Writing a character with autism/aspergers

Page 1 of 1 [ 8 posts ] 

Belushi87
Sea Gull
Sea Gull

User avatar

Joined: 25 May 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 217
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia

19 Apr 2019, 3:24 am

If there was a book that had a character with Autism/Aspergers, how would you want to character to be portrayed? what traits/symptoms would you want the character to have? how would the other characters react? how would the characters on the outside feel about meeting said character in public?



magz
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator

User avatar

Joined: 1 Jun 2017
Age: 39
Gender: Female
Posts: 16,283
Location: Poland

19 Apr 2019, 3:44 am

Rich Purnell from The Martian book (not movie). The best portrait of Asperger's I've seen in fiction. I like the movie character, too, but in the movie he's more ADHD than Asperger's ;)


_________________
Let's not confuse being normal with being mentally healthy.

<not moderating PPR stuff concerning East Europe>


Joe90
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Feb 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 26,492
Location: UK

19 Apr 2019, 5:36 am

Completely non-stereotypical.


_________________
Female


caThar4G
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 21 Dec 2016
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,231
Location: TN

19 Apr 2019, 6:44 am

I actually started writing book about a character with high functioning autism as seen as something else. That's all I'll say.



Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 May 2008
Age: 67
Gender: Male
Posts: 60,896
Location: Stendec

19 Apr 2019, 9:20 am

Belushi87 wrote:
If there was a book that had a character with Autism/Aspergers, how would you want to character to be portrayed?
Like one of those heroic anime/manga characters with slightly exaggerated masculine or feminine anatomical features.
Belushi87 wrote:
what traits/symptoms would you want the character to have?
Incredible intelligence, virtual omniscience, and perfect health, all wrapped in a guise of sexual/social innocence.
Belushi87 wrote:
how would the other characters react?
With total awe and worship.
Belushi87 wrote:
how would the characters on the outside feel about meeting said character in public?
"We're not worthy!"

Typical  Anime Trope  Aspie Troupe:

Image

:wink:


_________________
 
The previous signature line has been cancelled.


AceofPens
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jun 2017
Gender: Female
Posts: 439
Location: United States

19 Apr 2019, 4:52 pm

I would want it to affect the narrative. Often when characters with disabilities are introduced into films, books, et cetera their problems are "covered up." A character with a wheel chair will have a super high-tech one, so that they don't have any mobility issues. A character with Aspergers will have hyperfocus, but it's purely beneficial. They can pull back when they need to and their interests are always useful. The disabilities become merely decorative in these depictions. I would want the actual disability to serve the narrative somehow. Fuel conflict, further the plot, something. I'm really tired of depictions that only highlight the positives, which are not a given by any means with a disability, and neglect the core attributes of the condition, which are - obviously - disabling. There's frankly no reason to have a character with a disability in your story if you never show them being disabled.


_________________
I have not the kind affections of a pigeon. - Ralph Waldo Emerson


danchrist
Hummingbird
Hummingbird

Joined: 11 Apr 2019
Posts: 18

19 Apr 2019, 9:11 pm

magz wrote:
Rich Purnell from The Martian book (not movie). The best portrait of Asperger's I've seen in fiction. I like the movie character, too, but in the movie he's more ADHD than Asperger's ;)


Loved that in the book. Hopefully not a spoiler, but in a way he's the hero of the book because of his Aspie-ness



Magna
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Jun 2018
Gender: Male
Posts: 6,932

19 Apr 2019, 10:37 pm

AceofPens wrote:
I would want it to affect the narrative. Often when characters with disabilities are introduced into films, books, et cetera their problems are "covered up." A character with a wheel chair will have a super high-tech one, so that they don't have any mobility issues. A character with Aspergers will have hyperfocus, but it's purely beneficial. They can pull back when they need to and their interests are always useful. The disabilities become merely decorative in these depictions. I would want the actual disability to serve the narrative somehow. Fuel conflict, further the plot, something. I'm really tired of depictions that only highlight the positives, which are not a given by any means with a disability, and neglect the core attributes of the condition, which are - obviously - disabling. There's frankly no reason to have a character with a disability in your story if you never show them being disabled.


I would find this more interesting as well. I agree with you.

There was some detective series of which I checked a book out at the library last year and the private investigator protagonist had Asperger's and the traits were overly stereotypical (e.g. the hyper-focus as a super power kind of thing that someone mentioned). I read maybe the first quarter of the book and that was it. I thought it was boring and don't even remember the title or author.