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CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

The representation of disability in literature and the writings of disabled people are

rarely discussed or researched in academics. However, in the recent times, there is an

increased awareness about the writings and representation of disability in literature. To define

the term disability is a difficult task because, disabilities are of different kinds and the

challenges faced by the disabled people are varied. However, the commonly accepted

definition for disability is “any continuing condition that restricts a person’s movements,

senses, or activities. It is attributable to an intellectual, psychiatric, cognitive, neurological,

sensory or physical impairment or a combination of those impairments which is permanent or

likely to be permanent and results in substantially reduced capacity of the person for

communication, social interaction, learning or mobility and a need for continuing support

services”. The Americans With Disabilities Act (1990) defines disability as being "a physical

or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such

individual" (PL 101-336, 104 Stat.)

In India, on the basis of 2011 national economic survey, suggests that the disabled can

be classified into two ways from the medical perspective and the social perspective. While

medical perspective describes and analyses their level of disability and the possibility of the

support systems, the social perspective discusses the experiences that are underwent by the

disabled persons. Persons with disabilities becomes double oppression when it came into the

social perspective. The social perspective is the outcome of the peer group of the disabled

person. the definition of Oliver who defines “the disadvantages or restriction of activity

caused by a contemporary social organization, which takes no or little account of people who
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have. impairment and thus excludes them from the mainstream of social activities” [Singh,

Pooja]

The definition for disability varies over time and from culture to culture The

combination of the medical model and social model ensures the understanding of the term

disability. The medical model and the social model are often presented as dichotomous, but

disability should be viewed neither as purely medical nor as purely social: persons with

disabilities can often experience problems arising from their health condition. With reference

to medical model, each and every person becomes impaired while one become older. The

medical model defines the physical abnormality and psychological abnormality of the

particular person. The medical perspective only helps to certify and diagnose to cure the

particular person and his level of disability. The medical analysis focuses only on the

individual. On the other hand, the social perspective portrays the state of the disabled

individual from the other individual in the society. The social aspect reinsures the disabled

life and make rehabilitation within the mainstream society. The rehabilitation is not only for

the upliftment of the differently abled persons but also to promote equity in the society.

The construction of disability has changed in the last few decades which has been

seen as a human rights issue, with an emphasis on the need for accessibility and inclusion.

These changes began in the West and then immediately have also impacted on rest of the

world. According to Oliver (e.g. 1983, 1990, 1996a, 2000), the old theories on Disability

Studies in the 1970s and 1980s attempted to explain disability through the dominant

relationship between illness, impairments and disablement. The classical definition for the

disability is also explaining disabilities “Problem” and that problem is the definition of the

situation of disability. Some of the researches were also acknowledge and arrive with the

new definitions. The great contributor for the disability study is Lennard Davis. In his book

The Disability Reader (1997b: 1) he claims that “This Reader” is one of the first devoted to
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disability studies. But it will not be the last. Disability studies is a field of study whose time

has come ... People with disabilities have been isolated, incarcerated, observed, written about,

operated on, instructed, implanted, regulated, treated, institutionalized, and controlled to a

degree probably unequal to that experienced by any other minority group. As fifteen percent

of the population, people with disabilities make up the largest physical minority within the

United States — One would never know this to be the case by looking at the literature on

minorities and discrimination.

Now a days, the term differently abled is used alternatively for the term disability. To

understand this point everyone should understand the primary difference among the terms

impaired, disable and differently abled. The most of the definitions within Disability Studies

has borrowed vocabulary from its history, and the descriptions reflected in medicine,

psychology, sociology and anthropology. The meaning for these terms were developed and

suggested by the World Health Organisation. with reference to the definition, The

Impairment is defined in the context of health experience, which defines any loss or

abnormality of psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or function. a disability is

any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the

manner or within the range considered normal for a human being. It is otherwise explained

as disability is considered to be an effect on bodily functions arising from an impairment. A

handicap is a disadvantage for a given individual, resulting from an impairment or a

disability, that limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal (depending on age,

sex, social and cultural factors) for that individual.

Duke Franklin also distinguishes the term disability and impaired. Impaired is the lack

in ability in physical and mental but disability means the state of inability to give

accommodation and adaptation to those Impaired persons. Differently abled is only the

euphemistic alternation for the term disability. According to Duke Franklin, Another concept
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deals with three different models of disability. Those are charity and genetical model, socio-

political model and cultural model. It is classified by the behaviouristic perspective.

Disability is the outcome of practices that seek to exclude individuals who might be seen to

deviate from the socially constructed norms of the 'able bodied' but with reference to

Disability Discrimination Act (1995), a person has any form of disability if he has a physical

or mental impairment which has a substantial long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry

out normal day to day activities.

A physical impairment is permanent and substantially limits physical ability or motor

skills such as the physical capacity to move, coordinate actions, or perform physical activities

is. Physical impairments can also be progressive or chronic. It can be related to a problem to

the performing system like neuromuscular system, and joints. It often includes impairments

of the neuromusculoskeletal systems, cerebral palsy, absence or deformities of limbs.

Visual impairment is a decreased ability to see. It leads to loss of visual acuity, loss of

visual field, visual distortion, or visual perception difficulties. The definition of ‘legally

blindness’ varies from country to country. The assistance for visual challenged persons

depends on the degree of sight loss and when the loss occurred. There are four levels of

visual impairments Mild visual impairment: Acuity equal to or better than 20/70, Moderate

visual impairment: Acuity worse than 20/70 or equal to 20/200, Severe visual impairment:

Acuity worse than 20/400 or equal to 20/1200, Blindness: Acuity worse than 20/1200. A

person who is visually impaired may use guide dogs, magnifying glasses, or enlarged print

for their assistance. Now a days the app like “be my eyes” is used as remote assistance. The

World Health Organization estimates in the survey that as of 2012 there were 285 million

people who were visually impaired in the world, of which 246 million had low vision and 39

million were blind. Visual impairment can be divided into 2 categories such as Blind &

Partial Blindness. (Explain both of them briefly)

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Hearing impaired individuals have difficulties perceiving sound frequencies. And

Mild hearing loss is not considering as a hearing disability. Hearing loss can be mild,

moderate, severe, or profound. It can affect one ear or both ears, and leads to difficulty in

hearing conversation. They usually get assistance and communicate through spoken language

and can benefit from hearing aids, captioning, and assistive listening devices.

Children with sensory disabilities such as blindness or deafness may rely on their

parents for communication needs, and those with intellectual disabilities may need

their parents to explain unfamiliar events when they occur. Yet trauma can have a

deleterious impact on mothers and fathers and may limit their capacity to parent their

children effectively (Apple- yard & Osofsky, 2003)

Intellectual disabilities, is otherwise called as cognitive disabilities and mental

retardation. It Applies to conditions appearing in the developmental period age by birth to

eighteen years. This disability is the deficits in intellectual functions of reasoning, problem-

solving, planning, abstract thinking, judgement, academic learning, and experiential learning.

It is relation to the limitation of one or more daily life activities, such as social participation,

communication, independent living in several life contexts. An intellectual functioning and

the adaptive functioning are estimated by scales assessing social adaptation in a given

environment. And the diagnosis will also depend on the overall assessment of intellectual

functioning by a skilled diagnostician. This measurement is the actual difference between

our mental age and chronological age. This measurement helps to classify the various levels

of disability as follows, Mild - Approximate IQ range of 55 to 70 (mental age from 8 to under

11 years). During adulthood, persons with mild intellectual impairment show social and

occupational abilities that allow them to live autonomously, although they may need some

degree of support. Moderate - Approximate IQ range of 40 to 55 (mental age from 4 to under

7 years). Likely to result in marked developmental delays in childhood, but most persons can
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learn to develop some degree of independence in self-care and acquire adequate

communication and academic skills. Severe - Approximate IQ range of 25 to 40 (mental age

from 18 months to under 4 years). Likely to result in continuous need of support. - Profound -

IQ under 25 (mental age below 18 months). Likely to result in severe limitation in self-care,

continence, communication, and mobility. It Includes, Down syndrome and similar kind of

mental problems. There are many kinds of mental illnesses from mild retardation to serious

psychiatric problems. Psychiatric disability like schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, are

considered one big reason for increasing factor for suicides.

The term ‘invisible’ disability refers to disabilities that are less visible than other

physical, sensory, or mobility impairments, and that are prevalent but commonly under

recognized. This category encompasses a heterogeneous group of major and minor

neurodevelopmental disorders, attention deficit disorders, developmental coordination

disorders, and specific learning disorders. Disabled individuals who suffer from invisible

disabilities experience internal symptoms, such as cognitive dysfunctions, and learning

difficulties. This kind of disabled individuals may have mild or severe limitations that inhibit

their interaction with other people and their environment for example: dyslexia, and

dyscalculia.

With reference to linguistics, Language disorder is the difficulties in the acquisition

and use of spoken, written, or sign language which deficits in comprehension or production

include a reduced vocabulary, limited sentence structure, and impairments in discourse. The

disorder emerged in early age and is not due to hearing, sensory, motor, or other neurological

impairments. The dyscalculia, and dyslexia are some of the example for these disabilities.

