Blaska's Literary Analysis
These questions are answered to the best ability of the reader, so the quality remains subjective. However, it is an ideal method for parents who want to ensure that their children are exposed to books that they, as parents, perceive to be appropriate for their children. In order to determine how children’s literature has developed in terms of disability representation, in particular for children with autism, I have analyzed and determined the quality of the following four texts by adopting Blaska’s criteria for each of these texts.
Janine.
Janine. is the story of a girl, who is “One of a kind”, who does things differently than her peers and follows a storyline of acceptance from her classmates (Cocca-Leffler). The story never explicitly …show more content…
Daniel, unlike Janine, has a more sever form of ASD. The narrator takes time to describe Daniel: he cannot speak, but he makes sounds, he doesn’t like bright lights or loud sounds (Berger). The story is all about pointing out the differences between the narrator and the brother, which emphasizes the distinction between what would be considered typical, and what would be considered abnormal. At the beginning of the text, the narrator states the things he can do: “I can DRESS myself and poo in the toilet…and play with TOYS…” (Berger 4). The use of capital letters with words like “DRESS” and “TOYS” insinuates that what he can do is the right and normal, but what Daniel can do is not. When the author uses capital letters involving Daniel, they typically describe what the narrator is doing with his brother: “I have to look EVERYWHERE because he doesn’t come when I call” (Berger 14). This seems to promote empathy for the brother, not necessarily for Daniel. Yet, at the end of the story they do love one another, and the narrator states that: “But I also know that Didi [Daniel] is happy to see me and would miss us if we weren’t around. And I would miss him too” (Berger 28-29). The narrator accepts his brother for all of his eccentricities, and therefore the book would be a great assistance in helping children and families understand their autistic
Janine.
Janine. is the story of a girl, who is “One of a kind”, who does things differently than her peers and follows a storyline of acceptance from her classmates (Cocca-Leffler). The story never explicitly …show more content…
Daniel, unlike Janine, has a more sever form of ASD. The narrator takes time to describe Daniel: he cannot speak, but he makes sounds, he doesn’t like bright lights or loud sounds (Berger). The story is all about pointing out the differences between the narrator and the brother, which emphasizes the distinction between what would be considered typical, and what would be considered abnormal. At the beginning of the text, the narrator states the things he can do: “I can DRESS myself and poo in the toilet…and play with TOYS…” (Berger 4). The use of capital letters with words like “DRESS” and “TOYS” insinuates that what he can do is the right and normal, but what Daniel can do is not. When the author uses capital letters involving Daniel, they typically describe what the narrator is doing with his brother: “I have to look EVERYWHERE because he doesn’t come when I call” (Berger 14). This seems to promote empathy for the brother, not necessarily for Daniel. Yet, at the end of the story they do love one another, and the narrator states that: “But I also know that Didi [Daniel] is happy to see me and would miss us if we weren’t around. And I would miss him too” (Berger 28-29). The narrator accepts his brother for all of his eccentricities, and therefore the book would be a great assistance in helping children and families understand their autistic