B.A. (Hons.

) English – Semester VI DSE-4

Literature and Disability Study Material

Unit-2 : Autobiography
(a) Helen Keller (b) Frida Kahlo (c) Georgina Kleege
(d) Reshma Valliappan (e) Malini Chib

Edited by: Nalini Prabhakar

Department of English

SCHOOL OF OPEN LEARNING

University of Delhi
Discipline Specific Elective (DSE-4)
Literature and Disability

Unit-2 : Autobiography

Edited by:
Nalini Prabhakar
School of Open Learning
University of Delhi
Delhi-110007

 
SCHOOL OF OPEN LEARNING
UNIVERSITY OF DELHI
5, Cavalry Lane, Delhi-110007
 Discipline Specific Elective (DSE-4)
Literature and Disability

Unit-2 : Autobiography

Contents

S. No. Title Pg. No.

(a) Helen Keller (i) The Story of My Life (Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6, 8-15) 01
(ii) “How I Became a Socialist” (pp. 21-26)

(b) Frida Kahlo, The Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self-Portrait 11

(pp. 234-35, 242-44, 251-52, 255-57)

(c) Georgina Kleege, Sight Unseen (pp. 9-42) 16

(d) Reshma Valliappan, Fallen, Standing: My Life as a Schizophrenist 21

(pp. 10-15, 83-87, 145-150)

(e) Malini Chib, “Why Do You Want to Do BA”, One Little Finger 25
(pp. 49–82).

Prepared by:
Shrimi Gupta

 
SCHOOL OF OPEN LEARNING
UNIVERSITY OF DELHI
5, Cavalry Lane, Delhi-110007
 Unit-2 : Autobiography

(a) (i) The Story of My Life (Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6, 8-15)

(ii) “How I Became a Socialist” (pp. 21–26)
Helen Keller
Shrimi Gupta

1. Learning Objectives
1. To understand the challenges faced by Helen Keller in her journey towards language
and speech acquisition.
2. To examine Miss Anne Sullivan’s role in Keller’s life.
3. To explore Keller’s opinion of and contributions to the socialist movement.

1.1 About the Author

Fig.1 Helen Keller (L) with Miss

Anne Sullivan (R)
Helen Adams Keller (1880-1968) was
born on 27 June, 1880 to an upper-
class, well-connected family in
Alabama, U.S. A political thinker,
activist and an ardent supporter of
socialism, she advocated for the rights
of the disabled, women and members of
the working class. Her extreme leftist
views placed her on the FBI’s radar,
with the agency constantly monitoring
her in relation to her ties with the
Communist Party. The first deaf and
blind person to earn a Bachelor’s
degree, she advocated for the
standardization of braille, leading to
braille being standardized in the United
States in 1914. Despite her disabilities,
Keller learned languages like Latin,
German and French, and trained herself
to read and write in braille. She went on to publish twelve books and several articles, her
earliest publication being at the age of eleven.

1
1.2 About the Texts
(i) The Story of My Life (1903) is Helen Keller’s life-narrative written in three parts. The
first part, comprising 23 short chapters, takes us through the journey of Keller’s life, in
her words, as she triumphs over her disabilities through her and her instructor and
companion, Anne Sullivan Macy’s dedicated efforts. The second part is a compilation of
excerpts from several hundred letters written by Keller to friends, relatives and well-
wishers between the years 1887-1901. They help the reader chart her growth in self-
expression and development of thought, while facilitating preservation of her personal
writings. Part III offers a supplementary account of Keller’s life and education as
recorded by the Editor, John Albert Macy, who played a key role in the drafting and
publication of Keller’s personal narrative.
(ii) “How I Became a Socialist” is an excerpt from Keller’s 1967 book titled Helen Keller:
Her Socialist Years. Through the essay, she clarifies her position on socialism, corrects
some false reports and responds to some unjust criticisms directed towards her on
account of her outspoken support of socialism.
2.1 Summary and Critical Analysis of The Story of My Life (Chs.3-6; 8-15)
Chapter 3
An unknown illness, contracted at nineteen months of age, had left Keller deaf and blind,
following which she struggled to express herself. Her futile efforts to communicate her
emotions, along with the inability to understand the root cause of her condition, often resulted
in outbursts of temper. Unable to see Keller in endless pain, Mr. and Mrs. Keller took her to a
renowned oculist in Baltimore, U.S. in 1886, to see if her vision could be restored. Although
Dr. Chisholm couldn’t restore Keller’s vision, he advised the family to meet Dr. Alexander
Graham Bell of Washington who, in turn, referred them to Boston’s Perkins School for the
Blind. It is at this School that Keller met her teacher and lifelong companion, Anne Mansfield
Sullivan. Keller remained grateful to philanthropist and inventor, Dr. Bell, for bringing ‘light’
(Miss Sullivan) into her life.
Analysis
The train journey to Baltimore allowed Keller to experience a sense of community in the
companionship of friends and strangers who joined her in the ride. It also helped counter the
draining effects of being constantly isolated from the rest of the world. The reference to Miss
Sullivan as “Sinai”1 brings out her teacher’s significance in Keller’s life, indicating that Miss
Sullivan’s entry into her life was indeed divine.
Chapter 4
Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan met for the first time on 3rd March, 1887, following which
Miss Sullivan initiated her into the world of manual alphabet and object names. During one

1
In the Bible, Mount Sinai was where God had given the Ten Commandments to Moses.

2
such lesson, Miss Sullivan attempted to explain the difference between ‘mug’ and ‘water' to
Keller, failing to understand which young Keller threw her new doll upon the floor, breaking
it into fragments. To cool off Keller’s temper, Miss Sullivan took her out for a walk. During
the walk, Keller heard the sound of flowing water which her teacher helped her experience by
placing her hand under the spout. She then spelt out w-a-t-e-r into Keller’s hand, allowing
Keller to understand that “everything had a name, and each name gave birth to a new
thought” (Keller 1903, 12). Keller experienced a shift in perspective as she realized that every
object had a life of its own. The realization helped her experience, for the first time, sorrow
and repentance at having broken her new doll, as well as a longing for a new day to come.
Analysis
Miss Sullivan brought the world of the manual alphabet, and hence a medium of
communication into Keller’s life, giving her access to the outside world. Despite the
enormous and challenging nature of the task, Miss Sullivan found a way to work through
Keller’s pattern of frustration and emotional outbursts, proving her merit as an incredible
teacher. In her teacher’s companionship, Keller realized that she held the ability to not merely
express herself, but to forge bonds and lifelong connections with others.
Self-Check Questions
1. How did the realization that every object around her had a name (and hence, an
identity) impact young Keller’s relationship with her surroundings?
2. Why did Keller refer to Miss Sullivan as “Sinai” following their first meeting?
Chapter 5
The summer of 1887 brought more such enriching experiences into Keller’s life as Miss
Sullivan helped her build a relationship with nature and the world that surrounded her. Keller
came in contact with the beautiful side of nature through her frequent visits to fields and river
banks. On one such nature-visit, when Miss Sullivan had left her momentarily atop a tree
branch to fetch their lunch, a sudden change of weather led to Keller witnessing the dark side
of nature. She found herself caught alone amidst a fierce storm. Although Miss Sullivan made
it on time to prevent Keller from falling off the tree, the incident affected Keller deeply and
prevented her from attempting to climb another tree for a long time. A significant amount of
time passed by until the fragrance of the mimosa tree compelled her to climb a tree again.
Analysis
Experiential learning formed a major part of Keller’s overall education under the guidance of
Miss Sullivan. While the terrifying experience of being caught amidst a storm exposed Keller
to the unpredictable side of nature, her response to the incident set a precedent, with Keller
repeating the action of learning from a setback and strengthening her commitment to conquer
her fear for the years to come.

