st-year Composition (freshman English, for the un-PC), and I was alternately
appalled and excited by one chapter in particular.
In this anthology (Janet Marting's *The Voice of Reflection: A Writer's
Reader), Chapter 5 is called "Self-Portraits," and includes essays by Gloria
Steinem (her adolescent chagrin at being fat and too-tall), Elizabeth
MacDonald (on anorexia and the tyranny of slenderness), Joseph Epstein (on
being a short male), Linda Ellerbee (on alcoholism), and Scott Russell Sanders
(male heroes of the upper class, vs. broken bodies of the laborers). So far,
so good: makes for lively discussions of performativity,
media-and-beauty-ideals, self-improvement vs. self-satisfaction.
Now comes three essays IN A ROW, which, by their presence here with the
others, and by the rhetoric they employ, make me verrrry uncomfortable--not
only as to whether I should assign them or censor them (or both, which I will
probably do), but as to HOW they will be dealt with by our corps of teaching
assistants who--like many people--may be unaware of the harm these essays may
enact, if taught without sensitivity to the social model of disability.
LEONARD KRIEGEL uses phrases and images such as "surrender myself"
(to polio), "absence," the monster of Dr. Frankenstein, "the contempt I felt
for my own weakness," "badge of normality," and "shame."
MATTHEW SOYSTER's essay is introduced with the editor's comment: ". . .the
passion that once 'defined' him are gone and...confined to a wheelchair, he
must search for other passions." The author himself writes, "What disturbs me
most [about MS] is not how others see me, but how I've lost my vision of
myself."
JOHN UPDIKE's title is "At War with My Skin." He writes about how psoriasis
tends to "singl[e] you out from the happy herds of healthy, normal mankind. .
. ." And this: "self-examination is endless. You are forced to the mirror,
again and again; psoriasis compels narcissism, if we can suppose a Narcissus
who did not like what he saw." He uses "monstrosity," and "handicap [his
abilities]," and refers to himself as "leper," and admits to wanting to "cure
myself." He says he "counted myself out of any. . .jobs. . .that demand being
presentable." But he found someone who could love him: "a comely female who
forgave me my skin.
Even the 'Questions for Discussion' bother me. After Ellerbee's essay, we are
to discuss her tone: "Is she angry? bitter? hateful? conciliatory? confused? .
. .Do you think Ellerbee will stay sober?" For Epstein's essay, we are asked:
"Do you feel sympathy for Epstein['s being short]? Do you feel scorn and
embarrassment for him? Or is your reaction one of amusement?. . .Explain in
what ways Epstein's dealing with his height is similar to or different from
John Updike's reconciliation to having psoriasis or Leonard Kriegel's to
having polio." And for Soyster's writing, students are asked, "Do you think
Soyster wants his readers' pity? sympathy? compassion?. . .Do you think
Soyster's thinking is representative of most people when they become
disabled?"
The editor claims that these essays "provide unusual and powerful examinations
of what it means to be physically challenged in a world designed primarily for
people without restrictions." Fine. But then: "you will see something much
different from self-absorbed or egocentric descriptions. . .You will be
invited to witness epiphany: how the writers' understandings have taken shape.
. . ." Sorry, but I feel these writers have understood nothing but the
medical, the individual loss, the tragic perspective on their "transformed
vision" of themselves.
So I put to you my position: Is there something I can do to ensure that some
40 English MA students (generally) and a handful of seasoned English
profs treat this section with care? I've thought of arranging an 'awareness
session,' or an in-service training period--with someone like fellow-Arizonan
Nancy Mairs as guest speaker. Provided our department chair agrees that this
section of the text is loaded with issues that need guided discussion.
At the very least, is there something I can do while teaching 22 students
in my classes--short of spending ALL semester on this one power-pack of 8
essays?
Is there something I'm overlooking...do you all agree that this selection
of essays seems warped? I'm *thrilled* to see disability make an appearance
in an English text... but perhaps THIS representation does more harm than
good?
Apologies for the length of *this* essay; I get rattled, therefore I
write.
Dona
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