“The world needs all types of minds.”
-Temple Grandin
As the month comes to an end, so does the celebration of Neurodiversity Awareness Month. I do hope that by my posts, I have tried to create a sense of empathy and awareness for these people. If you did love them and would want me to write more on this topic every year, do tell me in the comments section. I would be happy to bring on board more on this topic by exploring different mediums.
Since its the end of the series, I decided to finish it with a bang. And this I chose to do by finding such people in the world of literature. The world of literature always talks about normal people like you and me. But there have also been instances where it has spoken about fantastic depictions of people who are now identified as neurodivergent in psychological terms. So, lets try to explore them.
Representation of neurodivergence over time
The history of literature contains many characters that show features which resemble these special group of people. They might have been termed as “odd”, “eccentric” or “difficult”. However, what people might have not understood that their brains functioned differently. And this can be attributed to the fact that there was lack of awareness in this field.
Take for example, Jane Eyre’s friend Helen Burns from Charlotte Bronte’s novel of the same name. She has an intense focus, sensory sensitivities, and difficulty with certain social expectations. This can be linked to traits displayed in autism. Or even our favourite detective of all times-Sherlock Holmes who possesses exceptional pattern recognition, and deep specialized knowledge, but has social difficulties. This too aligns with many autistic experiences; though Sir Arthur Conan Doyle never portrayed him as one.
These historical characters were never created as characters who possessed neurodivergent traits.Yet, they do provide some patterns of recognition and connection for readers with neurodivergence. Exploring these characters from a different lens shows us that these experiences have always been a part of humanity. It is just that we are becoming more aware and have developed a language to describe such experiences.
However, in recent years, there has been a deliberate representation of these people which continues to grow. For instance, Christopher Boone in Mark Haddon’s “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” (2003) marked a significant milestone. The reason was: a first-person narrative from an autistic perspective. It was also path-breaking as it helped solidify the fact that even neurodivergent protagonists can make great literary characters.
In today’s times, works like Helen Hoang’s “The Kiss Quotient” which has autistic protagonists or Eliza Frye’s “Jazzy Little Drops” which revolves around ADHD experiences continues to evolve the scene.This is because these works are themselves being written by neurodivergent authors; thus bringing an authentic outlook.
Neurodivergence in different genres
It is not only contemporary realistic fiction that has captured neurodivergence, other literary genres have done a great job as well.
In the field of mystery and fiction, characters with intense focus and pattern recognition have gained prominence. Apart from Sherlock Holmes, Lisbeth Salander from Steig Larsson’s Millenium Series too displays traits which resemble autism along with exceptional investigative skills.
Science fiction too has its share of neurodivergence. This is in the form of Elizabeth Moon’s “The Speed of Dark“. This explores autism in a near-future setting where “cures” become available. This thus, raises profound questions about identity and difference. Or Becky Chambers’ “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” which normalises cognitive differences across species.
The genre of fantasy literature too hasn’t shied away from embracing it. R.F. Kuang’s “The Poppy War” has a protagonist whose hyperfocus and social differences read as potentially ADHD. However, the portrayal of the protagonist shows how these traits become advantages in certain contexts.
And if you are a lover of the romance genre, neurodivergence has made its presence felt here as well. Helen Hoang’s “The Kiss Quotient” and “The Bride Test” feature autistic protagonists navigating relationships.They also bring a nuanced understanding of sensory experiences and communication differences to the genre. Though a word of caution:such works can feel problematic to some.
Stereotypes that harm
Even though progress is being made in the space of neurodivergent literature, problems still persist. This is because many times a certain portrayal of a character makes it prone to stereotypes. This needs a critical examination.
Take the example of the “savant” stereotype. This was brought into the mainstream by the character of Rainman. Though it succeeded in bringing awareness about autism.But it also brought a misconception with it that all individuals with autism possess extraordinary mathematical or memory capabilities.
Or the portrayal of a neurodivergent individual as a burden. This is equally bothering as well. As such type of portrayal brings an imbalance between how experiences are viewed by neurotypical or neurodivergent people. This is highlighted in Jodi Picoult’s “House Rules” where in the mother of the protagonist creates a list of House rules as she devotes herself to the protagonist. The reason being the protagonist suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome.
And the most hurtful is the portrayal of a “deficit-only” portrayal, where neurodivergent characters are defined exclusively by their challenges. Such portrayals fail to acknowledge the strengths or show the complete personhood of that person. Also, it reinstates the fact that neurodivergence is limiting which is not the case.
Why do such portrayals matter or are harmful? This is because, for many readers who do not know such individuals on a personal level, literature shapes their understanding of neurodiversity. And when novels consistently present limited or harmful portrayals, they extend real-world stigma and misunderstanding.
Way ahead for neurodivergent literature:
As awareness grows, things look promising in the literature front of neurodivergence. Firstly, intersectionality is gaining crucial recognition. Works are exploring how neurodivergence intersects with race, gender, sexuality, and other aspects of identity. Akwaeke Emezi’s “Freshwater,” though focused primarily on spiritual experiences, incorporates neurodivergent perspectives within its Nigerian context.
Middle-grade and young adult literature is also becoming particularly rich with neurodivergent characters. This is offering younger readers the representation many older neurodivergent individuals lacked growing up. For instance, Elle McNicoll’s “A Kind of Spark” features an autistic protagonist advocating for memorial recognition of women persecuted as witches. This draws subtle parallels between historical misunderstanding of difference and contemporary autism acceptance.
Poetry and experimental forms are also becoming important mediums by which neurodivergent experiences are expressed. The fragmented structures in Ocean Vuong’s “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” mirror non-linear thinking patterns, while Ada Limón’s poetry often touches on experiences of anxiety and difference.
Conclusion:
Literature has the power to transport one into another person’s mind. Neurodivergent literature helps readers to experience processing systems that are different from normal brains.
As both writers and readers, we can advocate for authentic representation by supporting neurodivergent authors, approaching stereotypical portrayals critically, and celebrating works that capture the complexity of neurodivergent experiences. This helps create a world where cognitive diversity is recognized not as deviation but as an essential expression of humanity’s remarkable variation.
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