Exceptionality and Blindness

Exceptionality and Blindness Christian Harrison Spalding University Professor Rita Bowman ECS 550 June 9, 2011

Exceptionality and Blindness Exceptionality and Blindness In the movie Blindness an ailment that causes the host to become blind devastates society to the brink of collapse. The writers center the film on the age old idea of what if. In this movie the what if is carried out, and the writers idea of what role the human condition plays on society is brought fourth. This has brought about controversy of course with the depiction of blind people behaving in almost a savage-like manor. This is not an end-of-the-world romp or natural disaster film, but a depiction of how a well-known disability of a minority can influence and alter the state of being if suddenly attained by everyone. The subjective nature of how those with visual impairments are depicted in the movie and the particular language that is exerted by the characters, allow for a meaningful range of perceptions worthy of colloquy. In this movie, society is moving along on a seemingly routine day. At a stop light a man is stricken with blindness. Panic thus ensues from the blind man, minimal in comparison to the level of panic from society as this ailment becomes rampant throughout the city. Government officials quarantine the citizens to a rundown facility equipped with cots and showers but under the most deplorable of conditions and standards. There is however once person who is able to see who only pretends to be blind. She assists the others in the facility with basic tasks such as showering, finding beds, and preparing food. There is a homeless man who does not suffer this disease as the movie portrayals because he was blind before the outbreak. The author from here allows for human nature to move