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Chapter 6
Keller’s eagerness to learn sped up the learning process, allowing her to expand her
vocabulary and broaden her field of inquiry. With Miss Sullivan’s guidance, Keller was able
to comprehend, for the first time, the meaning of an abstract idea - love. She understood that
love could not be touched but only felt, much like clouds that could not be touched but felt
through the rain. She learned how to weave ideas into a thought and examined the challenges
involved in the act of thinking and communicating one’s thoughts as a deaf and blind person,
as against an able-bodied person.
Analysis
Keller’s relentless efforts towards language acquisition highlights her determination,
perseverance and dedication. Her growing knowledge of the manual alphabet and the gradual
understanding of abstract concepts allowed her to express herself and engage with the
external world. Miss Sullivan’s positive approach to education offered Keller the necessary
support and encouragement to piece together the different parts of language skillfully.
Chapter 8
Keller and Miss Sullivan made preparations for Christmas celebrations in Tuscumbia. Amidst
the preparation, Miss Sullivan played a guessing game with Keller that improved Keller’s
understanding of language. Tuscumbia school children invited Keller on Christmas Eve and
the day was spent experiencing the pleasure in sharing love and exchanging presents. Miss
Sullivan gifted Keller a canary whom Keller named Little Tim. The pet bird helped her learn
the meaning of caring for another entity, but their budding relationship was cut short as Little
Tim got eaten up by a big cat due to its cage having been accidentally left open.
Analysis
Although Keller always looked forward to and enjoyed Christmas time, in Miss Sullivan’s
company she experienced the celebration through fresh eyes, facilitating her participation in
the ongoing festivities. Miss Sullivan became the eyes and ears of Keller as she strived to
describe the world around her.
The loss of Little Tim compelled Keller to face the dark side of reality yet again as she
grappled with the loss.
Self-Check Questions
1. Describe the relationship Keller shared with nature. How does it change over time?
2. How did having Miss Sullivan by her side change the way Keller perceived and
experienced her immediate reality?
Chapter 9
Keller visited Perkins School for the Blind in Boston with her mother, teacher and big rag
doll- Nancy in May, 1888. During the train journey to Boston, Keller patiently listened to
Miss Sullivan describe the scenery and the view outside. At the School, she befriended little
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blind children who were familiar with the manual alphabet, allowing her to experience the
joy of conversing in her ‘own’ language for the first time. She also experienced the ocean for
the first time during their visit to Plymouth the next day. She became friends with Mr.
William Endicott and his daughter- a friendship that went on to remain close to her heart. She
remembered Boston as “the City of Kind Hearts” primarily due to the kindness of Mr.
Endicott.
Chapter 10
Keller visited Cape Cod in Brewster, U.S. for her vacation where she stepped into the sea for
the first time, while remaining clasped in her teacher’s loving arms. She encountered a
Horseshoe Crab as well which she desired to take home as a pet, but when the crab escaped,
she realized that it was not kind to deprive dumb creatures of their natural habitat simply to
satisfy one’s personal desire.
Chapter 11
In the autumn months that followed, Keller visited the family summer cottage situated on a
mountain called Fern Quarry near Tuscumbia. She came in contact with various travelers
staying at the cottage, learned of their “wonderful feats” with different wild animals, and
enjoyed a barbeque in their company. She rode on her pony, Black Beauty, and occasionally
explored the nearby woods. During one such expedition, Keller, her younger sister - Mildred
- and Miss Sullivan lost their way in the woods only to find the rest of the family “hunting”
for them once the trio was back home.
Chapter 12
Keller went on to live in a snow-covered village in New England, shut off from the outside
world where she encountered a snowstorm and enjoyed sliding downhill on a flat board, i.e.,
toboganning.
Chapter 13

Fig.2 Helen Keller learning to talk by

reading Miss Sullivan’s lips.
The inability to hear sounds had caused
Keller to lose touch with speaking early on
in her life, but the impulse to utter audible
sounds had been strong within her.
Realizing the limitations of the manual
alphabet, and following the impactful
narration of the story of Ragnhild Kaata, a
deaf and blind girl in Norway, by Mrs.
Lamson2, Keller dedicated herself to

2
Mrs. Lamson was the teacher of Laura Bridgman- the first deaf-blind American child to gain basic
education (fifty years before Helen Keller).
5
speech training. Having resolved to learn to speak, Helen Keller began speaking classes on 26
March 1890, under the guidance of Miss Sarah Fuller, Principal of Horace Mann School for
the Deaf. The long and arduous process of identifying spoken words by touching lips, feeling
the position of her teacher’s tongue, catching vibrations of the throat, gave way to Keller
uttering her first connected sentence - “It is warm.” The desire to flaunt her newly acquired
skill before her loved ones motivated her to persevere, despite the odds.

Analysis (Chapters 9-13)

The train journey, her stay at Fern Quarry and new friendships formed in the process brought
the comfort of extended companionship for Keller. The memorable experiences, gathered
during her stay in Boston, served as a reminder of the joys of existing amongst similar-
minded people. The encounter with the sea and the experience of being lost in the woods of
Fern Quarry acquainted her with the overwhelming aspect of nature. Overall, her learning
through the trial and error method made for an impactful educational journey.
With Miss Sullivan’s dedicated effort and support, Keller was able to find her voice, both
literally and metaphorically for she learned to utter sounds, as well as express herself. The
chapter lays bare her ability to persevere against all odds.

Self-Check Questions
1. Explore the significance of Keller’s interaction with disabled children at the Perkins
School for the Blind in Boston in light of her perception of her disabilities.
2. What is the importance of the comfort of extended companionship that Keller
experienced during her interaction with various people?

Chapter 14
Keller shares details from one of the darkest periods of her life- the winter of 1892- hoping to
set straight all the facts, as they appeared to her, w.r.t. a plagiarism-related allegation. In
1892, Keller had drafted a short story titled “The Frost King” which was greatly appreciated
and applauded by her dear ones. Delighted by her family’s response, she had sent it to one of
her dearest friends- Mr. Anagos, Director of the Perkins Institute for the Blind in Boston. Mr.
Anagos, impressed by her writing, had the piece published in one of Perkins Institution
reports, but it was soon discovered that the story shared close similarity with Miss Margaret
T. Canby’s “The Frost Fairies”. Misinformation from one of Keller’s teachers had caused Mr.
Anagos to suspect that Miss Sullivan and Keller had intentionally copied the ideas to win his
admiration. In the midst of the sneaking suspicions, twelve-year-old Keller found herself
being accused of plagiarism and being singularly questioned by a court of investigation.
Although nothing could be proved against Keller, “the fact remains that Miss Canby’s story
was read out to me once”.

