earticle

영어

This study explores the representation of disabled characters and disability in children’s and adolescent literature, focusing on Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Little Mermaid” and Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. These works can be analyzed with the term, ‘normalcy’, which is deeply rooted in patriarchal society to distinguish the powerful/strong/male/young from the powerless/weak/female/old. The disabled characters in stories are often seen as weak, obedient, and dependent on others. Their disability symbolizes passiveness, and is sometimes connected with the sign of evil. In “The Little Mermaid”, disability is a metaphor for weakness and passiveness. In some stories. the disabled characters have special talents. Using their talents, the disabled characters solve the problems they face and achieve some of their goals. In those stories, disability is a tool for making the characters grow up.