Resisting Normalcy in Sharon M. Draper's Out of My Mind

Abstract

This research analyzes Sharon M. Draper's Out of My Mind and explores the issue of the normalcy and stigmatization of Melody Brooks, an eleven year old girl with cerebral palsy. Being a girl with physical disability, she comes across the barriers in her participation as equal member of society due to which she cannot practice the rights as a human being in her society. The issue of normalcy and stigmatization under the theory of disability studies has been undertaken as theoretical approach in this research. Normalcy is a socio-cultural construct which refers to the state of being perfectly normal and it considers disability as misfortune and the persons with disabilities as burden in every society. As a result, Melody, because of her disabled body, suffers from stigma of normalcy, but her stigma is countered by herself with the help of her beloved ones as she learns words from books, and TV shows, gathers information from diverse field, participates the class activities etc. This study shows Melody through her determination to learn words, perseverance to go school in any situation, courage to join the class among her so-called normal classmates, struggle to participate the quiz competition and expectation to win it, challenges the discriminatory attitude of the norms. Thus, Melody gets love, support, inspiration and encouragement from her parents as well as her well-wishers that raises hope within her to fight against biased mindset of the society. Her access in technology and disability friendly infra-structures plays a vital role to make her independent because of which she questions the false ideology of disability and overcomes the stigma.