The autistics in the crip theory : a comparative study on selected autustic poems

Abstract EN

This study explores the classifications of the autistics, and their different reactions to the normal people`s stigmatization, and marginalization.

According to the crip theory, the autistics suffer from abnormal symptoms which make them always look strange.

Thus, they have been generally viewed by the normal people as abnormal, and ''mentally retarded''.

Also, they have been always socially forbidden from having their rights as well as the normal.

In fact, these symptoms are not supposed to exclude the autistics from the normal society.

Maybe they make the autistics look different but certainly not mentally retarded, or less than those who describe themselves as normal.

In this study, and through two models of the autistic poetry, the reader can see two contradictory autistic reactions to the normal society`s stigmatization, and marginalization.

“Against All Odds” (1993) by the English poet David Miedzianik (1956- ) portrays the desperate reaction of “the normal autistic” poet who has been viewed by the normal people as a mentally retarded.

On the other hand “A Simple Cup” (2010) by the Indian poet Tito Mukhopadhyay (1989- ) neatly weaves the challenging reaction of “the authentic autistic” poet who refuses to cure his autism, and insist instead on keeping his strange symptoms which make him happy.