Goffman’s Stigma (1963:4) makes disability a sociological topic in that he speaks of

stigma as a “special kind of relationship between attribute and stereotype in creating

disparities within the society.” This Stigma is classified into three bases abominations of the
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body such as various physical deformities, blemishes of character such as weak will,

domineering or unnatural beliefs, values and attitudes, and tribal stigma or such as race,

nation and religion.” For example, stigma can be attached to visible and non-visible

disabilities, physical abnormalities, unusual body shape or marks, interactional quirks, mental

illness, and depending on the context, aspects of gender, sexuality, race, and class. For

example, Freud also argues and associates blindness with castration and anxiety.

With reference to social perspective, disability is not a matter of certain individuals

being unable to meet the demands of society, but of the failure of society. Oliver (1990),

Fagan and Lee (1997) and Fagan and Reynolds argued that the shift towards self-organization

and the taking of control by disabled people themselves in the organisations are the real shift

in the Disable studies such as the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation centre.

According to the world health organisation (2005), roughly 600 million

people—10% of the global population—have some type of disability.

Disability is highly correlated with poverty, and as many as 80% of all

individuals with disabilities live in developing countries. The U.S.

Census Bureau estimates the prevalence of disability in children between

the ages of 6 and 15 to be nearly 13% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005). The

proportion of children with disabilities in developing countries is likely

significantly higher, and it is estimated that over 200 million children

worldwide have some type of disability (United Nations International

Children's Emergency Fund, 2007)

Union of physical impaired against segregation plays a vital role in changing attitude

of the common people on the physically impaired. It was run by the disabled persons for the

disabled persons in United Kingdom. This union came with the radical thesis on social

model of disability. It changes the meaning of impaired of individual from the medical
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perspective to social perspective. It dealt with social pathology’s of faced by the disabled

person initially in United Kingdom then it was spread all over the world. Mic Oliver was the

pioneer professor of disability studies who wrote the politics of disabled persons.

Globally, 1981 was celebrated United Nations International Year of Disabled Persons

(IYDP), which focused global attention on disability issues for the first time. Following this,

World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons (1983-1992), which began the

process of transforming the disability issue from one of social welfare to the social

development process. Then to focus Asia and the Pacific region, the second Asian and

Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (2003-2012)—Biwako Millennium Framework for

Action: Towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with

Disabilities. Recently the United Nations released the Convention of the Rights of Persons

with Disabilities (UN 2008). This is the influential international proclamation and it was

signed by Over 150 countries like India, which have a significant influence in bringing

disability into national debates.

In India the empowerment of the differently abled persons is legally administered by

the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Under these ministries, the Department of

Disability Affairs), and the Ministry of Human Resource Development functions specially

for the differently abled. With India’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the

Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN 2006), was the main reason to make so much recent

amendments. This revised Disability Rights bill broadens the definition of ‘‘disability’’ from

purely medically drawn boundaries to the disability’s impact on activities of daily life. , the

Persons with Disabilities Act: Equal Opportunity, Protection of Right and Full Participation

(MLJ1996) was the first act to recognize and make provisions for seven different disabilities.

It highlighted the need to adopt a dual approach to educating children with disabilities,

advocating both for mainstreaming and for specialist provision where needed. Lot of acts
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and amendments has been made to bring upliftment for example India’s 2009 Right to

Education (RTE) Act recognize education as a fundamental right, WHICH states that

education for children in the age 6-14 groups, including those who have dropped out or face

issues in admission due to migration, caste, disability, etc., should be free and compulsory.

All children with disabilities within the act have been included under the blanket term

“disadvantaged group’’.

When the researchers focus on the disability studies, the emergence of disability

studies began from sociology and became as separate subject in the mid-nineties of twentieth

century. The history also traces the historical evidences related to disability issues and also

refers lot of rights and manuals to overcome Differently abled persons from isolation to

equity in the society. Normalcy ability stigma embodiments and culture are considered as the

key ideology’s in the disable studies. Lenard Davis said that disabled people are not

excluded by their physical difference but the society is trying to juxtaposing them with the

normal people. The able body only creates the difference between normal people as able

body and other as disabled body. In the late 1990s the development of the globalisation

concentrates on the product and productivity. It leads to judge the potentiality of humans

thus mentality differentiates the human as who is an abled person and who is not. Linda

defines invisible disability where she emphasizes the word disability. She also explains the

meaning of the word disabled with reference to various disciplines like psychology where it

means abnormal. She differentiates the visible and invisible disability in society.

Goffman’s research reveals that the role of stigma in the society and how it creates the

deviations with in the mainstream society. where he also includes deformative studies as the

part of Disability studies. The research also emphasizes the disability can be defined between

the attributes and stereotypes which creates the stigma to them. Mostly the attributes are
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considered as the problematic attributes and the pessimistic primordial mindset in the society.

He published this book Stigma notes on the spoiled identity in 1963. In that book he

classified the stigma in to three. Embodiment cares on the philosophical mentality of the

disabled person and their practical experience. It proposes the different culture among the

different types of disable person.

The primordial mindset of the people determined the place of the disabled person in

the society and it also provides some examples from Greek parables. It also explains the

understanding of disabled liberty is changing now and then. The disability and the Differently

abled person are always compared with weakness or seen as the product of sin. So the

disabled person is always not shown as the ordinary person. They are only the product of

blessing or curse; for example, the disability and deformative literature in the Victorian age.

It helps to find the literary representation of disability in Victorian novels. The particular

lecture talks about nine exceptional novels which deal with nine different disabled characters

in the novels such as Treasure Island. It displays the nature of using disabled persons as the

characters as the symbol of pirates. The religions also propose the same notions such as in

The Bible. The healing miracles played a central role in the ministry of Jesus and the dignity

of the disabled and their status is directly challenged by the Bible’s continuous portrayal of

them as objects of divine action for example, the miracle in Mark 8:28 is one of the great

lessons that Jesus taught about faith. Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" it indicates that

Jesus was intentionally making a point. The man said, "I see people; they look like trees

walking around." Then Jesus put his hands on Him again and the man's sight was completely

restored. “I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.”(Job 29:15) is the words of God. It

conveys that the blind is filled by the blessing of god.

With reference to mythology which looks at disability as a punishment. In the stories

of Phineas and Tiresias it was the sin of affairs of the gods on the other hand, The English
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literature also goes with the stereotype. For example, the disability is a symbol for ignorance,

as in William Shakespeare’s King Lear, where Gloucester is so completely helpless and face

so much of troubles. In another way, Life representation of blind in The Bible is a fool. Isaac,

in the Old Testament, is fooled by his own son Jacob for his wealth.

Kenneth Jernigan argues these concepts by referring with the various representations

of the visually challenged persons in the literary works. He was the leader of the National

Federation of the Blind, delivered a speech at NFB convention 1975 where he mentions that

the blind in literature are portrayed as: blindness as compensatory or miraculous power,

blindness as total tragedy, blindness as foolishness and helplessness, blindness as unrelieved

wickedness and evil, blindness as perfect virtue, blindness as punishment for sin, blindness as

abnormality or dehumanization, blindness as purification, and blindness as symbol or parable.

The literature is also morally tuned to the perception of the mainstream society. These ideas

create the negative impressions and sympathetic expression in the peer group. Michael E

Monbeck also examines the clichés concerning the blind and he is dividing blind characters

into fifteen categories: Deserving of pity and sympathy, Miserable, in a world of darkness,

Helpless, Fools, Useless, Beggars, Able to function, compensated for their lack of sight,

being punished for some past sin, to be feared, avoided, and rejected, Maladjusted, Immoral

and evil, Better than sighted people (idealized) and Mysterious. This classification supports

the other disabled persons portrayal in in the literary works.

Being not recognised, was also played the vital role in discriminating disable

literature but the some of the recognitions stand for achieving the scope of the disability

studies; for example, Since 1922 the NEWBERI medal has been honoured to the best books

in children's literature by American library association. As of their report in 2009 states that

the 1990 Education Act plays a vital role for creating awareness regarding disable person. By

the effect of this act, the students in America were encouraged to read and publish the
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children’s literature in favour of disabled person. These books were evaluated using the

Rating Scale for Quality Characterizations of Individuals with Disabilities in Children’s

Literature. Of the 131 Newbery books awarded between 1975-2009, 6% of the books that

contain main or supporting characters with disabilities. It also helps to eradicating the social

gap among the children in America.

John Milton’s greatest writing including Paradise Lost was done only after his

blindness. As the blind, He says in his work Samson Agonists about the blind as the total

disaster. In another writer, Nancy Mairs talks about her struggle with multiple sclerosis and

the unwillingness of the Society to accept cripple. She talks of how supportive and kind her

family is and how she is capable of performing strenuous tasks without any help. She

confesses by saying that she is not sorry she is a cripple anymore. “Autobiography of a

Face” is a memoir by Lucy Grealy in which she narrates her life before and after being

diagnosed with a Terminal Cancer. Her face was severely disfigured as a result of treatment

to save her from cancer at age nine. Her memoir describes her great struggle and pain while

living in a society obsessed with physical beauty. Helen Keller was ideal example for

differently abled person who share her life experience in her autobiography “the mystery of

my life”. The small episode from the book was in the syllabus of the sixth standard for

enabling the differently abled person to the mainstream educational system.

