Fictional aspie characters

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Odin
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20 Mar 2008, 8:59 am

Which fictional people in TV shows, movies, and books are, or seem to be, aspies?

One that pops into my head is Dr. Gregory House on the Fox TV medical drama "House MD,"

Quote:

House's character frequently shows his cunning and biting wit, enjoys picking people apart, and often mocks their weaknesses.[19] House accurately deciphers people's motives and histories from aspects of their personality and appearance.[20] Dr. James Wilson once says that while "some doctors have the messiah complex — they need to save the world", House has "a Rubik's complex" — he needs "to solve the puzzle."[21] House typically waits as long as possible before meeting his patients.[19] When he encounters his patients, House shows an unorthodox bedside manner and uses unconventional treatments. However, he impresses them with rapid and accurate diagnoses after seemingly not paying attention. This skill is demonstrated in a scene where House diagnoses an entire waiting room full of patients in little over one minute on his way out of the hospital clinic.[22]

His crankiness is commonly attributed to the chronic pain in his leg (as a result of the infarction) for which he requires the aid of a cane. According to Stacy Warner, his former girlfriend, he was "pretty much the same" before the infarction, and his boss Lisa Cuddy claimed that after the surgery he was "an egomaniacal, narcissistic pain in the ass — same as before."[18][23] For his chronic leg pain, House takes Vicodin on a daily basis, and as a result has developed an addiction to the drug.[24] He concedes that he has an addiction, but says that the addiction is not a problem because it does not interfere with his work.[25]

House openly talks about and makes references to pornography.[26] In one episode, he returns the flirtations of a female under age patient ("Lines in the Sand"), and is seen on at least two occasions engaging the services of a prostitute.[11]

He is an atheist and openly mocks colleagues or patients who express any level of belief in any aspect of religion.[27][28]

House frequently says "Everybody lies," but jokingly remarked that he was lying when he said that in the first season finale.[29] House criticizes social etiquette for lack of rational purpose and usefulness. In one episode, he explains how he envies an autistic patient because society allows the patient to forgo the niceties that he must suffer through. Later in the same episode, Dr. Wilson suggests that House might have Asperger Syndrome, which is a mild form of autism characterized by a number of traits found in House, such as difficulty accepting the purpose of social rules, lack of concern for his physical appearance, and resistance to change.

House is a strong non-conformist and gives little regard to how others perceive him.[30] Throughout the series, he displays sardonic contempt for authority figures. House shows an almost constant disregard for his own appearance, possessing a permanent stubble and dressing informally in jeans and a t-shirt. He avoids wearing the standard white lab coat to avoid patients recognizing him to be a doctor.[31]

House has a small social life and his only friend is Dr. James Wilson.[21][30] Wilson knew House before the infarction, and looked after him when House's relationship with Stacy ended.[23] Dr. Wilson's moving into House's apartment after his failed marriage in "Sex Kills" symbolizes his taking emotional refuge in his friend.[32] Although they frequently analyze and criticize each other's motives, Wilson has risked his career to protect House. House has quietly admitted, at several instances, that he is grateful for Wilson's presence, including referring to Wilson as his best friend.

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gitchel
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20 Mar 2008, 10:07 am

Well, there's Sherlock Holmes (who House was patterned after) and Adrian Monk (who is aspie with OCD co-morbid, and perhaps a bit of post traumatic stress syndrom) and the entire cast of Big Bang Theory, of course.

Or the nextdoor neighbor in To Kill a Mockingbird (Boo Radley)

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Eagles1986
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20 Mar 2008, 10:15 am

Jerry Espenson from "Boston Legal"

Danielismyname
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20 Mar 2008, 10:23 am

House is just a typical jerk (people like this are everywhere); Monk has the "geek syndrome" along with his anxiety disorders.

The two above lack the telltale absence of multiple nonverbal behaviours that are always evident in ASDs (plus they interact far too well with far too many people).

Compiku
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20 Mar 2008, 10:25 am

What's funny is, I was just about to start a thread like this. (I know it's been discussed before, but I didn't think it was a good idea to dig up an old thread.)

I know I'll think of more later, but one big one for me has always been Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes. He prefers to be by himself (well, with his tiger anyway) than with other kids, and he's very creative and imaginative. He's also very smart...for a six year old, anyway.

It's hard to explain it all here, but if you read a few, you'll probably agree.

Sora
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20 Mar 2008, 10:29 am

Zack and Brennan of TV series Bones are admitted to have AS or almost have AS. They don't actually say.