6
The experience traumatized Keller to the extent that she became highly cautious while
writing, fearing that her creative ideas weren’t indeed hers but borrowed from the writings
read out to her at some point in the past. While Mr. Anagos eventually made a statement, in a
letter to Mr. Macy, stating that he believed Keller to be innocent in the “Frost King” matter,
Keller expressed her regret at the loss of Mr. Anagos’ companionship as a result of the
allegation.

Chapter 15
Keller soon forgot “The Frost King” incident as the following summer and winter brought
refreshing experiences. In autumn, she drafted a sketch of the year following the writing of
the controversial story. The fear of unintentionally plagiarizing a work read out to her at some
point in the past continued to plague her. In the hope of restoring her confidence, Miss
Sullivan persuaded her to draft a short account of her life for the Youth Companion.
Keller, thereafter, took a trip to Washington, visited Niagara and the World’s Fair where she
spent three full weeks. At the World Fair, she saw many wonders from around the world, and
learned of the process of diamond mining. She visited the electrical building where she came
across telephones, auto-phones and other scientific inventions. The experience helped her add
several new words to her vocabulary, while allowing her to transition from a world of “fairy
tales and toys to the appreciation of the real”.

Analysis (Chapters 14 & 15)

The incident resulted in Keller realizing that parts of the lessons read out to her by Miss
Sullivan remained stored in her unconscious, causing her to believe that her ideas were her
own and not one sourced from her existing memory. While Keller did undergo her share of
heartbreak, she did not fail to remind herself that it was a mistake that was made in the
process of learning; one which anyone could have made; the only way to avoid repeating the
mistake was to work harder on her ideas. Her, largely, calm and composed response to the
situation reflects her maturity. She took it as a learning experience- one which offered her a
new perspective and initiated her into the next phase of her life- adolescence. The transition
to adolescence was consolidated by her visit to the World’s Fair which allowed her to feel
like a part of the larger, global community of people.

Self-Check Questions
1. How did “The Frost King” incident impact Keller’s relationship with writing?
2. What do we learn about Keller from the way she responded to the plagiarism-
allegation?

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3.1 Summary of “How I Became a Socialist” (1967)

Fig.3 Cover of Helen Keller’s book, Her

Socialist Years (1967)
The essay begins with Keller expressing her
displeasure at the great amount of publicity
accorded to her and her opinion on
socialism. She states how the essay is a
means to clarify her position on socialism,
correct some false reports and respond to
some unjust criticisms.
Keller writes that it was H.G. Wells’ 1908
book, New Worlds for Old, gifted to her by
her teacher, Anne Mansfield Sullivan Macy,
which initiated her into the world of
socialism. Despite her dependency on the
manual alphabet, she read several other
books, periodicals printed in braille, articles
from the International Socialist Review and
the National Socialist to satiate her growing
desire to learn more about the subject.
Keller goes on to comment on the first false report about her published in the Common Cause
and reprinted in the Live Issue - two antisocialist publications - which claimed that her
teacher was an enthusiastic Marxist propagandist and that she had influenced Keller’s opinion
regarding the same. Keller denies the claim clarifying that Mrs. Anne Macy was neither a
Marxist nor a socialist. The article further claimed that Keller was being “exploited” by the
Socialists of Schenectady, a city in New York State, for publicity. It was alleged that the
party’s press had been announcing for weeks that she was a socialist and was all set to
become a member of Schenectady’s new Board of Public Welfare. She explains that while
Mayor Lunn had proposed her name to the Board of Public Welfare when he had heard that
Keller might move to Schenectady, nothing about this was published in Mayor Lunn’s paper,
The Citizen, for it wasn’t meant to be public information or, for that matter, be used as a
publicity stunt. Keller clarifies that it was the reporters of the capitalist press, Knickerbocker
Press of Albany, that had made the announcement, and if anyone had been “exploiting”
Keller, it was the capitalist press (by endlessly telephoning and telegraphing her for
interviews). Mayor Lunn’s paper had maintained their silence on the matter.
In the last part of the essay, Keller responds to the unjust criticism directed towards her by the
Editor of New York Times following her refusal to write an article for the paper supplying
information related to her plans and her ideas of her duties as a member of the Board of
Public Welfare of Schenectady. An editorial called “The Contemptible Red Flag” published

8
in the Times had, thereafter, implied that she did not deserve respect and sympathy, and that
she should be regarded with suspicion.
Keller reports yet another case of unjust criticism involving the Editor of Brooklyn Eagle,
Mr. McKelway. Keller recalls Mr. McKelway had been generous with his compliments for
Keller up until she had come out in support of socialism, following which he took every
opportunity to remind her and the public that she was “blind and deaf and especially liable to
error” (Keller 1967, 26). She declares this as a distasteful attempt at distracting the public
from the issue at hand.
Keller concludes by clarifying that no socialist paper ever asked her for an article, unlike
capitalist press editors who she declares to be socially deaf and blind. Being financially
backed by authorities who stood against socialism, such individuals support you as long as
you do not attack industrial tyranny and capitalism. She writes that if she were to ever
contribute to the socialist movement she would write a book titled Industrial Blindness and
Social Deafness.
3.2 Critical Analysis of “How I Became a Socialist” (1967)
Helen Keller’s contribution to socialist theory and practice as a serious political thinker is
often overlooked, yet the fact remains that her work paved the way towards the development
of a Marxist understanding of disability oppression and emancipation. Keller worked
dedicatedly for over a decade (1909-1921) in support of women, the disabled and the
working class. She identified workplace accidents as the primary cause of disability in the
United States; poverty, unhygienic conditions of living, unequal access to healthcare,
capitalist exclusion and general apathy being other factors that further marginalized the
disabled.
Keller’s widespread reading on socialism and, subsequently, a fresh perspective on the
connection between capitalism and disability oppression led to her joining the American
Socialist Party in 1908. As an ardent supporter of socialism, Keller devoted herself to writing,
lecturing and mobilizing people to fight against capitalist exploitation, women’s oppression,
imperialism amongst several other issues. Eventually recognized as a leading figure of the
socialist movement, she advocated for women’s right to vote, access to birth control, abortion
rights, and disabled people’s right to live a life of dignity.
The capitalist press’ intolerance towards her political writings highlights the hypocrisy of the
press giants that did not hesitate from presenting and hailing Keller as an apolitical symbol of
resilience and perseverance; but shunned her the moment she took the stage to express her
political opinion. The essay compels readers to re-evaluate the extent to which ‘industrial
blindness’ (of capitalist workplaces) and ‘social deafness’ (of the ones in positions of power)
contribute to the oppression of the disabled.
Self-Check Questions
1. What is the significance of Miss Sullivan in Helen Keller’s life?

9
 2. Elaborate on some of the challenges faced by Keller in the journey towards language
and speech acquisition.
3. How was Helen Keller a socialist? Why did the capitalist press overlook/censor her
socialist writings and speeches?
3.3 Further Readings
1. Rosenthal, Keith. “The Politics of Helen Keller: Socialism and Disability.”
International Socialist Review, isreview.org/issue/96/politics-helen-keller/index.html.