By following these kinds of works, few poems from the poetry collection “Listen to

the Silence” is the poems about life with a physical disability by Sarah Ismail, have been

taken for analysis for this research. She mostly used sarcastic tone and literary devices such

as symbol and imagery to portray her internal emotions. Though this collection is about a

person with physical disabilities, the overall theme can be related to all forms of disabilities.

This research aims to encounter how effectively this poetry collection unveil the real state of

the contemporary disabled persons or the so called differently abled person. The data from
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journals, research articles, and lectures are used to prove the argument which is going to

record from the following chapters.

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CHAPTER TWO

DEFINING DISABILITY: SARAH ISMAIL’S NOTIONS AND PERCEPTIONS

This chapter aims to display the varies views and definitions about the disability and

how it differs from the perspective of everyone. I have selected few poems to justify the same

with reference to the poetry of Sarah Ismail. Dunsdon (32) and Wolfe (99) made intensive

studies of cerebral palsied groups, and assessed the emotional stability, intellectual character-

istics, and educational potentialities of their subjects. These two studies represent a major

contribution to the understanding of the needs of this disability group. Bice (5) and Bice and

Holden (8) reported on parental counselling technics: group guidance afforded parents an

opportunity to gain insight into their relations with their cerebral palsied children.

Sarah Ismail is the British born writer, poet and journalist who is specialised in

disability issues. She has written so many poems. Most of her poems are based on real life

experiences of real disabled people. She suffers from cerebral palsy and shares her

experiences of differently abled persons throughout her poetry collections.

“Listen to the Silence” is the poem about life with a physical disability, is the first poetry

collection which is considered as her masterpiece. Sarah Ismail has also written few books

like” Daddy's Girl” published in 2008 and poetry from lockdown London has been published

recently in 2020.

She strongly feels that the disability history should be included in school curriculum.

She feels that teaching children, on how disabled people were treated in the past could reduce

discrimination on disabled. To full fill her wish, she launched a campaign called “Old Is

Gold “to get disability links taught in history lessons in schools. She also frequently posts

her views in her blog http://samedifference1.com. She mentions continuously these in her

blog.
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“Just as lessons about the Holocaust were aimed at reducing religious discrimination,

just as lessons about slavery were aimed at reducing racial discrimination, I believe

that teaching children how disabled people were treated in important periods of

history, or that historical figures were disabled, might just reduce disability

discrimination, or maybe even disability hate crimes, in the future.”

The poetry collection “Listen to the Silence” is the poems about life with a physical

disability was the college project of the Sarah Ismail and later she published it as separate

book. It was originally published in kindle in 2012. This poetry collection has fifty poems.

The first half of the poetry collection expresses her own memoir and her perspective on

disability. The second half of this collection is dedicated to display all forms of disabilities.

The poetry collection is not only for the person with disabled persons but also to the

mainstream peer public.

The title of this poetry collection “Listen to the Silence” is paradoxical in nature. The

unsounded words of the differently abled persons are attempted to create the valuable effect

with the readers, (most of the poems are in the first-person narrative.) Though this poetry

collection is the semi-autobiographical, Sarah Ismail will be the omniscient person

throughout this collection. She also uses simple symbols, and imagery to reach whole group

audience. It enables the poet to address daring questions directly to the readers or her peer

group. By reading her poems, people will realise the emotional gap among the peer group of

disabled persons and abled persons.

What Is Disability? Haiku

Sarah Ismail defines the disability not in the euphemistic perspective but she accepts

the term disability with divergent nuances. She wanted to highlight the importance of the

term disability to the reader so she dedicated few poems to define the terms disability and

normalcy. These poems help the readers to connect easily with the rest of the poems.
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Disability is just the ability

NOT to do something.

In this poetry collection. She considers the disability is the other form of ability for

not doing the things. The word "just" further emphasise that she gives least care to the

disability with the person. She says that inability of not doing something should not

totally differentiate the disabled persons from the mainstream society. Some of the other

disability studies writers like Davis supports this definition as the differently abled but Sarah

Ismail refuses that the word differently abled itself imitate and increase the mindset of

otherness. This mindset leads to diversification among the peer group so Sarah Ismail goes

with the word “Disability”.

Normal

After defining the term "disabled", she clarifies the meaning of the term “Normal".

She mentions that this term is purely ambiguous. It can be limited by the expectations of the

persons. At the end of the poem, she shouts that she never long for normalcy. To justify her

emotional side to the readers, she jots down various kinds of normalcy of different

situations. This poem not only reveals the ambiguous nature of the normal, but also

explains the differentiation among the differently abled persons. This poem also focuses on

the most unnoticed disability such as the disability of smell and disability of touch. This

poem has fifteen stanzas with two lines. The second stanza make mocking comment on the

meaning for the word normal and these lines observes the universal stereotype among boys

and girls. By referring this she explains that the girls must like pink and boys must like blue

so everyone should understand there is no normalcy for all because everyone cannot love

the same colour that is only the effect of common belief. These kinds of common belief only

create minorities or disparities in the ethnic group.

Normal, to you, is the place where it’s true

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Those girls wear pink and boys wear blue (Ismail)

The reference taken from the Tamil movie “kutrame thandanai”. The person who has

a tunnel vision problem, reply to the doctor’s question " I thought that everyone sees like me

and I did not realise my eye sight is in issue.". This scene replicates the Sarah Ismail's idea of

normalcy which is based on individual. The sight of this ink, washing dishes, the sound of a

song, and singing along are varies normalcy’s mentions in this poem, portrays the wish of

visually challenged physically challenged, speech and earring impaired. If the society

considers them as the abnormal person, their want of normality is different from one another.

In this poem she questions the mainstream persons who sees the differently abled

person as the objects and mentions those who consider visiting and rearing differently abled

persons would be the normal. Then she distinguished the situations between beating the

drum and hugging the mother. This representation symbolises how the longings of man

without hand looks to very normal to the man with two hands.

Then she distinguishes the wish of the so-called normal persons such as how some

person gets fulfilment from their beautiful face or some loves to seek peace from the silent

place. According to Sarah Ismail there is no possibility for normalcy even within the normal

people. At the end of the poem the poet puts her own wish as

“Normal, to some, is life in a chair

Normal, to some, is "Who’s going to care?”

Normal is a place where I have no wish to go!” (Ismail)

The (Disabled) Twelve Days of Christmas

The poem “The (Disabled) Twelve Days of Christmas” introduces all forms of

disability and their aides to the readers. She indirectly chides the concept of charity for

publicity. By the voice of all differently abled persons, she raises her voice against god for

creating them as disabled bodies. This poem is setting in the celebration of Christmas day
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and their charity work in today’s world. The poem has fourteen lines with twelve pairs which

are talking about twelve days of Christmas. The poet is more conscious of the rhythmic

ending of each line like tree, see, tree, and me.

The first few lines talk about the gifts or offerings like Braille Christmas card for

visually challenged person, hearing aids for earring impaired person, the British Sign

Language Dictionary for speech impaired person, and standing frames for physically

challenged person. Those offerings were used to symbolise the traditional way of offerings

to satisfy differently abled persons and their scope and ambitions were constrained with in

some criteria’s. The reactions of extreme happiness with satisfaction quoted in those lines

portray the narrowed chances of differently abled person on those days.

On the fifth day of Christmas, I found under the tree,

Five copies of All about Me, on DVD, thank BBC! (Ismail)

Here the poet is not blaming the real volunteers who concern for the welfare of the

differently abled persons but she only busts out on the fake volunteers and the mass media

which broadcast these offerings very often it is one of the factors in redesigning the level of

differently abled persons like in old days. This publication was one of the reasons which

affects psychologically the differently abled person and made them all to feel too inferior.

other normal people also began to believe differently abled persons as the very abnormal

persons.

The following lines focus on the recent trends in these offerings and how it gets

changes over the time. It mentions like chairs on wheels and pairs of shoes with Velcro for

physically challenged persons, audio books for visually challenged persons, and voice boxes

for speech impaired. It indicates the recent advancement in aids and it also implies the

increased self-confident of the differently abled persons. In a particular line the differently

abled person dares the mainstream public and says “you can’t stop me” AND “YOU WILL
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SEE” which displays the narrowing social gap between differently abled and mainstream

society. Wheel chairs with dolls named Becky, an audio books telling the tale, of a wizard

called Harry, and Ten Bocce balls are denoting how many the extensive tasks of the

differently abled persons, are progressed. The mentioning of Paralympics and comparing

wheel chairs with race cars are the example of the empowerment of social equity. The

ending of the poem strongly inscribes the offerings and charities may help to promote

development of the differently abled persons but it will be the most effective tool in

promoting disability or disparity in front of the world.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, I found under the tree,

Twelve copies of Disability Now, large print, of course, easy to see (Ismail)

Payback

This poem is also the voice of the physically challenged person who dare

against the creator or god or nature. The pay back means that the promise or wish given by

the God. It is also used as the refrain throughout the poem. The first stanza is talking

about the labor pain during the delivering a baby and it also mentioning the pain is worse

than the disability. The blessing of the god is also unworthy.

Then the poem is also questioning the blessing? And what is the better life? The poet

insists that the fact of normalcy is not changing the disabled body as the abled body. The

normalcy is only possible if they also lead the comfortable life in the same environment or in

the same society.

All your payback can do is buy me a moving chair and a few hours

With someone who is paid to care.