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/ellen_gray/20070131_Ellen_Gray___Boreanaz_says__Bones__is_not_procedural.html

D1nk0
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20 Mar 2008, 10:36 am

ZOMGWTFBBQ1! What about Charles Wallace Murray from A Wrinkle in Time?

Anemone
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20 Mar 2008, 10:41 am

I don't think Calvin is autistic. I think he could make all the friends he wanted if he liked but he just can't be bothered. There's a difference between voluntary solitude and involuntary solitude.

There's a list on Wikipedia for this (at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_characters_on_the_autistic_spectrum), and I noticed Dr. Kio Masada from C. S. Friedman's This Alien Shore on the list. I read that book and he's classic autism (at least from what I can see). I think she was careful in her protrayal.

I'd be careful about diagnosing fictional characters unless they're explicitly autistic. Although, of course, even if they are, it doesn't mean it's an accurate portrayal of autism.

zen_mistress
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20 Mar 2008, 10:52 am

I dont think Calvin is Aspie, I think he is ADHD. His dad seems a little bit aspie though.

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Dhp
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20 Mar 2008, 10:55 am

How can anyone overlook the character Spock from Star Trek? He definitely has Asperger's Syndrome!

zen_mistress
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20 Mar 2008, 10:55 am

Oh, and I think House is an Aspie character, but because a likely NT (Hugh Laurie) has to not only play an aspie but simultaneously put on an American accent, he comes off as not being quite aspie. Still I think Hugh does a great job anyway.

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Compiku
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20 Mar 2008, 11:00 am

Anemone wrote:

I'd be careful about diagnosing fictional characters unless they're explicitly autistic. Although, of course, even if they are, it doesn't mean it's an accurate portrayal of autism.

There seems to be two kinds of people when it comes to this topic: the people who speculate about whether a character may have an ASD, and the people who say we shouldn't do such speculation.

Personally, I don't think of this so much as "diagnosing" a character as I think of it as speculation. Calvin is not a real person, so it's impossible to determine whether or not he really has an ASD (short of asking Watterson, anyway), but we can point out that he does or doesn't have characteristics of an ASD.

Also, in my experience, the characters that are speculated to have ASDs would often make a more accurate portrayal than the characters that are explicitly stated as autistic.

iceb
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20 Mar 2008, 11:05 am

Barclay - Star Trek next gen.
Avon - Blakes 7

both very different but both noted for there aspie traits.

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Morrissey
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20 Mar 2008, 11:05 am

I love this game -

Most Johnny Depp characters
The lead guy in "Stranger Than Fiction"
The nerd in "American Splendor"
The child prodigy in "August Rush"
Adam Sandler in "Punch Drunk Love"
Possibly "Eraserhead"
The guy who works in the cellar in "Office Space"
And for the office workers out there - "Bartleby" and "Willard"

Anemone
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20 Mar 2008, 11:10 am

Compiku wrote:

Anemone wrote:

I'd be careful about diagnosing fictional characters unless they're explicitly autistic. Although, of course, even if they are, it doesn't mean it's an accurate portrayal of autism.

True, but there are lots of people like Calvin who aren't the slightest bit autistic. Personality is not diagnostic. I should go write a paper.

gitchel
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20 Mar 2008, 11:29 am

Danielismyname wrote:

I admit that both are rather interpreted versions of aspies, and that their players - being actors and no more experts than I am - are far more interactive than they ought to be, but I do see frequent attempts to show the non-verbal disconnects you mention. I think non-communication may be the hardest thing to communicate on stage.

I don't think I've ever seen Monk move his face or body in any way helpful to communication. He may grimace or look overwhelmed, but never anything else. Sometimes he'll smile, but it tends to be overdone and obviously unskilled.

House is a jerk, but I think aspies can be jerks too.

I'm not sure they are as social as you imply. I think neither of them is being social from preference, at least. And neither is doing a very good job of it. Also, they are both extremely bright and motivated, and may be socializing with skills they've learned by rote and long practice.

I, myself, have ended up on the technical support telephone bank. I socialize politely, and with a fairly intelligent humor, every day, dozens of times a day. I do it well because I've learned and practiced certain techniques that I've found to put NTs at ease, and to get them to tell me things I can actually use. I don't enjoy it. I'd rather poke a screwdriver in my ear.

The fact that I've learned how to pass as an NT, at some level that makes it possible to earn a living, doesn't make me an NT - regardless of how they think over at Autism Speaks ;-)

It just makes me an unhappy – and grumpy – aspie. Perhaps some people see me as a grumpy jerk sometimes ;-)

So, you may be right. Monk and House may just be weird and cranky. But they're close enough to aspies for my taste.

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