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 (b) The Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self-Portrait
(pp. 234-35, 242-44, 251-52, 255-57)
Frida Kahlo
Shrimi Gupta

1. Learning Objectives

 To understand how Frida Kahlo’s writings under consideration allowed her to establish
a relationship with self, while simultaneously functioning as a medium of self-
expression.
 To study the significance of the fragmentary, inconsistent nature of Kahlo’s diary
entries under consideration.

2.1 About the Author

Fig.4 Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo de

Rivera
Magdalena Carmen Frieda Kahlo
Calderon (1907-1954) was born in a
religious, conservative household to a
German father and a mother of mixed
ancestry. In 1913, at six years of age,
Kahlo contracted polio that permanently
damaged one of her legs. It subsequently
induced a feeling of being an invalid,
distancing her from her family. During
this period, she continued to share a close
bond with her father who got her enrolled
at the German College in Mexico City
observing her growing thirst for
knowledge. Tragically, she became a
victim of sexual abuse at the College and
was compelled to leave.

11
Fig.5 Frida Kahlo, The Accident,
17 September 1925, Pencil on
Paper Sketch.
A greater tragedy came her way
when on 17 September, 1925, she
met with a body-altering accident
that resulted in detrimental
injuries, along with an ever-lasting
damage to her fertility. She was
left with multiple fractures of the
ribs, collarbone, legs, pelvis
caused by a handrail that had
pierced through her back and out
of her pelvis. Pain remained her
lifelong friend thereafter as she
underwent over 32 surgeries and amputation of her limp leg in 1953 due to the spread of
gangrene.
2.2 About the Text
Translated by Mexican writer, Carlos Fuentes, from Spanish, The Diary of Frida Kahlo is a
collection of fragmentary writings, illustrations, letters, doodles created by Kahlo in the last
decade of her life (1943-1954). The handwritten text entries are accompanied by ink blots
and struck out texts throughout the diary. The striking water-color illustrations highlight
Kahlo’s preoccupation with questions of death, decay, physical disintegration, corporeal
vulnerability and desire for freedom from her deteriorating body.
2.3 Summary (pp. 234-35, 242-44, 251-52, 255-57)
pp. 234-235: Kahlo expresses her wish for her lover, husband and renowned Mexican
muralist, Diego Rivera. She writes how no one would ever be able to comprehend the amount
of love she felt for Diego. She hopes that nothing would trouble him or drain the energy he
needed to live life his way - “painting, seeing, loving, eating, sleeping, feeling lonely, feeling
accompanied” (Kahlo 234). She expresses her desire to give Diego her share of good health
and youth, if she had either at that moment. She paints striking imagery indicating the union
of her and her husband’s soul.
Kahlo ponders over the nature of truth and the cycle of life before retracing her thoughts to
Diego again. She refers to Diego as her everything - beginning, builder, child, boyfriend,
painter, lover, husband, friend, father, son, herself, the universe - until the realization of
Diego not belonging to her, but to himself, dawns upon her.
pp.242-244: Written between August and November of 1947, the lines offer an insight into
Kahlo’s wish for herself - to be able to do whatever she wished to; she would have then

12
indulged in simple pleasures of life like arranging flowers all through the day; painted for
long hours (otherwise difficult due to the pain induced by multiple surgeries); laughed
wholeheartedly, compelling onlookers to wonder if she was “crazy”.
Kahlo expresses her ideas on revolution and death, acknowledging the latter as being a part
and parcel of life. She dedicates a section to the Russian Bolshevik Revolution to
commemorate its anniversary, before calling out to Diego to tell him that she felt alone.
pp. 251-252: Kahlo comes out in support of the oppressed classes and expresses her
disagreement with “counterrevolution- imperialism - fascism - religions - stupidity -
capitalism - and the whole gamut of bourgeois tricks” (Kahlo 251). She reveals factual details
pertaining to the various physical ailments that her body had endured over time- infantile
paralysis at the age of six, a severe bus accident at the age of eighteen, and over 22 surgeries,
under the supervision of Dr. Juanito Farill, to treat the fatal injuries caused by the accident.
She expresses her gratitude to her doctor for having saved her life. She makes a reference to
the plastic corset meant to support her spine and facilitate healing. Kahlo informs her readers
of the unending tiredness and despair that plagued her during that period. She writes of her
intent to contribute to the Mexican Communist Revolutionary Movement.
pp. 255-257: Kahlo identifies herself as a Communist familiar with the origins of the
movement and the history of her country. She explores herself as a “craftswoman” and
retraces her Mexican roots - her “dark skin and beautiful form, with limitless grace” (Kahlo
256). She mentions the subjugation of Mexicans and “negroes” at the hands of capitalist
countries like the US and England.
Following what looks like a pause, she expresses gratitude to three of her friends who,
through their dedicated efforts, had facilitated visible improvement in her health. She
mentions the joy she felt in living. The section comes to a close with Kahlo paying tribute to
Soviet political revolutionary, Joseph Stalin, on his passing on 4th March, 1953.
2.4 Critical Analysis
The fragmentary nature of Kahlo’s entries make it difficult to discern the meaning of each
piece. Her writings employ the stream of consciousness mode of writing as they unfold in a
non-linear manner, with multiple thematic fluctuations in a single entry. The accidental ink
spots and struck-out texts, spread across the writings, indicate her unstable condition resulting
from the ongoing medical surgeries. Her loose, uncontrolled handwriting, along with the
inconsistent nature of her entries, highlight the intense periods of pain that she had to endure.
The inability to control her hand movements mirror her lack of control over the events of her
life.
Kahlo and Rivera were active supporters of Marxism and shared a history of being members
of the Mexican Communist Party for over ten years. They, collectively, believed in and
worked to support the transfer of political power at the hands of the working class. But, being
bed-ridden, Kahlo was unable to actively contribute to the ongoing political movement which

13
often triggered a feeling of inadequacy traceable in her writing. In the light of her physical
condition and the trajectory of her life, the diary emerges as a medium that allowed her to
establish a meaningful relationship with herself.
2.5 Self-Check Questions
1. Examine the significance of the fragmentary and inconsistent nature of Kahlo’s
entries.
2. How did the bus accident of 1925 impact Frida Kahlo’s life?
2.6 Further Readings
Madrazo, Claudia. Diary of Frida Kahlo: A New Perspective, The. La Vaca Independiente,
2014.
Mittal, Vinky. “Flipping Through The Diary Of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self Portrait.”
Feminism In India, 8 Sept. 2021, feminisminindia.com/2021/07/06/frida-kahlo-diary-
self-portrait-surreal-paintings.
“Frida Kahlo - The Complete Works - Frida-Kahlo-Foundation.Org.” Frida Kahlo
Foundation, www.frida-kahlo-foundation.org. Accessed 20 Feb. 2022.
Gotthardt, Alexxa. “How Frida Kahlo’s Love Affair with a Communist Revolutionary
Impacted Her Art.” Artsy, 30 Apr. 2019, www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-frida-
kahlos-love-affair-communist-revolutionary-impacted-art.
3. Image Source
Fig.1 Helen Keller with Miss Anne Sullivan
Source: https://www.afb.org/about-afb/history/helen-keller/photos-and-permissions/1905-
1927/photo-anne-sullivan-macy-helen
Fig.2 Helen Keller learning to talk by reading Miss Sullivan’s lips.
Source: https://womenyoushouldknow.net/helen-keller-teacher-anne-sullivan/
Fig.3 Cover of Helen Keller’s book, Her Socialist Years (1967)
Source: https://archive.org/details/helenkellerherso00hele
Fig.4 Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo de Rivera
Source: b) Frida Kahlo. The Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self-Portrait (Introduction
and Trans., Carlos Fuentes. New York: Abrams, 1995/2005)
Fig.5 Frida Kahlo, The Accident, 17 September 1925, Pencil on Paper Sketch.
Source: http://museu.ms/article/details/106686/daily-art-story-frida-kahlo-and-the-bus-
accident