Guess what? All they really do to me is staring

Or sit around telling the world that my life is so unfair. (Ismail)

 20

The poet chides the special attention as unworthy. It indirectly talks about some care

centers for the differently abled peoples. Even though the workers or the volunteers assist the

differently abled persons, their passive listening affects the special children. The poem also

traces painful mindset of the special parents. the ending of the poem is also showing the

dehumanizing disability as, “You tell me, what I am going to do with plants”.

She is

As the title suggests the poem is all about the physically challenged girl. The

objectifying disability is consumed in this poem. The voice of her family like her parents

or siblings expresses the side of understanding and is too different from the other’s view.

They are treated just like the issue mention in the case study record. It does not notice

emotional longing of them. As the other poem mentions, the physically challenged long for

the high heels but the doctors or other professionals trite them as

She is your statistic your percentage your number your target your aim your nine

o’clock you are just objective. To you. She is just an object. (Ismail)

In contrast to this expression, the other family member understands her emotion and

inaccessibility’s and treat her like as the other family member. For example, they do not

worry for her not to play the outdoor games but they know and respect her love on the

football. Here the poet wants the society also to adapt familial approach on the differently

abled persons. The aunty giving her the pot mentions how much the differently abled persons

were nurtured in familial situations. Sometimes it leads over to over protection.

In a study of adolescents with physical disabilities, Blum, Resnick, Nelson, and St.

Germaine (1991) found that the adolescents “almost without exception” (p. 280) described

their relationships with their parents as good and positive. However, many of the adolescents

in the study reported that they felt that their parents did not treat them in an age-appropriate
 21

manner, and about one-quarter perceived that their parents were overprotective in ways that

the adolescents found objectionable.

I’m Still a Person

The title of the poem incorporates the notion of special attention which makes the

differently abled to feel uncomfortable. The title “I am still a person” chide the materialistic

perspective in the disability and disability studies. This further supports the term differently

abled.

As Sarah Ismail define disability, it again stresses the disable person as the person

who has done something in another way. The capacity or capability is not by the disabled

body. The poet examines the physically challenged can walk with the assistance of the

walking frame. The normal should see human in the differently abled person.

I’m not just the girl with the walking frame

I’m a person like you and I do have a name. (Ismail)

Then following stanza explicates the relationship between the differently abled

and their aids. when other see the dog as only guide god but the visually challenged always

has emotional bonding likely more than a friend. Then the persona makes the sarcastic

comment on the sunbathing scene.

This remark is similar with the poem “the blind boy” which has similar lines to

project same ideology. Mostly these poems convey that the doing differently as the special

ability of them. But sadly, the special ability is only to grasp the special attentions. The

poem ultimately conveys how their independent mobility has been treated by other or just

like the animal or alien.

Please don’t think I like my seat on four wheels I’d love your car, and I long for high

heels I can’t hold a pen, but how I wish I could by me your every move’s understood
 22

People have long recognized the blind as one of the most conspicuous groups of

disabled people in society. Because the eyes communicate much human expression, some

feel extremely disturbed when they confront blind people. A blind person’s gaze does not

transmit the same psychological or emotional cues as that of a sighted person. Facial

expressions provide less information to others. Various behavioural mannerisms and other

visible clues increase the social conspicuousness of the blind, including odd postures, rocking

of the head or tilting it at odd angles, and touching objects in a groping manner, as well as

distinctive paraphernalia, such as thick glasses, white canes, and guide dogs. (Clinard and

Meier, 1998:488)

I am a wheel chair

This poem is personifying the wheel chair of the physically challenged and it aimed to

show the interdependency of the physically challenged and their aids. The theory of post

human perspective tries to differentiate the advancement in using aids but no one realized that

the differently abled persons will be a tutor of their aids. But in reality, the disability has

received more attention than the disabled person so the poet gives human status to the aid

which speaks for their possessor.

The first stanza of the poem also gives the name to that particular wheel chair as

Becky. The naming the wheel chair does not mean to give an autonomy to that. It is just the

subordinate name of its owner which symbolize that the aids are only accessed by the

differently abled person so that all the focus should be on the differently abled person, not on

their wheel chair or guide dogs.

For example, the people say that due to the advancement of technology it is easily

accessible by the differently abled persons, but developing the capability of the differently

abled persons get secondary attention. The poet wants to see the differently abled person to
 23

get their status from the eyes of mainstream people. The Malayalam story also focuses this

issue in which the strange person sees the visually challenged person with astonishment.

Santhosh Kumar is a Malayalam writer who wrote His story Moonu Andhanmar

Anaye Vivarikkunnu (Three Blind Men Describe an Elephant). The story is not only about

three visually challenged persons but also it is the story of the clash between preconceived

ideas and the reality. The story also attempts to explain mentality of the person, who sees the

action of the differently abled person for the first time. The narrator also questions the

autonomy of the differently abled persons. The story ends with the dialogue as,

I did run into one or two of them at some nook or corner of the city on rare occasions,

but that was all. It would be more correct to say that I did not see anything special in

them other than their being blind. ....(Kumar)

The poem also visualizes the inner satisfaction of the every differently abled person.

The differently abled persons look their aids as the tool to make them as the abled body. As

mentioned in this poem, the physically challenged person gets fulfilment while entering the

street with the wheel chair. A person, who is standing on the tree, sees the wheel chair

parked alone in the garage.

This setting of the poem symbolizes the superiority mind set of some mainstream

public and the parked wheel chair resembles the famous saying “the snake gets importance

when it is with the lord Paramasivan”. The poem ultimately makes others to understand the

mobility of the differently abled person cannot hold by anything.

There’s one thing you don’t see I couldn’t move without her,

Any more than she could move without me. (Ismail)

Nothing but a Number

The social gap is the only determining factor to measure the empowerment of the

differently abled within particular society. it also justifies the developmental progress graph
 24

for mainstream society and differently abled person. the list shown in this poem emphasises

the quantitative factor behind these social stratifications. The poet hypothesizes the term

“normal” and she wants the word to describe from both perspectives. Then everyone will

realise that each and every one is normal.

Right from the first stanza she is listing the mindset of the point of view of

mainstream public. After classifying the physically challenged person, the poet clearly

defines concept of normality where she posts all the living being are considered to be

normal as ‘Normal’ is the number of people who can talk, those who breathe through their

own nose.

Then the poet focuses the so-called speech impaired who can share their views

through sign language, point and smile but the society consider only the person those who

share they’re in the mode of the spoken form. Here the poet wants to insist that the

successful communication had done by everyone then why the concept of mainstream and

otherness accurse. By following these, she makes the ridicule comment on the believers of

god and believers of worldly lords. Here the poet wanted to prove the diversified beliefs that

make disparity within the society by means of various reasons.

The following stanza the remarks the earring impaired and visually challenged to be

shown as abnormal. Then the poet evidences the concept of normalcy is primordial outcome

of mainstream society such as. ‘Normal’ is right, or so they tell me”. This expression

enables the reader to agree to this point. It can be understood clearly from the description of

physically challenged person. this phrase “what others call a strange land”. Express the

mentality of other to see the disabled body as other see the physically challenged person with

wheel chairs mention in this poem. "Watch with jealousy through small holes in big brick

walls." is symbolising the social gap in the society. At the end of the poem, the poet would

like to clarify the equity and equality in all. The physical difference of abled body and
 25

disabled body cannot decide the capability of the differently abled person thus should be

accepted by mainstream society

They’ve been told more are ‘normal’ than those who are not

That’s all that makes them think they have some things we haven’t got.

But this ‘normal’ is only a number, you see

I’m as ‘normal’ as you, and you’re as ‘normal’ as me! (Ismail)

By referring the above line Sarah Ismail suggests the inclusive educational system

for the differently abled person. The socialization happened only when the differently abled

person enters into the inclusive system.

 26

CHAPTER THREE

APT SCHOOL FOR DIFFERENTLY ABLED PERSON: WHETHER SPECIAL SCHOOL

OR INCLUSIVE SCHOOL

Most students with disabilities are willing to get education in general education

classrooms with their non-disabled peers. The study of various people with disabilities in

inclusive educational system has indicated the extent to which action and manner can impact

on the experience of disability that can be examined in this chapter.

The study done by Chataika (2010) revealed that the students with disabilities in

higher education continue to face not only attitudinal, physical and institutional barriers but

they also have the ability to develop coping mechanisms that help them reach their

educational goals. A positive attitude and self-advocacy skills were seen as the most

important factors in determining the success of students with disabilities in higher education.

Sarah Ismail “listen to the silence “is the semi-autobiographical poem of the poet. She

had completed her school in the integrated education. Though she had mixed experiences in

her school, she is against the special education. These poems also touched the other side of

the integrated education system. It differentiates the act in the legislation is not fully

accessible in the day today life. These poems acted as the tool to explicate her point to the

readers so she herself glorified her collection of poems as

“Poetry came to me easily, and at that time, seemed a faster and more fun way to

share my experiences with my non-disabled classmates and teachers than a long,

boring book. So I started writing what has now become my first collection of poetry.

Through fictional poems based on real life experiences of real disabled people, Listen

to the silence covers every challenge of life with a physical disability, from unpleasant

stares to unpleasant stairs”.