Exceptionality and Blindness the story, allowing for the monstrosities and savagery that plagues humanity with the juxtaposition of hope and benevolence. There are several perceptions of the way this movie depicts people with blindness. One is the idea that blind people are savages. This view is from the National Federation of the Blind. This film portrays people who are blind as incompetent, filthy, vicious, and depraved. They are unable to do even the simplest things like dressing, bathing, and finding the bathroom (Danielsen, 2008). The characters in the movie are regular individuals whose lives have become altered due to this disability. It would be hard to imagine are person going from relying heavily on sight to suddenly becoming sight-impaired. It will be very difficult to adjust to seemingly regular things, like walking without crashing into objects, finding the bathroom. The movie is not illustrating people with blindness as savages but rather painting a picture that as society crumbles we enter what Thomas Hobbes would describe as a state of nature or a condition of war of every man against every man (Hobbes, 2004). So it is not the disability that is targeted but rather humanitys struggle to deal with the collapse of society and engulfment by this state of nature. The disability is the cause of the plunge but the movie is careful not to demonize the disorder. The movie only uses the disorder as a way of stripping society from the amenities it so relies on, to expose a much darker trait within humanity. That is not to say people who visually impaired are only capable of such horrid acts, but humans themselves are. In a way, the movie amalgamates us all regardless of abilities, to actually processing the ability to fall to corruption.
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Exceptionality and Blindness Another view is that of the blind relaying on a person who is visual to survive. This person also is the beacon of light, the good, in this new world amidst the deprivation and degradation. The movie does not have a clear example of someone who is blind having an equal amount of this quality. However, the movie does not characterize all people with blindness as amoral. The movie is clearly multi-tiered. The portrayal of her in one aspect is that of the shepherd leading the lambs due to her ability to see, but more important due to her ability, she is the accommodator. The movie does not depict the blind as helpless, but rather as having the ability to adjust. Just like in modern society, the inability does not equate to ineptness. In the world a person with vision impairment has accommodations, but not before adjusting to a sense base culture, a prevailing sense is that of sight. The movie accurately depicts the struggle for adjustment a person may go through if vision impaired. We take for granted walking to the bathroom, whereas a person adjusting may learn to count steps and turns. It is not impossible to adjust without accommodations; however these services are rendered and accepted widely by the community of persons with disabilities. This is her humanitarian side manifesting itself through her actions. In several circumstances, people with disabilities may adjust to the point where they no longer need accommodations, but it is a timely adjustment to reach that point. Blind people are a cross-section of society, and as such we represent the broad range of human capacities and characteristics. We are not helpless children or immoral, degenerate monsters; we are teachers, lawyers, mechanics,
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Exceptionality and Blindness plumbers, computer programmers, and social workers (Danielsen, 2008). The movie only supports this statement rather than refuting it. In fact, the man who was already blind before the outbreak does not request accommodations for he is already acclimated to his condition. The movie is careful not to suggest that his disability lead to his being a vagrant, only that he is accustomed to his inability. This character is in stark contrast to the other novices. It is clear to see that after adjustment familiarity with surroundings can occur, but one needs that adjustment period to gain this acclimation. The language of the movie is not what one would consider people-first. Several times, especially when a person first experiences the condition, the characters will say Im blind, youre blind, or any other similar way to say it. It is understood the meaning and impact of using person-first language. It allows for the focus to be on the person rather than the disability. However, in the context of the movie, the lack of person- first language is appropriate. This particular type of language is one that results from a stable society able to focus on ethics and equality. A structured and productive society is able to focus on such much needed issues. Within the context of this movie, this is not possible for this society. One overlooks the social context of the movie if perception is clouded by the improper language pattern used for the film. When one analyzes the stages and tasks for the family as it applies to special needs and disabilities, it sheds more light on the framework of the story. The first stage is that of disbelief, denial and grief. It is the second stage that education of the disability occurs. Conversely, it t is not until the fifth stage that appreciation and
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Exceptionality and Blindness empowerment takes place (Heward, 2009). As society crumbles and only uncertainty looms, how is one able to reach the fifth stage? The lack of personfirst language within the context of the story is supported by the five level progressions. The characters remain at stage one, completely in shock and disbelief. Living contained by this incredulous state only intensifies the lack of social norms and customs that only deteriorates as the story advances. At the resolution of the movie, the aforementioned initial character that received this circumstance first, suddenly without any explanation was able to see. His response was that he can see, which adds another level to the social context of the story and language as it pertains to disabilities. The shift to personfirst language seems to have an understanding at this point in the story. We as a society focus on what a person can do, the ability is a product of the person, an extension of the person, not the person itself. He can walk, she can talk, and they can hear are all simple examples of this extraordinary issue. Even within the movie, the disability is the person as far as language goes which seems to only be a representation of common speech. We do not say He is walk or she is talk, but only when the lack of ability transpires does language show that inability as the person. Nevertheless within the context of the story, this subjective view may not correlate with any intent of the author, but does however, shed a light on our perceptions as a society that reflects through our language. In my opinion this movie does a great job in depicting the struggles one would go through if faced with this newfound disability. I already had a preconceived notion of blindness, I believe we all have tried to navigate our
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Exceptionality and Blindness domiciles with our eyes closed, and failed horrendously, yet we see the same set of environmental features often. I would have to admit that one of my biggest fears is to lose my vision, but this movie paints a beautiful picture under the muck and deterioration of a life where losing my vision is not something worth fearing. How this can impact me in the classroom is listening to those living with the disability that have become accustomed to the disability and hear their story, embrace their vision of the world. There are things I can learn from someone who is unable to see, appreciate new things that maybe I disregarded due to my reliance on sight. In conclusion Blindness presents its viewers with a mirror, a reflection of who we are, what we are capable of, and how we cope with uncertainty. Ironically through this mirror the film title is Blindness. While being controversial with the depiction and the particular language only adds to the intensity of imagery in the mirror. A person who is blind is not evil or treacherous due to the condition of blindness, but that humans possess this inherent quality regardless of condition. This quality is not the disability, similarly as the disability is not the person. Through the need for accommodations and adjustment or the already familiar, the movie portrays a person with this particular disability accurately. The understanding of the language used seems to mirror the stage process that occurs in society and in classrooms across the country, but in the same context, the language used exemplifies our desire to admire what can be done and neglect that that cannot. In a harsh way we view society through this film, and

Exceptionality and Blindness while there are some who lack the ability to see, without an understanding of who we are, we are blind.

Exceptionality and Blindness

Bibliography
Danielsen, C. (2008, September 30). National Federation of the Blind. Retrieved June 9, 2011, from NFB web site: http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=368 Heward, W. L. (2009). Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education. UpperSaddle River, NJ: Pearson. Hobbes, T. (2004). Leviathan. In L. P. Pojman, The moral Life: An Introductory Reader in Ethics and Literature (pp. 41-51). New York: Oxford University Press. Meirelles, F. (Director). (2008). Blindness [Motion Picture].