14
4. Bibliography
Kahlo, Frida. The Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self-Portrait. Trans. Carlos
Fuentes, Abrams, 2005. Print.
Keller, Helen, “How I Became a Socialist.” Helen Keller: Her Socialist Years, ed. Philip S.
Foner. New York: International Publishers, 1967, pp. 21–26.
Keller, Helen, The Story of My Life (1903), ed. John A. Macy. New York: Simon and
Schuster Paperbacks, 2010. Print.

15
 (c) Sight Unseen (pp.9-42)
Georgina Kleege
Shrimi Gupta

1.1 Learning Objectives

1. To understand Georgina Kleege’s journey from denial to eventual acceptance of her
gradual vision loss.
2. To explore the negative stereotypes and connotations associated with the term ‘blind’.
3. To examine the misrepresentation of blindness in cinema.
1.2 About the Author
Fig.1: Georgina Kleege
Georgina Kleege (1956-present) is an American
writer and Professor at the University of California,
Berkeley where she teaches creative writing and
courses on representation of disability in literature.
She was diagnosed with macular degeneration and
pronounced ‘legally blind’3 at the age of eleven,
following which she gradually lost her ability to see
clearly. She started teaching in 1991, prior to which
she worked as a social worker in a women’s crisis
center where she gave educational and fund-raising
talks on domestic violence, sexual assault and other
feminist issues. Her work is located at the
intersection of disability, art, culture and technology. She was awarded the UC Berkeley
Distinguished Teaching Award in 2016, and the Distinguished Teaching Award from the
Division of Arts and Humanities in 2013.
1.3 About the Text
Sight Unseen (1999) is a collection of personal essays; a blend of memoir and criticism. In
the book, Kleege shares her own experience of blindness, examines the negative stereotypes
and connotations associated with the term ‘blind’, and offers a critique of the cultural
depiction of blindness in literature and cinema. She writes about the significance of eye
contact in western culture and the experience of growing up as the daughter of visual artists.
The text also explores how the availability of blind-friendly technology, a more efficient

3
Highly compromised sight. You can learn more about the meaning of the term here:
https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-does-it-mean-to-be-legally-blind-3421928

16
public transport system and effective visual-aids have improved blind people’s experience of
life.
Kleege’s straightforward and unapologetic exploration of her relationship with blindness
from denial to acceptance provides important background to readers to think about blindness.
By writing about her journey, she offers her sighted readers the opportunity to view the world
through her eyes.
1.4 Critical Summary
Chapter 1: Call It Blindness
The beginning of Georgina Kleege’s teaching career in 1991 compelled her to identify her
blindness in public. Prior to that and during her years as a social worker, she would speak
from memory, never use notes, shift her focus here and there and direct her eyes at any sound
to avoid being identified as a blind person. The chapter begins with Kleege recalling the
details of a classroom interaction from her teaching days where on informing students of her
‘legally blind’ status she received looks of uncertainty and doubt for Kleege did not ‘appear’
blind; she did not carry any public symbol of blindness - a cane, a dog or any other object for
navigating a space and therefore, did not fit into the arbitrary, conventional definition of a
blind person. Kleege writes how instead of getting entangled in explaining the technicalities
pertaining to her condition, she spent time sharing details of how her condition would affect
her students; how students would have to volunteer to read their papers and exams to her.
Given that Kleege passed as sighted, she preferred to let strangers stay with their
assumption. It helped prevent her condition from becoming a distraction for her audience,
who often felt disturbed on learning that her “sight loss was still in progress” (p.10). Such
interactions usually ended with the stranger feeling anxious to hand her over to the person-in-
charge, equating blindness with complete dependency. Kleege explains how sighted
individuals’ tendency to view (partially/completely) blind people as helpless figures,
perpetually in need of charity from family, educators, social workers and strangers, compels
them to conceal their condition.
Blindness = Darkness = (Metaphorical) Death: A Monolithic Understanding of
Blindness
Kleege addresses the monolithic understanding of blindness as indicating “total, absolute
darkness, a complete absence of visual experience” (p. 10); darkness being equated with
death, blindness was as good as death. She sheds light on the partially-sighted status of the
majority of blind people around the world, her condition named macular degeneration being
one amongst the several conditions that account for gradual vision loss. She clarifies that her
condition has neither any cure nor treatment and that at its earliest stage it was confused with
nearsightedness. After a thorough diagnosis, she was informed of the medical name of her
condition and declared legally blind. With no visual-aids, education pertaining to the

17
specifics of her condition, training to equip herself adequately for the vision loss, 11-year old
Kleege was left feeling scared and confused.
Young Kleege failed to perceive herself as blind for, like the majority, she equated
blindness with complete darkness. Moreover, no one seemed to use the term ‘blind’ for her or
tried to teach her braille, which made her brush any discussion pertaining to her condition
under the carpet. In an attempt to avoid drawing attention towards herself, she avoided asking
for any special favors at school. She learnt to read the blackboard by following her teacher’s
hand movement. She would predict paragraphs she would be asked to read in class and
memorize relevant sections beforehand. She would count streets to figure her drop once on
the bus, and count buttons to identify her destination-floor in the elevator. In order to avoid
addressing her condition as blindness since it bore “such a burden of negative connotations
and dreaded associations”, she would pass off her condition as “a problem with my eyes”. (p.
13). Young Kleege’s relationship with her vision-loss highlights the ways in which the stigma
surrounding blindness can impact one’s relationship with it, impacting social interaction,
bonding and identity construction in the process.
Self-Check Questions:
1. Why did Kleege prefer to let strangers believe that she was sighted?
2. What accounted for young Kleege’s confusion and fear, following her medical
diagnosis?
Blindness = Ineptitude
Kleege expresses her disregard for sighted individuals’ reductive view of her and her future,
denouncing people’s diminished expectations for a life without sight. Drawing from her
personal experience, she challenges the negative connotations that the term ‘blind’ carries-
darkness, dependence, destitution, despair and ignorance being a few. By giving examples
from her own life, she quashes the widespread belief that blindness equals ineptitude. Kleege
has trained her mind and body to complete daily tasks like cooking and laundry on her own-
tasks that can be accomplished with non-visual senses, while her husband, Nick, takes care of
visual tasks like cleaning and washing dishes. Citing blindness as a physical condition that
one can simulate, Kleege suggests her sighted readers to momentarily experience it (while
still perceiving light through their shut eyes) by closing their eyes. They would be astounded
to realize that they could accomplish most daily tasks with daily practice for man is a creature
of habit and capable of adjusting to varying environments. The fear then is not primarily
linked to one’s inability to adapt to the loss of sight, as much as it is linked to the fear of
family, friends, coworkers and strangers’ failure to adapt to one’s way of life.
Being Blind is Un-American
Kleege goes on to explore the difference between sight and vision, the two often used
interchangeably and largely expressed as the opposite of blindness. Kleege observes how a
major part of the American fear of blindness has to do with the fear of losing out on the
experience of driving independently from one place to another, thereby, losing their freedom.

