The Representation of Disability - notes

The Representation of Disability

‘not normal’

physically/mentally

seen as an impairment of the body or mind caused by the loss or long term non functioning of a physical , sensory or mental part or system.

Common representations

Struggling to overcome the impairment

Finding a cure

Being an object of pity

Being a passive victim

Having a chip on his or her shoulder and becoming an evil, aggressive avenger

This view: ‘medical model’ of thinking

The ‘Medical Model’

The ‘Social Model’

This ‘social model’ is an alternative social model, which considers disability to be the organisational, environmental, social and attitudinal barriers that prevent people with impairments being included in mainstream society.

This social model is rarely seen in moving image media, but disability charities are campaigning for change and ‘ground breaking’ representations of disability (within the social model) are on the increase.

Medical vs. Social

Theorist: R. Rieser

Freud Psychoanalysis

Evans (1998)

-       Disabled people are seen as childish, dependant and underdeveloped

-       Punished by being excluded from ordinary life .

-       People who are imperfect, helpless, disgusting, shitty, dribbling – a threat to rigid ego boundaries.

-       Strict rules of decorum involving standards of privacy, decency and dignity effect representation.

-       Images of disability which cause unpleasure to the self simply be representing that expelling as already complete.

-       We become literally alienated from (and cannot identify with) the object/person we observe.

Stereotypes

There are ten main stereotypes of disabled people (Barnes, 1992):

-       1. Pitiable and pathetic; sweet and innocent; a miracle cure

-       e.g. The Elephant Man

-       2. Victim or object of violence

-       e.g. Dr Al Robins - CSI

-       3. Sinister of evil

-       e.g. Dr. No

-       4. Atmosphere – a curios or exotica in ‘freak shows’, and in comics, horror movies and science fiction

-       e.g.

-       5. ‘Super-crip’ / triumph over tradgedy / noble warrior

-       e.g. Xavier – X men

-       6. Laughable or the butt of jokes

-       e.g. Joe Swanson – Family Guy

-       7. Having a chip on their shoulder / aggressive avenger

-       e.g.

-       8. A burden / outcast

-       e.g.

-       9. Non-sexual or incapable of a worth while relationship

-       e.g.

-       10. Incapable of fully participating in everyday life

How is disability portrayed in the extract?

Mise-en-scene

The way the mise-en-scene is used to portray disability in this extract shows that the character with the disabilities tries to get his ordinary life back, but has difficulties because of his appearance. He tries to get his old job back, but the employers are not happy about having a worker with disabilities and look at him as though he is a freak. This shows that people are treated differently if they are disabled, look ‘different’ or are impaired in any way. His disability in the extract is portrayed to make the viewer see the difficulties of a disabled persons life and the struggles they go through in life when they are not treated normally.

Camera

The way the camera work is used to portray disability in this extract helps to show the life of the disabled person and also the reactions of the people around him by focusing on the face of the disabled man. When walking though the town in a busy public area, he tries to hide his face as people stare at him as though he is ‘different’. The camera work shows shots of the public reactions to him, as well as his reactions to the way people are treating him. This shows that people with disabilities are treated differently in society because they don’t appear to be ‘normal’. The camera work helps to show the viewer the problems he faces when people treat him as an outcast. This links with Barnes theory, 1992 when it is stated that people with disabilities are treated as ‘A burden or outcast’.