Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Dickens and disability

S F Wainapel1

  • 1Jacobi Medical Center, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.

Disability and Rehabilitation
|December 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary

Charles Dickens used physical disabilities symbolically in his novels. Deformities often represented inner corruption or served as punishment, with wheelchairs symbolizing imprisonment.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A clash of cultures: reflections of a physician with a disability.

Lancet (London, England)·1999
Same author

Alternate four-point sweep-through gait--a technique for patients with combined neuromuscular and visual impairments: case reports.

American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation·1999
Same author

Morbidly obese patients with pulmonary disease--a retrospective study of four cases: a brief report.

American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation·1999
Same author

Use of alternative therapies by rehabilitation outpatients.

Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation·1998
Same author

Use of a motorized wheelchair in conjunction with a guide dog for the legally blind and physically disabled.

Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation·1998
Same author

Rehabilitation of the older amputee.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society·1997

Area of Science:

  • Literary analysis
  • Cultural studies
  • Disability studies

Background:

  • Charles Dickens' novels frequently feature characters with physical disabilities or deformities.
  • These physical conditions are often employed symbolically to underscore the author's thematic concerns.

Discussion:

  • Dickens portrays disabled children as innocent victims.
  • Adult characters with disabilities are often depicted as morally corrupt, their deformities signifying inner depravity.
  • Physical impairments like paralysis or aphasia, often resulting from cerebrovascular accidents, are depicted as punishments for moral failings in non-disabled characters.

Key Insights:

  • Physical deformities in Dickens' works serve as outward manifestations of inner moral states.
  • The wheelchair is presented as a powerful metaphor for imprisonment and retributive justice.

Outlook:

  • Further analysis could explore the evolution of disability representation in Victorian literature.
  • Comparative studies could examine Dickens' portrayal of disability against other contemporary authors.
  • Investigating the socio-historical context of disability in Dickens' era can enrich understanding of these literary depictions.

Related Experiment Videos