18
She examines the physical and social isolation that sight-impaired teenagers experience on
account of their inability to drive; how a distinction being ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ is
established by the same since the selection, purchase and driving of a car forms an integral
part of the American identity.
In addition to this, American men and women also fear losing control of their sexuality
on account of blindness. Since eyes are highlighted as being a window to the soul, a channel
to communicate varying emotions without words, and a crucial medium of conveying one’s
feelings to a romantic interest, blindness is believed to have a devastating impact on men and
women’s experience and expression of sexuality. Moreover, given the widespread
understanding of the majority of women being preoccupied with thoughts of enhancing their
physical appearance by accentuating their eyes, loss of sight brings with it the fear of losing
one’s allure. Folklore has it that blind women are more attractive than sighted women for
their loss of one sense heightens the performance of the other senses, making them extremely
responsive to touch. Furthermore, on account of being ‘less desired’, they are often seen to be
grateful for attention, willing to perform sexual acts that a sighted woman would otherwise
deny. When it comes to the question of whether sex is really different for a blind person, she
expresses her inability to offer any valuable input since she lost her sight way before
experiencing sex for the first time.
The Marginalization of the Disabled
Kleege concludes by sharing details of her flight experience from Paris to Dallas with Nick,
her husband, highlighting the insensitive treatment meted out to a young disabled woman by
the able-bodied flight crew, who thought it better to ignore the woman’s needs, rather than
take the trouble of assisting her. The crew cited her failure to follow American flight
regulations, which did not permit wheelchair-bound individuals to board without a person-in-
charge, as the reason for their inability to assist her. The incident sheds light on the
marginalized status of the disabled who are pushed to the periphery of society. She cites
society’s neglect of the disabled as one of the reasons for now willingly carrying a white cane
as an indicator of her condition. By accepting her blindness and sharing it with her students,
she hopes to change their perspective on it and help them redefine it.
Self-Check Questions:
1. What are some of the negative connotations associated with blindness that Kleege
challenges through her writing?
2. How does blindness impact the affected individual’s experience of sexuality?
3. What facilitated Kleege’s eventual acceptance of her blindness?
Chapter 2: Blind Nightmares
The chapter critiques the (mis)representation of blind people in mainstream cinema, and the
negative stereotypes, pertaining to blindness, perpetuated by the medium. Kleege examines
how most screenwriters and directors go overboard in their depiction of blindness making it

19
central to the character’s existence; how the blind man is rarely the protagonist and seems to
exist only to highlight some other male companion. Kleege calls into question the depiction
of the blind character as someone who has a menial job with no specific ambition or direction
in life. They remain passive objects of speculation or a spectacle to be looked at.
In terms of sexuality, blind men are almost always presented as either asexual or over-
sexed. In most cases, blindness is equated with impotence implying that sex is for the sighted.
Some films depict blind men as gravitating towards traditional symbols of masculinity to
compensate for their sexual incompetency. For instance, in ‘See No Evil, Hear No Evil’, a
1989 thriller/comedy, blind men drive cars to recapture the feeling of power and control. It is
meant to facilitate bonding between the blind men and the sighted; the sighted companion
often performs the role of the responsible guide to the blind character.
Contrary to the portrayal of blind men in mainstream cinema, blind women are carved
out as delicate, helpless, defenseless figures, constantly preoccupied with their appearance. In
several cases, the passive blind female characters are seen seeking the help of sighted female
characters to “learn the womanly art of looking good” (Kleege 40). Movies tend to suggest
that blindness makes women more desirable for men as “men can look to their heart’s
content, and blind women won’t conceal themselves or look back. They cannot repel, reject
or resist the male gaze”. (Kleege 42) Films like ‘Jennifer 8’ push forth the view that blind
girls are not supposed to say no to a man’s sexual advance, and that the ‘rejection’ will bear
consequences like it does for the film’s blind female protagonist.
Self-Check Questions:
1. What are some of the stereotypes linked to blind/visually-impaired people perpetuated
by mainstream cinema?
*All references to the text are from:
Kleege, Georgina. Sight Unseen. (New Haven and London: Yale University Press,1999)
1.5 Further Readings
Mintz, Susannah B. “Invisible Disability: Georgina Kleege’s ‘Sight Unseen.’” NWSA
Journal, vol. 14, no. 3, The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002, pp. 155–77,
http://www.jstor.org/stable/4316929.
Kleege, Georgina. “Blindness and Visual Culture: An Eyewitness Account.” Journal of
Visual Culture, vol.4, no. 2, SAGE Publications (London, Thousand Oaks, CA and
New Delhi), 2005, pp. 179-190.
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.979.2966&rep=rep1&t
ype=pdf
Image Courtesy
Fig 1. Georgina Kleege
Source: https://english.berkeley.edu/profiles/45/show_books

20
(d) Fallen, Standing: My Life as a Schizophrenist (pp. 10-15, 83-87, 145-150)
Reshma Valliappan
Shrimi Gupta

1.1 Learning Objectives:

1. To explore the ways in which parental and societal pressure to conform to pre-
existing identity categories can aggravate existing mental health condition(s).
2. To understand the significance of language and technique in the narrativization of
mental health issues.
1.2 About the Author
Fig.1 Reshma Valliappan
Born in Malaysia, Reshma Valliappan (1980-present)
is an artist-activist who is known for her valuable
contribution to discussions surrounding mental
health, disability, human rights and sexuality. She
was awarded the Ink, as well as Ashoka Fellowship,
in 2014. Also known as Val Resh, she is the founder-
director of The Red Door, a platform that attempts to
redefine approach to mental health and disorders. Her
personal struggle with enduring schizophrenia4
without medication has been recorded in an award-
winning documentary titled ‘A Drop of Sunshine’
(2011). She paints extensively and provides
counselling to individuals dealing with schizophrenia.
Click on the links below to hear Reshma Valliappan speak about her experience:
1. A Drop of Sunshine - An award-winning documentary directed by Aparna Sanyal,
2011 recording Valliappan’s experience of dealing with schizophrenia without
medication. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ro5B2ecFSk
2. Link to Reshma Valliappan’s official website: a repository of her art pieces, blog
write-ups and talks - https://www.valresh.com/
3. What Can Life Teach You? - A talk by Reshma Valliappan for TEDxChristUniversity
1.3 About the Text
Fallen, Standing, employs personal writing forms like e-mail, diary entry and letters to
explore the writer’s journey of dealing with schizophrenia without medication. Narrating

4
You can learn more about the nature of the long-term mental disorder here:
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/schizophrenia/what-is-schizophrenia

