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Poppy, the heroine's sister in Barbara Delinsky's
Lake News, uses a wheelchair. Since I use
a wheelchair myself, I'm always on the lookout
for disabled characters in the novels I read.
And I don't mean characters who are cured in the
story, but characters who live with a disability.
I don't find many.
Some writers may feel uncomfortable creating
disabled characters if they don't have a disability
themselves. This shouldn't be a deterrent. After
all, our characters fly planes, solve mysteries,
and even live in a different century.
I have some suggestions that might help writers
feel more comfortable. Don't worry about using
politically correct terms. I use the terms disabled
and handicapped, while some people prefer the
term "physically challenged." The important
thing is not that you use the right label, but
that you show your character's disability in a
realistic way.
Perhaps the easiest way to illustrate what I
mean is to give some examples of the mistakes
made in communication. People should never give
help to a disabled person without asking if they
need or want it. If they say yes, listen to how
they want you to help.
This simple rule has a lot of dramatic possibilities.
I once had a man jump out of his car to assist
me by loading my wheelchair into my car. It was
a nice thought, but if he had asked first I would
have explained that I was in the process of unloading
my wheelchair. I was about to sit in it when he
folded it up.
Another simple rule is not to make assumptions
about a person's disability. Do not raise your
voice when speaking to someone in a wheelchair.
Because they use a chair does not mean they are
hard of hearing.
A similar mistake is to ignore the disabled person
and talk to her companion. A waitress might ask
my companion, "Does she want cream in her
coffee?"
Your disabled character can also make mistakes.
They can be too proud to ask for help when they
need it, or they can resent any help offered.
It's important that they not be a paragon of virtue.
That would be boring and unrealistic. In one of
my stories my heroine uses a wheelchair. Meg is
both impatient and quick to lose her temper. She
has to meet Tom, a man she doesn't know, in a
public place. On the phone Tom asks what she looks
like. Since his question comes at a bad time,
Meg impatiently tells him she has red hair and
is very short. All the way to the restaurant Meg
regrets her impulsive response and worries about
what Tom will think when he sees her in a wheelchair.
She is relieved when Tom spots her at once and
chuckles. He shows that he is comfortable with
her chair and finds her brusque description of
herself humorous.
If your character is in a wheelchair or on crutches,
it's important to pay attention to accessibility
problems. When Meg is entering a public building,
I have her searching for the ramp. When she goes
to a pub with Tom, she checks to see if the restroom
is accessible before she accepts a beer.
How others relate to disabled characters can
be the most interesting aspect of their presence
in your story. There is the possibility for respect
or disrespect, support or disregard, understanding
or misunderstanding.
In Barbara Delinsky's story, Poppy develops a
relationship with a man over the phone, but refuses
to meet him. She hasn't told him she uses a wheelchair.
When they finally meet, he makes it clear he is
interested in her. He invites her to dinner and
gives her the opportunity to tell him what help
he should give. Although Poppy is independent
and used to pushing herself, she knows her friends
feel more connected to her when they push her
chair. She instructs him to push while she points.
This simple exchange shows them both respecting
and caring for each other's feelings.
Ida Curtis is a member of GVC.
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