 27

The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 and the Programme of Action (1992)

gives the basic policy framework in reducing dropout rates, improving learning achievements

and expanding access to students who have not had an easy opportunity to be a part of the

general system. the enactment of Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities. Protections

of Rights and Full Participation) Act. 1995. Article 26 (a) makes it a statutory responsibility

on the part of Central. State and Local Governments to provide free education in an

"appropriate environment” for all children with disabilities up to the age of 18 years. Article

26(b) of the Act calls upon appropriate governments and local authorities compulsorily to

promote the integration of students with disabilities in normal schools.

The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has set time-

bound targets for the achievement of Universal Elementary Education (UEE) by 2010.

Another scheme like RMSA [2009] also deals with the secondary school of the differently

person with “zero rejection’. These Schemes has a provision for the inclusive education

component @ Rs.1200 per child with special needs per annum.

Under the programme, over 20 lakh children with disabilities have been identified and

over 15 lakh children with disabilities in the age group 6-14 years have been enrolled in

general schools. To make the successive inclusive setup in the main stream schools, The

National Curriculum Framework on School Education (NCF - 2005) recommends making the

curriculum flexible and appropriate to accommodate the diversity of school children

including those with disability in both cognitive and non-cognitive areas. This framework

suggests that Model schools are set up in every state to develop good replicable practices in

inclusive education.

Based on analysis of administrative data collected under the SSA, the World Bank

(2009) suggests that in India, primary enrolment of children with special needs

(CWSN) has considerably improved during the 2000s. By referring the 2012-2013
 28

DISE data highlights variations in school enrolment for children with different types

of impairments, wherein those with autism and cerebral palsy are least represented in

the school-going population. The WASH Report (UNICEF 2012), Studies show that

very few school buildings have ramps; and, in most cases, even these are broken or

the surface is too uneven for easy mobility in 2014.

State governments /IT Administrations/ Autonomous bodies/ other implementing

agencies will make provisions for relaxation of rules relating to admissions, minimum or

maximum age limit for admission, promotion, examination procedure so as to facilitate in

improving access of children with disabilities to education. At the Secondary level, young

persons with disabilities beyond 18 yrs. will be supported for a period up to 4 years to help

them complete secondary schooling. This can seriously be debated with efference to

following poems which shows the real picture of Sarah Ismail’s perspective on schools.

According to a 2011 Census, one in three differently abled persons in the age group of

5-19, are not school goers. It is enumerated that 2.3 lakh children with disabilities,

nearly 89,000 of them are estimated to be not at all getting education.

The case will be worsening for the people who are suffering from multiple

disabilities. In the rural areas the is zero percentage possibility for them to gain any

knowledge-oriented programs. S.Namburajan, secretary of Tamil Nadu Association

for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers, emphases the need

of producing special schools for the special children in rural areas.

“This scenario makes them dependent on others. By not attending school, different

avenues for an individual’s progress remains shut for them,” (Namburajan)

When we talk about the Indian education system for differently abled, Higher

education emerged to develop in India only after the mid-1980s and then only

educational institutions began to improve accessibility for disabled people in the

 29

educational institutes., Based on the NSSO, 2003 research, just 1.2% of the 3.6 lack

disabled youth are in the Universities and Colleges. India's higher educational system

is not accessible to 98.8% of differently abled persons. Now the recent amendments

and acts like Right to Education for all-2010 enables the various path for them. The

recent efforts by University Grants Commission in India are also become a shifting

motive towards the mainstreaming of persons with disabilities in higher education in

India.

Mostly The differently abled persons are getting their education in three modes. They

are special education, integrated education, and inclusive education. The special education is

the special setup which offers education to the special kids with reference to their disability.

The special education is based on the special curriculum, special assistive technologies and

special teacher to instruct them. Mostly hearing and speech impaired, visually challenged

students and mentally challenged students are getting their education in this mode. With

reference to their severity, mentally challenged persons only are not welcome in the

integrated and inclusive education system.

The integrated education and inclusive education are almost similar in their

approach. Both of them are giving space to the special students in the mainstream school

setup. Integrated education is offering some relaxation to the special students for adapting in

the normal school setup. In contrast to this, the inclusive education merges both integrated

and special education in the same setup. In the inclusive setup, the special students should go

with common curriculum. This inclusive education system does not offer any relaxation to

the special students. With the great effort of the mainstream teacher and special teacher, make

them to compete with normal students. This inclusive system has the aim to avoid the

terms like mainstream students and special students from the educational system. That is

why Sarah Ismail is only supporting inclusive education. But sadly the inclusive education
 30

that we are following is not the real inclusive education. The integrated education with little

modification is now followed as inclusive education. The differently abled persons who are

unable to go to the schools, are also getting their education through the distance education

mode or the home tutoring mode.

Acrostic Poem- Inclusion

This poem “Acrostic Poem- Inclusion” is the poem which supports integrated

education and stand against the special education system. From the opening line of the poem

she denotes the rite of the disabled person to get education from the mainstream schools.

Then she highlighted the unwilling of the mainstream students and their misconceptions on

her capability so she made the requested them all to listen her knowledge capacity. This

poem further displays the importance of the mainstream students in uplifting the differently

abled persons.

Sarah Ismail reveals the fact that the acknowledgement of the mainstream peer

group ensures and creates the path to the disabled persons. Her ultimate request is that

accept my proficiency and say no to special education because it displaces the status of the

disabled person. She uses refrain to denote her saying as

I wish I could set them straight somehow and let them see Let them see just

how much knowledge is trapped inside of me.

I have no one else to ask but you

Only you can make my dream come true, (Ismail)

The room

This poem gives reasons why the poet is somehow against the special education. The

room is not the real room, it is the parody on the special setup for the differently abled

persons who are secluded in the inclusive society. This poem also explains that the special

care on the differently abled person really isolates them from the society. This causes the
 31

social gap in the society. The persona of this poem is the physically challenged person who

has been sent to the special care centres or special education. This poem used hyperbolically

this room as the other isolated world for the physically challenged persons. The poet agrees

that the learning a course in that room still the room is nevertheless artificial to them.

The first stanza focuses the setting of the special room which never gets attention

from mainstream people but poem reveals that the room is located in the normal street. It

also symbolises the real status of the differently abled persons. Though they have well come

to the society and lead great life, the social gap within the society is unable to understand

both life style. the poet reveals that the special setup may give little satisfaction or little

relaxation to the parents. They also do not even aware of their crime which is putting their

kid in special education. It isolates them from remote society. This personal psychological

experience of Sarah Ismail would like support for inclusive education. this first stanza also

declares the main stream public does not care about this room or not aware about this room.

The poem also makes sarcastic tone on this special room and also uses the visual imagery

of a man without legs scrolling in the room which may be alienated scene to the main stream

person.

You might see why we do not care that it rarely meets a broom.

Yes it may be a place hidden on an otherwise ‘normal’ street,

Hidden away from the cruel world, who only laugh because we cannot use our feet,

(Ismail)

The special room should make comfort zone to the special students where they flexibly do

their actions with their friends. The poem uses the phrase “A room where our achievement

never ends” explains the independent life of the differently abled persons. The persona also

stresses that no one see them and they will do all the duties like listening to radio, playing

with toys and reading books like normal persons does. Even, when they fall down, no one is
 32

there to sympathise on them. This symbolise how much the differently abled persons dislike

on the sympathy for example a physically challenged person fall down on the outside of the

room and the normal person falling down are taken in two different way.

The setup and experiences of the special room are described in the rest of the poem.

The special room which was painted yellow in colour, is the symbol of the sun. It also

explains the longing with the outside world. The painted wall is covered by the pictures of the

differently abled persons emphasise that the much importance’s is given only to them. The

carpet is metaphorically used with the sea and sand. The toy bus and the paper and the peer

tree from the outside of the window are defining the disadvantages of this artificial setup.

The mentioning of the angels protecting them explains the heavenly comparison to

this room. This poem also emphasises the childhood life is fully kept within that room.

though these room gives happy memory to the grown-up differently abled persons that is like

paper star as mention in the poem. “My favourite memory of the room is the time she gave

some pears to me!” Is highlighting point of their wish on real world experiences. The room

offers them the full autonomy security as well as it understands their silence. In that room

only they never ever give up anything with no limitations as in the poem

Never caved into the pressures of the world outside the room,”

The world where uncontrollable movement is sometimes mistaken for violence.

(Ismail)

At last the poem indirectly says the reader that the potentiality of the person is kept locked

inside of the room, after everything so the poet mention the room is locked after the room is

being swept; the poets requests the mainstream persons should give a minute to look at the

isolated persons or the unrecognised differently abled persons which may surprise them. This

poem also insists that the recognition or full understanding by the mainstream society will

enhance the whole of differently abled persons.

 33

One look at the chair:

As mentioned in other poems, the chair is the personification for the physically challenged.

This is encountering the first-time experience of the physically challenged person and how

other stare at her while she entered in the normal school. The concepts made in this poem

were focuses on the issue of two or three decades ago, now there are lot of social mobility

happens in welcoming them. This was made long effect done by lot of acts and amendments

as well as lot of ground level initiatives. The first stanza is all about the father who convinces

and shares the brilliancy of the physically challenged daughter to the teachers as, “She knows

you won't get far in London if you can't handle rain!”