21
events pertaining to the diagnosis of her condition to her treatment, Val Resh uses the stream
of consciousness technique to revisit the traumatic events from her childhood and express her
hurt while now in the supportive embrace of her older self. The technique allows readers to
study Valliappan’s inner thoughts and conflicts as they are narrated in a non-linear fashion,
akin to the natural flow of thoughts.
1.4 Critical Summary
Reshma Valliappan was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of twenty-two- a time when
she could not clearly fathom the implications of her condition. The diagnosis was followed
by a string of medication and treatments that further affected family dynamics and pushed her
to resort to self-harm. Rejecting medical treatment, Valliappan worked her way to understand
the symptoms of schizophrenia, the reason behind the hallucinations and the voices she
would often hear. She strived to accept her condition and immersed herself in creating art and
caring for animals instead of depending upon medicines.
pp. 10-15: In a letter addressed to Ritu, her editor, Valliappan opens up about her
struggles pertaining to the side-effects of her medication like drug-cravings, withdrawals,
depression, convulsions and suicidal thoughts. She writes about experiencing
‘depersonalization’- a state in which one’s thoughts, feelings or the outside world seems
unreal - and expresses her disinterest in resorting to therapy to “unite these different selves”
(Valliappan 10). Valliappan's regret of losing crucial years of her youth to dealing with the
symptoms of schizophrenia echoes the feelings of people affected by mental illness who lose
out on significant life experiences on account of their compromised health conditions.
The entry gives readers an insight into the mind of Valliappan as she recalls her
experience of ‘hearing voices’ for the first time- voices that told her to run away from her
home in Malaysia. Without giving it a second thought, Valliappan cut her hair short, put on
baggy clothes to safeguard herself against possible sexual harassment, and left her home on a
cycle in April, 1995. She cycled for over 156 kilometers with the intent to escape the weight
of expectations of her mother5.
Valliappan’s plan to escape her controlling parents fails as she is brought back home and
instead taken to a psychiatrist in May 1995, who raises questions over her gender-identity by
claiming that she was a boy trapped in a girl’s body. He offers to help her emotionally and
psychologically in her transition. The speculation over her alternate gender identity drawn
from her lifestyle choices highlights people’s tendency to fall into the trap of gender-based
stereotypes. Despite there being no validity in the psychiatrist’s claim, Valliappan finds
comfort in the letters he would write to her, reassuring her that she was not alone and that he
knew what she wanted. These were exactly the words that 15-year-old, troubled Valliapan
wished to hear for they served as an acknowledgement of her struggle- one which her parents
had failed to offer her.

5
Valliappan’s mother hailed from a typical Indian Maharashtrian family and felt that something was
fundamentally wrong with her daughter given her sartorial preferences, body language and behavior.
22
Self-Check Questions:
1. What is the significance of the stream of consciousness technique employed by
Valliappan in her writing?
2. How does Valliappan subvert gender and social norms through her specific choices?
pp. 83-87: Valliappan shares her experience of being sent to a correctional camp in Malaysia
by her parents in the hope that the trainers at the camp would be able to discipline her and
convince her to dress and behave in accordance with her feminine gender identity. The camp
turns out to be a disaster with trainers resorting to highly objectionable practices to ‘fix’ the
admitted children. Valliappan is body-shamed and publicly harassed for her clothing choices.
On the last day, she is forced to dress in borrowed ‘girl clothing’ from her roommate before
being brought in front of her parents. Unaware of the torturous methods employed to mould
the children into what their parents wished to see, Valliappan’s parents breathe a sigh of relief
on seeing the behaviour of her daughter ‘corrected’. Valliappan condemns the atmosphere of
fear induced to control their actions at such camps. Unable to erase the traumatic memory,
she decides to use it to rewrite her story.
The experience leaves an ever-lasting psychological scar as she comes to hate her parents
for putting her through such a humiliating experience. She calls into question the problematic
approach of society whereby everyone is expected to work within existing labels and
categories, with no scope to carve out a unique identity of one’s own.
pp. 145-150: Valliappan compiles few of her writings pertaining to mental health
awareness to commemorate World Mental Health Day. Her entry dated 2nd April, 2013 offers
a fresh approach to mental illness as she redefines and reclaims her experience of living with
a mental disorder. She condemns the mistreatment and harassment of individuals who don’t
fit into the existing societal labels, or those who choose to ignore protocols to live life on
their own terms. Deprived of fundamental rights in the name of ensuring the safety of the
masses, mental health patients are treated worse than criminals. They are denied the right to
vote, sign a contract, hold office, access the same education as ‘normal’ people. They have no
say in their own treatment and can be held against their will. Despite being deprived of all
their legal rights, they are expected to pay taxes.
In her entry dated April 14, 2013, Valliappan enlists “etiquette for practitioners for
treating a person with mental illness”, drawing from her personal interaction with doctors
from over the years (Valliappan 147). She suggests medical practitioners address her directly,
recognise her as an individual in her own right, rather than treating her as a passive object.
She asserts her right to determine and decide upon her own treatment, and be included in the
decision-making process.
In yet another entry dated April 15, 2013, Valliappan offers important notes for carers.
She advises carers to give space to a person with mental illness, avoid being overprotective
and rather let them explore life, fall and get up on their own. She requests carers to not
assume that a mentally ill person lacks social skills, and allow them to exercise agency. In her

23
May 26, 2013 entry, she criticizes society’s tendency to legitimize only those mental health
conditions whose symptoms are visible, and calls out people who enquire about the health of
another with no intention to really know or follow the conversation that would ensue.
Fallen, Standing, calls into question society’s tendency to push unique human
experiences into generic, narrow compartments; the practice of labeling individuals with
unconventional mindset, approach or behavior as mentally ill, mad or disturbed. Through her
writing, Valliappan challenges society’s understanding of ‘madness’, condemns the
stigmatization of mental health issues, and the marginalization of individuals struggling with
mental illness.
Self-Check Questions:
1. How does Valliappan’s experience at the correctional camp in Malaysia impact her
perception of self, parents and society?
2. What advice does Valliappan give to carers of mental health patients?
*All references to the text are from:
Reshma, Valliappan. Fallen, Standing: My Life as a Schizophrenist (New Delhi: Women
Unlimited, 2015).
1.5 Further Readings
Ferrario, Francesca. “‘Crazy Like Anybody Else,’ Reshma Valliappan on Pink Hair, Laughs,
and Schizophrenia.” YourStory.Com, 9 May 2015, https://yourstory.com/
2015/05/reshma-vallippan/amp
Reshma, Valliappan. “On Being ‘Normal.’” The Hindu, 17 May 2013,
www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/on-being-normal/article4721175.ece.
Image Courtesy
Fig.1 Reshma Valliappan
Source: http://challengesmedia.com/val-resh/

24
 (e) “Why Do You Want to Do BA”, One Little Finger (pp. 49–82).
Malini Chib
Shrimi Gupta

1.1 Learning Objectives:

1. To explore the spatial, social, personal and academic challenges faced by Malini Chib
at Xavier’s.
2. To examine the ways in which her affluent, well-connected, culturally rich family
background equips her with the necessary support-system to deal with the challenges.
3. To understand the importance of creating safe and inclusive spaces for people with
multiple disabilities.
1.2 About the Author

