In "On Being a Cripple," Nacy Mairs uses humor and a blunt self-depreciation to approach her handicap. By using the word "cripple," Mairs claims that she empowers herself. While I certainly respect Nancy Mairs's right to define herself as she chooses, I think that the use of the word "cripple" shocks and dismays. Other people could not apply this same term to Mairs; only she can use it. Therefore, the humor and light-hearted tone applied to her disability gain power when she is alone, but lose power in the presense of others.
Mairs begins her essay with a rather comic scene of herself in the ladies' room as she falls back onto the toilet seat in an "old beetle-on-the-back routine." Mairs immediately reveals her position, showing the reader that she has the ability to laugh at herself, especially when alone. Had another person been there, she'd "have been still and faint and hot with chagrin," suggesting that shame accompanies the eyes of others. It is a case where laughter empowers in solitude rather than in a group.
Humor can also come from name-calling, although it is a rather cruel or cynical laughter. Mairs claims that naming is an issue of semantics. "I am a cripple" she declares proudly. She wants other people to "wince" so that they see her as "a tough customer." Claiming that calling herself a cripple allows her to seem strong and brave, Mairs says that using the word allows her to "swagger." She does not want pity; she wants awe. She certainly calls attention to herself through this word, shocking the reader.
Mairs can call herself a cripple, partly to laugh at herself, but also as an act of self disdain. She says, "Because I hate being crippled, I sometimes hate myself for being a cripple;" she expects occational self-loathing. However, Mairs also sees this self-hatred as part of every woman's experience as she looks through magazines and tries to measure herself to perfection. I wonder. Is she bitter that she cannot be cured? Is calling herself a cripple a stab at her disease as well as an affirmation?
In addition to claiming the title of "cripple," Mairs successfully shows the reader that other terms do not apply to her. She is not disabled because, in fact, she has many abilities. She also doesn't like the word handicapped because she feels that word gives the power to someone else, perhaps to God, but Mairs wants to feel in control of some parts of her life since she cannot control her disease.
Mairs tells the reader, "call me 'disabled' or 'handicapped' if you like" because she feels that society is "no readier to accept crippledness than to accept death, war, sex, sweat, or wrinkles." This line adds more humor to the essay by moving from the very serious topics of death and war to the trivial one of wrinkles. Interestingly, it seems that Mairs feels discussion about the body itself, its needs, processes, and aging, as well as its imperfections, make other people uncomfortable. The body is funny. As her disease combines many of these elements (death, war, decay, fumbles), Mairs feels that her situation is both comic and tragic. However, Mairs admits that she would call only herself cripple, that calling someone else cripple would be wrong. I ask, why call yourself something that you would never call anyone else? It must not be that funny.
I agree that Mairs empowers herself with her language. In a way, she also empowers her readers in the paragraphs that follow, describing her personal experience with MS, multiple sclerosis. She educates and informs others so that her audience can understand her physical limitations and her personal history, including her strengths and abilities. Information leads to understanding, and resoect follows shortly thereafter. In the end, Mairs doesn't want pity, although she accepts help. Overall, she wants her family and friends to "treat [her] as an ordinary human being for whom they have some use," and she hates people who "fake" kindness.
The essay is not about the word cripple. It is about Mair's personal experiences, pains, and triumphs. It is about her fears. It is about how realizing both one's strengths and one's weaknesses can create personal power. I admire Mairs's eloquence and her ability to laugh at herself, something sorely lacking in many people. However, then I think, did she call herself a cripple to make her audience read the article? Would "On Being Disabled" or "Living with MS" have been so attention-catching? By evoking shock and anger before shifting focus, was Mairs simply employing a literary technique? Mairs calls herself a cripple as an act of defiance, but in this context the word can give only her--the "cripple," the writer-- power. But perhaps that is what she intended in writing the essay all along.
8 comments:
Well I think we need to reply to this for homework or something...so here it is. Your blog is well written as well as evenly sided. You have many small typos, but that does not take away from the topic. I think in some cases, the vocabulary we use to classify "cripples" is more demeaning than the word cripple. As with the author, I believe that words such as disabled are to broad to be used nicely in all cases. There are many people who I know who are "disabled", but aren't "not able" as the term suggests.
D.L--I think I fixed the typos. Let me know. You are certainly correct about the terms being inadequate. Only the specific disease or perhaps the specific name of the person would give a clear picture. I am interested in what you meant by the vocabulary used to classify "cripples" as being demeaning. Or would that be too horrible to put on the post?
Hey! Your blog was very interesting. I also found it strange that Nancy could use the word "cripple" to describe herself, but wouldn't call someone else the same thing. The word was definitely used for shock. I think she's just very confused and trying to cope with her disease by writing. I almost got the feeling that she held herself above everone else that is disabled simply because she uses another word to describe her condition. Like you said she wanted to feel in control and in power, by shocking others by her blunt words she succeeded.
Personally, i think its great that Nancy can have a sense of humor about her disease. There's no point of living in misery, she just has to accept it and live her life in the most normal way she can, just with some limitations. Also, i don't think that the essay would be as attention grabbing if "cripple" wasn't included in the title because
it's a controversial topic. Why not be straight up blunt about it, rather than try to make it sound more professional with words like "handicapped" and "disabled"? Granted, i don't think I'd feel right about calling someone else crippled because they might take it the wrong way, but if I was directing it at myself that's different.
She most likely refers to herself as "cripple" to show that she is not afraid to admit the fact that she is disabled. She accepts that she is handicapped but she doesnt let it stop her from doing anything. She knowingly puts the word cripple into play because she knows it will provoke the emotions in people to see her side of the story, but at the same time keep a sense of humor and lightheartedness in the essay. I feel you can make a very strong case on either side of the situation but neither is right or wrong.I enjoyed reading you blog and cant wait to see what everyone has to say next week.
Kayla--very interesting to say that she might feel superior. There is that other section where she describes fates "worse than death." The situations are all about people who hide in their disease, never leave the house, in short, do not "live" with their disease. While I agree with her that she is probably happier by being more active and involved, I can see what you are saying. Are there any words that show a condensending tone?
I agree with everyone on the fact that she used the word "cripple" to be an eye-grabbing piece in her title. Do I think she's any better than anyone else who might be "crippled"? No. Personally, I think she's being rather arrogant by doing so. Call me crazy, but I interpret it almost as, "I'm better than you, because I can be blunt and accept my problems." Everyone has problems, some worse than others, of course, whether it be emotional problems, disabilities, family problems, or even problems with schoolwork - but we all deal with these in one way or another. Everyone copes with the problems he or she has, and her dealing with her disease makes her no better than the rest of us. Perhaps I'm just being cynical, but that's my take on the matter.
Hi! I thought your blog was very interesting. However, I find the word "cripple" offending. I would never call someone a cripple to their face or even describing someone. I think that if you are disabled that you do have the right to call yourself whatever you want.
I also liked how Nancy Mairs had a sense of humor with her disease. Some people don't. I know people who are real grumpy and do not like to talk about their disability or illness.
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