This stanza also shows the image of some hesitation in welcoming her in the school. Then

most of the differently abled persons are motivated to board only in the special school but

that was only possible for visually challenged persons, earring and speech impaired and

mental retardation because they only need the special aids to educate. These physically

challenged kids or mild disabilities were in some trouble in enrolling in schools even the acts

permit. The poet is not blaming all for this hesitation but it affects the interest of the

differently abled child and also it cannot be expressed. The tendency is highlighted as refrain

throughout this poem

“And they decided that they didn't care

Is that fair?” (Ismail)

The poem is also referring to the environmental barrier as the reason for rejection. Even

though has real concern with the child, they are unable to do anything. It is the father’s

reaction to the teachers “to install the lift”, is showing the in successive state of the society.

The sad thing is that the realization about the differently abled person was not with everyone

and thinks as

They took one look at her brand-new wheels

 34

And said ‘Why bother how she feels?’ (Ismail)

Even may a person sees her with wheel chair was only act to regarding her disability but no

one test her skills or aptitudes just like what is favorite book?. This rejection is not done by

her disability but it would be the result of their inability to welcome the differently abled

persons in the mainstream environment. It can be noticed by the voice of the rejected special

child. The normal are also has the responsibility to uplift the differently abled persons

especially teachers. Be true

We can't drive cars that may

But we might just get A stars, teachers, it's all up to you

So let us in, and let us win,

Let us try, don't make us cry (Ismail)

Special Mothers

The growth and development of each and every one should somehow depend with their

parents. In the same way, the parent’s involvements are most necessary in the

developmental aspect of the differently abled persons. This poem encounters the

psychological stress of the differently abled persons. When parents suffer from depression,

anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or other post disaster disturbances, they are

more likely to feel helpless and frustrated as they attempt to meet the support needs of their

children (Osofsky, 1995).

Unlike in the past, now a days most of the differently abled parents would like to offer

everything to the special child like the mainstream society. The parents, who send their kid to

school with integrated education system, begin to worry on the disabled body of their kid.

Automatically the parents are noticing and comparing mobility of the special child and

mainstream child for example the poem is also taking about the mother who care on her
 35

child. This approach of the mothers put them into stress and anxiety leading to a lot of

familial issues.

They sit in silence watching this

Which is the opposite of bliss

yet still they have to see all this. (Ismail)

These lines are used as the refrain in each and every stanza and it states the passive

listener who compares their special child with other children. The first two lines of each

stanza appreciate the mother of the special child and it says no one is comparable to them.

The psychological impact of watching silently made her to think the disabled body as a curse

but not the disabled child. To portray the positive side of the mother’s emotions, the poet

never used the word “curse” instead she only used the phrase “which is opposite of bliss”.

This poem visually displays how the mother gets hurt while seeing other kids are

playing footballs and wearing high heels. The school going students feels uncomfortable to

sit in the same place but her child always sits in the particular wheel chair till he dies. The

immobility of the child is worse than the differently abled per is compared with other

mainstream kids.

The mother further has afraid of that Children with physical disabilities may be

unable to participate in games and activities that affect to the development of friendships.

These children may not be invited to play dates and birthday parties, as other parents are

uncertain about what would be necessary to facilitate the child’s participation. After-school

and out-of-school programs may not appear accessible.

The Other Side

The poem is the episode of the school going special child. Who has

experience in both in integrated school and special school? The poem mentions that the kid

meets few names only in the register which symbolizes the feeling alone in the classroom
 36

setup. Even though we are talking of all the rights for differently abled person, that can be

achieved after long fight even that too is not easier. As mentioned in this poem the girl was

shifted to other much dissimilar school which is special school. As the result of this, she

missed her normal friends and normal life.

The poem visualizes how the special child hide their cry to pacify her parents. Since

the achievement and life progress is same to her and her normal friends, both treated

differently. It also mentions how these institutions create the social imparity among them

and limits the communications. Though the special school offers to educate the successive

mode of education, this exclusivity is the worst in special educational system.

So sometimes, if she was lucky, she would pass them in the street and smile...

But she had been taken away Out of their world... out of her world.

And the other side of life did strange things to her, as it is known to do. (Ismail)

The rest of the poem focuses the normal is not rejecting the special persons but in

some times special kid may think it as so. In this preconceived mindset sometimes restricts

the special kid. As a result of this, the special child makes him or herself to be late in

enjoying inclusive society. None should not blame the normal person always for their

misleads.

Sheldon (89) discussed the basic strains which an orthopedically disabled child may

experience in school. She presented suggestions through which the school routine could be

modified so that the strains resulting from mechanical limitation, systematic health-drain, and

social-emotional reaction to the handicap might be minimized.

Kelly (55) dealt with the values which are to be derived from the use of the Vineland

Social Maturity Scale in a day school for the orthopedically handicapped. Item failures

(Vineland) were used as the basis for modifying the school program for the purpose of

developing social competence of crippled children, particularly in the areas of self-help and
 37

socialization. Leventhal (60) reported on the success of multiple-grade organization for

crippled children. She found that such an organization provided a rich, emotional climate in

the classroom, reduced tensions in the children, and facilitated the development of social

skills.

The student with a disability may have difficulties understanding how to relate to

peers on the other hand Peers without disabilities also may be frightened of the child’s

adaptive equipment different behaviour. This will be focused from the following chapter.
 38

CHAPTER FOUR

SARAH ISMAIL: THE LISTENING AND REDEFINING THE SILENCE

Broida, Izard, and Cruickshank (10) used the Symonds Picture-Story Test in the

investigation of fantasy productions of a group of 30 crippled children; most of the children

were orthopedically handicapped. They found that their subjects were deeply in need of

social acceptance. Feelings of fear were coupled with striving for social participation, and

children who did participate in group social activities experienced guilt feelings.

This chapter is based on signifier and signified and how sign plays the role in

determining shaping the identity of the differently abled person, in 20th and 21st century.

According to Garland Thomson discusses on the word staring. what is staring is different

from how is staring and also, he made the distinction between staring and seeing. Generally,

The stare is distinct from the gaze, which has been extensively defined as an oppressive act of

disciplinary looking that subordinates its victim ... Starrers engage in several variations of

intense looking: among them are the blank stare, the baroque stare, the separated stare, the

engaged stare, the stimulus-driven stare, the goal-driven stare and the dominating stare. He

says that at the heart of this anatomy is the matter of appearance, of the ways we see each

other and the ways we are seen. It unsettles common understandings that staring is rudeness,

voyeurism, or surveillance or that starrers are perpetrators and stares victims. Instead, this

vivisection lays bare starling’s generative potential [p-64].

The Concept of Normality

This poem focuses the inner expectations of the differently abled persons and it

emphasises how the mainstream person gaze the differently abled persons. The persona is

the differently abled kid who advices the mainstream community. In the first stanza the poet

posts the request of the differently abled person and she mentions how every differently abled

person accepts the others as the mainstream world. Then the second stanza encounters the
 39

way of staring by the mainstream people. The differently abled kid questions the other

persons whether they looked the aids of differently abled persons such as the wheelchairs, the

walkers and the white sticks. This question symbolises why the mainstream persons only

stare at the aids not at the person who is having the aids. The significance is given for the

disability then the disabled persons which promote only absolute sympathy. The way of

seeing is not the involuntary action but it is only their want of look at the assistance of the

differently abled persons. It is otherwise explained as the primordial act of the public.

Everywhere we go,

People only see what they want to see

That is, the wheelchairs, the walkers, the white sticks, not us. (Ismail)

Each and every differently abled Person is not willing to promote their disability so the poet

requests them to change their way of seeing them. The way of seeing changes the perspective

on the real side of the differently abled persons. The poet uses the expression “we are people

too maybe, just maybe,” and it conveys the least importance’s given to the disabled

persons. They request them to understand that their offensive words hurt the heart of

differently abled persons, Here the term “cruel words” is mentioning to connote the

sympathetic words and actions done by others. Then the normalcy is taken importance in the

society but not in the people’s mind. The poet insists that the concept of main stream society

confine the emergence of the differently abled person.

The poet personifies the normal as

Let me know if you meet normality

walking down the street

It doesn’t exist in our minds (Ismail)

Acrostic Poem- Disability

“Be a little sensitive, open up your eyes and see that

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Inside wheelchairs there are girls who use their wheels to go for whirls.” (Ismail)

The poet herself is speaker in this poem. She requests her friends to see her in the

better way. When everyone sees the disabled persons the pity and sympathy over flows but

the real thing is that the disabled persons are also other humans. In this poem she refers the

guide pet and she emphasize that the people around her think that the pet is only taking care

of her but in reality, it is she who nurture her pet. This other side of reality is not seen by

everyone. Unless or until the mainstream person changes the view on the disable person, the

primordial mindset will not be changed. The recent theory like post human aspect on the

disability also stresses that the dependency of differently is changing from guide dogs to

technological aids still the aspect of dependency remains same as it was.

This perspective is also partially putting down the status of the differently abled person.

“And if you’ll only talk to me to fill my eyes with tears.” (Ismail)

This line emphasizes the real consequences of the sympathy. Mostly other think that the

sympathy will solve the problems of the differently abled person but in some way, it severely

affects the will power of the disabled persons. The cry of the differently abled person never

ever has not shown to the peer person so it might not understand by the other person or

mainstream person. Many suggest that empathy will be the only alternative to replace the

sympathy but Sarah Ismail does not even long for these both. She only wants to see the

equity from everyone’s eyes because that can promote possible changes in the society. This

will be constantly argued from the following poems.