Fig.1 Malini Chib

Malini Chib (1966-present) is an Indian disability
rights activist, as well as founder and co-
chairperson of ADAPT (Able Disable All People
Together) Rights Group- an organization
dedicated to the cause of creating an inclusive
society. Chib was diagnosed with cerebral palsy,
an irreversible neurological condition, when she
was five months old. The condition affected her
motor skills, coordination and balance, making
activities like walking, talking, and swallowing
difficult. It was a result of damage caused to the
motor cells of her brain at birth when the
umbilical cord got stuck around her neck, cutting
down oxygen supply to the brain for a few
seconds. Defying doctors’ expectations who
claimed she would be reduced to a vegetable, she grew up to not merely survive her
condition, but carve out an identity of her own. She is one of the first students with multiple
disabilities to attend a mainstream college in India.
1.3 About the Text
One Little Finger (2011) is the autobiography of Malini Chib typed out by Chib over the
course of two years with only one little finger. The book, divided into three sections titled
“Roots”, “Growing Up” and “A Slice of Freedom”, takes readers through her childhood and
adulthood experiences as she sails through a myriad of challenges with the support of her
friends and family. It highlights the challenges of existing in a society that lacks awareness of
25
mental health issues and the general lack of sensitivity towards individuals battling mental,
neurological health conditions.
1.4 Critical Summary
Fig.2 Malini Chib with her mother, Mithu Alur
- Founder Chairperson of the Spastic Society of
India
Malini Chib was born into an affluent and
supportive family that left no stone unturned to
ensure that Chib received the best medical
treatment and educational environment to grow.
Her family relocated to England on realizing the
unavailability of medical experts who understood
Cerebral Palsy. Surrounded by empathetic and
fiercely supportive family members, she received
the kind of cognitively stimulating environment in
London that facilitated her growth. Following the
birth of her younger brother, Nikhilesh, her parents
were compelled to move back to Mumbai as they
could no longer cope with the demands of
attending to the needs of both the children. Even
after six long years, the attitude of Indian doctors
towards people suffering from disability had not
changed. Chib was treated like a patient, “a non-thinking person who needed fixing and
fitting into the mould of being normal”. (Chib 16) Chib’s mother, Mithu Alur, came to her
daughter’s rescue. Putting her hitherto garnered knowledge as a special educationist, and her
culturally rich background to use, she set up the first Center for Special Education in Mumbai
on 2nd October, 1972; a model school for children with multiple disabilities, similar to the one
Chib had attended at Cheyne Walk in England. With time, four more such centers came up in
Calcutta, Delhi, Bangalore and Madras.
1.4.1 “Why Do You Want to do BA?”
The chapter acquaints readers with the social, personal and academic challenges that come
with a person with disability being admitted in a mainstream college. One of the first students
with multiple disabilities to be enrolled in a mainstream Indian college, Chib’s admission into
St. Xavier’s Junior College, Bombay for her Higher Secondary Certificate brought with it the
nervous excitement of coming in contact with a “mass of normal students” for the first time
(Chib 49). Both Chib and the College were unprepared for what was to follow.
The chapter highlights the complete lack of awareness and sheer unpreparedness of
Indian educational institutions in the 1980s to deal with the presence of a person with
disability. The design of the campus in itself excluded disabled individuals with accessibility

26
emerging as a daily challenge. The main building had four floors and lectures were held on
the second and the third floors. The two available lifts were too small to fit in Chib’s electric-
wheelchair, forcing her to depend on peers for support. Since neither of the two lifts halted on
the mezzanine floor where the library was located, it prevented her from accessing the library
at all times. Inaccessibility of spaces made breaktime an event in itself as she had to be
physically helped to access open spaces. In addition to this, the standardized modes of
assessment and teaching adopted by the institution failed to accommodate the special needs
of Chib. While her mother managed to solve the problem of note-making by requesting a
classmate to write on a pad with a sheet of carbon paper that automatically created a copy of
the class-notes, the request for granting extra writing time to Chib during examinations was
not taken well by the Vice-Chancellor who went to the extent of questioning the need for
“these students” to write the exam. The apathy of the system and Chib’s increased
dependency on peers served as a constant reminder of her disability, deeply affecting her self-
confidence.
Chib had to endure the “piercing” stares of her classmates as she would enter the
classroom. Her monotone, slow and laborious speech would draw everyone’s attention to her
verbal responses, reducing her into a spectacle. “The indignity of it, the visibility of my
disability being pronounced glaringly, was very demeaning” (Chib 63). Seated amidst
‘normal’ students, “the desire to be perceived as normal”, to be included in social activities
caused her to put undue pressure on herself (Chib 75). Socializing emerged as another
challenge, given her impaired speech and overall condition. The embarrassment of being
excluded from group activities often left her feeling isolated and frustrated. The realization
that people did not really want her company caused deep emotional damage. It led her to
ruminate over the social distinction drawn between ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’. Her poor
performance in her first set of exams aggravated her negative feelings, making her feel small
and inadequate. But with the support of her mother, she managed to pass her first- year
exams.
Chib went on to become a well-known figure at Xavier’s by her fifth year, befriending
people, experiencing attraction and enjoying the little pleasures of college life. Deflecting her
thoughts away from the irreversible nature of her disability, she chose to focus on the
privileges that allowed her to navigate the daily challenges posed by her condition.
1.4.2 “Introduction to Port Wine: Goa with Nicky”
The chapter records Chib’s experience of spending a relaxing time with her twenty-two year
old brother, Nikhil, in Goa. The trip meant a great deal to her as it offered her an opportunity
to bond with and “discover the adult Nick” (Chib 77). The way Nikhil takes care of Chib’s
major and minor needs reflects his sensitivity towards her condition. Chib’s passing mention
of the disable-friendly nature of the Bombay airport and how it helped ease out her travel
anxiety highlights the need for more such spaces for people living with different kinds of
disabilities. Unlike the Bombay airport, the boutique in Goa posed a challenge for Chib as it
came with an Indian-style toilet. Chib had to be escorted to the only-available western-toilet

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facility in a cafe on the beach each time she expressed the urge to use the toilet. As per Chib’s
account, Goa did not emerge as a disable-friendly place, but that did not dampen Chib’s
spirit, for Nikhil managed to find a way to ensure that she had a memorable time.
Self-Check Questions:
1. What are some of the challenges that Malini Chib faced at St. Xavier’s Junior College,
Bombay?
2. How did Chib’s experience of interacting with students at Xavier's further aggravate her
social anxiety and fear of exclusion?
*All references to the text are from:
Malini Chib, “Why Do You Want to Do BA”, One Little Finger (New Delhi: Sage, 2011).
1.5 Further Readings
Couser, G. Thomas. 2005. ‘Disability, Life Narrative, and Representation.’ PMLA 120 (2):
602-606.
Kumari, Gunjan. “Critiquing Cultural and Climatic Norms for the Disabled in India:
Reading Malini Chib’s One Little Finger” Akademos [2231-0584], vol. 14, pp. 42-55.
akademos.in/2020/02/42-55.pdf.
Image Courtesy
Fig.1 Malini Chib
Source: https://www.tarshi.net/inplainspeak/author/malini-chib/
Fig. 2 Malini Chib with her mother, Mithu Alur - Founder Chairperson of the Spastic Society
of India
Source: https://www.indiacontent.in/malini-chib/pr-848085/

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