On the Inside, Looking Out

This poem added the emotion behind the silence of the poet or each disabled person.

The first stanza of the poem details the shyness of the poet and how it has been expressed

through her smile itself. In the second stanza she extends her emotion of shouting and how

the wish of shouting is hidden behind her silence. It also expresses the tendency of the over
 41

adjustment behaviour of the differently abled person. In the name of dependency, most of the

differently abled persons were agree with their mate. Sarah stands against this attitude and

initiates the other way to express. In the following stanzas the poet requests every

companions of the differently abled person to feel and understand the mind voice of them.

I’m lost in my thoughts, trapped to be precise

Trapped in my own silent world, and it’s not very nice! (Ismail)

I Speak Silence

The poem title “I Speak Silence” is paradoxical as similar to the title of this poetry collection

“listen to silence”. This poem posts various situations to readers and how much the disabled

person struggles to break her silence. The first and final stanza are the refrain. They convey

that this silence has no end and it still continues in many situations.

There is so much I want to say but I cannot,

there is no way I speak silence. (Ismail)

“I want to say” or “but is peek silence” are used as refrain in each and every stanza.

This does not aim only to reveal the reason behind silence, instead it only visualises the

episodes of various silence. The following two stanzas are speaking with her parents in these

stanzas she wants to request her father to catch the bus and her mother to spend more time

with her. The next stanza she shows her inexpressiveness to console her mother and

appreciate her father. The episode in these two stanzas explain how much her father and

mother are close to her and nurture her still she is inexpressive.

The sense of dependency creates the oppressions and may make her silent with no

words. Then she shares her silence with siblings. Here she wants to advise her siblings to

enjoy their leisure time like playing the drums or do their study work like doing sums.

Though she is affected by physical body, she is unable to directly do these tasks, this
 42

inferior complex make her to remain silent. The disabled body does not affect daily chores

but also her flexible relationship with their well-wishers.

The following stanzas are dealing with the friends and love relationship. The

particular line she would like to ask the question to her female friend as “when it ends”, this

expression explains how the disabled person feels while abled people do their tasks that

cannot be done by the disabled persons. If the abled person is playing football, the physically

challenged friend can only be watching her silently. Her willing is not the prime factor to sit

and watch the game but the dependency with the person make her to spend more time with

them.

Now a days the situation may change, partially this was the fact in those days in nineteen

nineties. The over concern or nature disability is to be blamed for letting her not be enjoy

with them. Even though they are her friends, she feels some hesitation to say them as her

friend.

The following stanzas deal how she expresses her love and willing to lovable one. In

this stanza she uses the phrase to tell her “to fix this crime”. Which is considered to as

question the god for creating her as disabled body and request them to solve the crime of

faulty creation. Then ultimately, she really wants to play the friends play. She considers the

playing and getting out of the wheel chair is her success but that winning chance is not with

her hand. This can be express beautifully as personifying the word game,

I want to play the game

I want to know her name.

I want to know how winning feels

How I would love to move without these wheels (Ismail)

Free Verse: Thinking I Can Read Your Mind

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This poem is all about the silent staring of the companion who always stares at the

differently abled person. The persona compares the silent staring with staring the sun. the

poet compare herself with the sun which has been silently seen by everyone and question the

companion why he is so silent with the poet. It also shares the pain of the silence. The first

stanza is setting in south hall on the particular Saturday. The poet has companion still she is

unable to enjoy leisure time. The differently abled person is unable to spend time by his or

her own but it is limited in the hands of a companion. The dependency or the insecurity

makes the differently abled person as unspoken person.

Smiling, and I think I can read your mind I do not think you like the sun (Ismail)

But they did not even take the time to ask you if you wanted to be in the sun ... and I

wish they had... because to me, it seems unfair that you are not given a choice in these things

The picnic or the tour mentions in this poem does not offer happiness to the

differently abled person. The silence of the companion is not only the factor which offends

the poet but also some other reasons. The who always pad her like the baby and not let her

alone to do enjoy her own wish. In the general perspective it may not the offensive one but

everyone should think how the differently abled person feels about this sophisticated prison.

The poet also juxtaposing her own home and there also the poet is kept alone, she always

over protected by her parents. Comparatively she feels this south hall is better than her home.

The emotive state of mind express in the following lines

Southall is something very 'normal'

Just a letter of reference I wonder how they can go to a place like this (Ismail)

Can you do it for me?

It is a daring attempt of the Sarah Ismail who questions directly the mainstream

persons. These are not the list of the questions which is only the reflection of the emotional

side of the Sarah Ismail. The society only decides for the volunteer to help the differently
 44

abled persons but in the reality Not only volunteer, most of the friends and relatives give

over care on the special child and do all the works to them. It all degrades the proficiency of

the particular differently abled person.

This poem is not against the gaining assistance but the emotion of the person cannot

be assisted by another person, it can be only expressed by the person. This argument also led

to discuss what is really needed whether sympathy or empathy.

I cannot take the bus Can you take one for me?

I cannot make a fuss of a child; can you spoil one for me? (Ismail)

The differently abled person may dependent to do some tasks due to their disabled body. It

does not mean they are fully stood on other legs. Even other persons would like to do some

things, some cannot be done by other for example one cannot learn to drive for differently

abled persons. One can help to lift them and assist their inability. The reality is the wish of

the physically challenged to learn driving which is highly not possible. It should be

understood and should not find for alternatives. The emotional ending of the poem make

realisation to the readers on this topic as,

I cannot love my best friend

Say you love yours, if you do, for me. (Ismail)

I wish

The power of empathy is explicated in this poem; like other poems, this poem also requests

the mainstream people to change their notion of seeing. Poet uses the main stream person as

the persona in this poem but in favour of the differently abled person. The wish of the

differently abled persons is dominated by the companions and also the success the them is

also credited by their assistance. This manner can be relatable with daily chores or minute

tasks for example:

Sometimes I wish we could fight for that's what most friends do.
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I wish you could watch the TV As they give some credit to you... (Ismail)

Listen To the Silence

This is yet another requesting poem where the poet wants to break the unwilling

mindset of the mainstream person to pay attention on the differently abled persons. The first

stanza attempts to explicate the emotions behind the silence. The silence Carries the

normalcy of the differently abled person. If it is understood by the normal person there would

not be any differently abled person.

The silence is metaphor with frog which explains how silence is inclusive of

meaning emotions. The poet makes the comparison between the love and affection shown to

the animal and them, it signifies them to understand the peer human first.

The second stanza reveals the female physically challenged as the poetic persona who

demand for her wish. At first, she proves her normalcy by comparing her with mother. Then

the handling of the wheel chair makes her to joy and promote her normalcy. Here she

visualizes the wheel chair as the brand-new toy which recalls the previous discursions.

Then the poet makes the remarkable point that she is equal to the normal person who

uses skate board on the snow. The concept is on the snow the physically challenged do not

want skating board so the poet wants to understand the normalcy in the differently abled

person. Then the poet also agrees to the reality of moving faster by the wheel chair is only an

illusion and confront her wish mobilize like sports car. The driving license used to denote the

equal capacity of both normal and physically challenged persons. The mentioning of BBC

and having fun are representing day to day tasks are as normal as others.

Time of morning five thirty and the evening six o’clock mentioned in this poem

indicates the normal life of differently abled persons. When the poet mentions about her

educational side she uses simile by comparing herself with other normal persons. It also
 46

emphasizes that how the normal action of the differently abled person gets attentions with

little astonishments.

Turn off the TV; for there's homework to be done I'm just like

You, and I don't always find it fun so I put it away, because I long

for a detention, please stop laughing, for I hate special attention. (Ismail)

The rest of the poem portray her classroom experience, how others look her as

something other. The poet introduces his love interest where the poet conveys the afraid on

the common mainstream mentality.

Thus, led the poet to be quiet. She mentions about common mentalities like feeling

them superior or make fun of the aids of the differently abled person. The poem “a boy in

the wheel chair” continues this argument and stand against the concept of normalcy. The

understanding of the mainstream person is not fit with reality so that the social gap or

misconceptions are increasing. The following lines proves that the primordial mindset of

dehumanizing disability.

Tell me that you love me and make me feel like a boy,

I'm just like you

It may be strange but still it's true.

I'm not a stranger from a foreign land. (Ismail)

A Walk through My World

The poet guides the normal person to bring him to understand his or her faults. It

also makes the normal person to realize the misconceptions on the differently abled persons

and change their attitude over them. All The previously discussed problems were revisited

in this poem but this poem showcase the perspective of the two side of the same coin.
 47

This poem is a dramatic monologue and talk with the normal person about the dream

and expectations. The first stanza of the poem is used as the refrain which stresses the

message conveyed by the poet,

So how can you tell me we're stupid?

And say in our eyes the sun cannot shine? (Ismail)

The second stanza talks about the wish and longing of the special mother and special child.

The physically challenged person want to wear high heels and walks steadily make how

much happier not only him but also his or her well-wishers like mother. In this case mostly

everything for differently abled is rejected by the normal without proper understanding.

The next stanza visualizes the classroom setup where the physically challenged person were

treated differently or spatially. Here the special child may think himself as a normal person

like others but other look at him not in the same way.

Most of the times it will lead to incredible judgement. Now- a- days, these issues are

less in number which can be seen by the teacher’s attitude such as in those days the

differently abled persons may enjoy lot of exceptions in doing some institutional tasks but not

in now a day. The following stanza portrays the efficiency differently abled in the inclusive

classroom. In this stanza the picture of struggling physically challenged person symbolizes

the independency can be shown only with some pain.

On the other hand, some pity for him that pity only does not make any since so every

normal person will stand with differently abled persons. The overall achievement makes her

to be very proud and happy but the surreal understanding of the normal persons makes her to

be little sad.

The next stanza focuses on the other side of the extensive enjoyment of the differently

abled person. The stanza mentions the brand-new wheel chairs which indicate the modern
 48

differently bled person. It also stresses the other normal persons does not listen for her like

the extensive listening.

She reads Harry Potter When she has some time to spare.

In winter when it's cold She dreams of holding gold But

She’s telling her own story to a world that might not care. (Ismail)

The following stanza talk about the ambition or the differently abled person and mother as

well as it emphasizes the power of the love care and the power of inclusion. It also remarks

the development arise from the past in the differently abled space in the mainstream world.

This can be possible only because of the understanding of the normal and the clarification

was possible after taken long effort by the differently abled persons.

2.The girl in high heels

This is talking about the inner politics within the differently abled person. The

marriage or love of the differently abled person is too ambiguous when the person tries to

seek for the suitor. Some says one differently abled person would like to marry another

differently abled person and the other says another normal person can only take care of them

both throughout life time. The poem insists the dream of the differently abled girl who

wants to marry a normal person.

The girl mentioned in this poem is physically challenged person who uses the wheel

chair for their mobility. She is not expressing her true love with the boy due to her disabled

body and she wanted to be the normal person who can flexibly use their muscles like driving

the car. Being disabled makes her feel inferior and being silent. On the other hand, the normal

boy has wished to marry the normal and want to enjoy the fullest of normalcy. In this poem

the girl felt sad for not wearing high heels and unable to drive the car. These situations

show some possible barrier behind her inexpressive words, due to the social norms. The

poem wants to understand the invisible barrier in the society. Even though this poem is about
 49

true love, the differently abled persons should be expressive and take some steps to get it. the

love is expressed, the social gap may be reduced.

No matter where I am, in the park, the shops or school

I’ll never even take a step... why would he think I was cool? (Ismail)

In my heaven

The poem “In My Heaven” is imagining the dreamy world and portrays a world

with no disabled persons. It is no way possible in reality but everyone can make the world

that never ever treats the disabled person differently. If the world achieves, there is no need

for equity or equality. To achieve these mainstream persons should not astonish the different

actions or different approach done by the differently abled persons.

This extension is shouted in the poem “my cram”. The physically challenged poet

mentions the disability as the unchangeable crime. Here the poet connotatively questions

the divine creations but the poet makes the order that mainstream person should change their

etiquette of the people with the disability.

Asking you to stop right here, right now Stop your crime,

Change your life... and mine. (Ismail)

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CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION

Despite all discussions, empathetic and sympathetic towards the disabled persons,

there is always a winning debate, claiming that there is no disabled person but the Differently

abled, the table shown in the particular article clearly gives the supporters and profounder of

disable person; for example: The 2019 record categories each and every disability under their

physical remark and behavioural remark where he interpersonal skill of the differently able

person that has been distinguished from the mainstream public. It also emphasizes the

concept of special care and special treatment with in the society. Each and every actions of

the Differently abled person have been seen as an extraordinary action.

Lavos (59) surveyed what he described as unfounded objections to hiring

handicapped individuals. He interpreted such objections as indicating that employers

sometimes seek to rationalize their deep- seated rejection of disabled persons.

Based on the post human aspect on disabled persons, the concept of disable is complex and

they always confused between body and machine assistance. McGill also stresses that the

disability is always the being interdependency either peer human or assistive machine... for

example: The human dependency is substituted by the guide dogs which guides the blind

persons.

The development of these varies notions under social gap did not start with our

society, literature and movies. It is a continuation of primordial expressions which is innate in

every tradition. The viewpoint of differently abled is not narrowed down within the particular

domain but it is universal in nature. The folklore and the epic have formed their premise on

the basis of negative impressions. For example, the parents or elders always threatens the

baby by saying, if the baby does any forbidden things, the baby’s eyes would be plucked by
 51

the God or Evil Spirit. In a way, the notion of a common man began to stand against the

disability and they start believing ‘Becoming blind or being differently abled person is worse

than anything.’

The question of whether the literature reflects the society, or it is the societal

behaviour that shapes the function of art highly debateable when it comes to the issue of

differently abled persons. The thesis tries to study the reasons for such societal behaviour.

Whether it is due to art or whether it is purely societally driven must also be debated. One can

say that, in a popular culture like the most influencing medium like cinema especially in a

country like India, the societal constructs on any community could be influenced by the

popular medium, in this case, both literature and movies. The psychology of the onlooker is

driven by the popular medium. For example, In the above context, the thesis locates the role

of literature and cinema in shaping up of societal mentality towards visual impairment.

Transgender in Tamil cinema have had a negative portrayal over the years and to some extent

societal mentality towards them is also governed by the same perspective over the years.

Similarly, visual impairment also has a similar construct which is inflicted upon the society

over the years. For example, the differently abled persons are associated with begging,

singing in trains, running petty shops or in very rare occasion as great persons.

It is the responsibility of any main stream media and educational system to represent the

marginalized section of the society. When the main stream media or the popular culture

creates a construct around the marginalized sections, it becomes difficult to deconstruct. This

was evident in the personal interview with Gowri, a post graduate student who had earlier

developed a mindset on visual impairment and later had to change her view of her opinion

because of her classmates. She said the following:

I had exposure to visual impairment only through main stream media like

cinema and tele series. By then, I had a view that they had to be
 52

sympathetically held apart from the society and later when I encountered

visually challenged in my classroom setup. I had this construct strongly built

at the start. But later when I had opportunities to talk in close quarters, they

were a different person which was completely different from the portrayal of

visually challenged. But the construct took a while to demolish itself (Personal

Interview Gowri).

The above-mentioned interview says how difficult it gets to break the conventional notion

built by the popular media.

Meyerson (72) similarly interpreted the disabled person’s problems in terms of

psychological field theory. He pointed out the importance to the handicapped individual of

the attitudes of the physically normal majority. Mussed and Barker (76) investigated the

verbally expressed attitudes of physically normal college students toward cripples. The

results indicated that such attitudes were generally favourable, although cripples were rated

away from the ideal in such traits as social adaptability and self-confidence. However, there

appears to be a discrepancy between publicly expressed

Throughout the ages the connection between disability and meanness has been very

nearly irresistible to authors. The society already conditioned through folklore and fable to

believe that disability brings out the worst in people. The same notion is still reflected in

family, school, public, mass media and movies in contemporary society. When asked about

the birth of visually challenged and the reactions of the society Velmurugan, a person who

actively involves himself in the welfare of the differently abled said the following:

In the year 1995, when I saw a visually challenged boy born to my sister, the

employees of the hospital who were supposed to give awareness to the parents

were hell bent on aborting the child. This is how the system worked during the

1990s but having seen the recent developments in that child. Everyone in the
 53

hospital appreciate my sister and my brother-in-law for taking it up as a

challenge and they established a sense of surprise when they see that boy right

now (Personal Interview Velmurugan).

After government taking all initiatives, school counsellors can serve an important role in,

reassuring and educating parents as well as to ensure children’s safety. And they also

additionally have to work with parents of students with disabilities is to encourage parents to

help their children develop independence by not over protecting them. Then friendships play

an important role in the life of the developing child. Relationships with peers play an integral

role in adolescents’ identity formation (Erikson, 1963; quinn, 1998)

Sarah Ismail aims to achieve the smart peer group for the differently abled persons.

She insists her poetry collections should make some valuable impact in promoting good

society and these poems has done its justice its scope and suggests varies point to promote

equity. This poetry collection is apt for she glorifies this poetry collection as,

“Disabled readers of the collection will be able to relate to at least one poem or

character in some way, however small. I hope non-disabled people will also read the

collection. I’ll be happy if they enjoy the poems as works of fiction- but if even one

poem makes them stop and think that maybe, just maybe, disabled people really are

just like everyone feels then I’ll be even happier.”. (Ismail)

This poetry collection may suggest many points to the readers but that only cannot

make any change in the society. As she said, even though lot of systematic changes were

made for their beneficiary Inclusive education is only possible that assimilates the needs of a

diverse range of learners and adapts itself to meet their needs. The complete success will be

acceptable only when learners, parents, community, teachers, administrators, policy makers)

to feel secure. As the words of Sarah Ismail, each and every individual should cope with

diversity and to eradicate it for social equity flourished in the peer groups of inclusive system.
 54

This thesis suggests further research on other differently abled persons in the family,

school and society. This thesis helps to compare the real image of the differently abled

persons with that of others. It also recommends the future works should also focus on the

other side of differently abled persons in the wider sense. This research also recommends that

future research needs to recognize the multi-layered effects of how families, schools,

communities, and societies shape the environment around children with disabilities as well as

the types of adversity that they face during and following educational system.