Friday Blog: Week Seven

This week I began reading The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion pages 1-118. In addition to reading 118 pages, I also watched another episode of Atypical. While I was reading I came across a few words that I was unfamiliar with.

Vocab:

Subtleties p.5

Delicacy or nicety of character or meaning.

Euphemism p.10

The substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.

Exuberant p.13

Effusively and almost uninhibitedly enthusiastic; lavishly abundant.

Procure p.24

To obtain or get by care, effort, or the use of special means.

Dubious p.43

Doubtful; marked by or occasioning doubt.

Belligerent p.44

Of warlike character; aggressively hostile; bellicose.

Fastidious p.50

Excessively particular, critical, or demanding; hard to please.

Platitude p.74

A flat, dull, or trite remark, especially one uttered as if it were fresh or profound.

Ostensibly p.83

Outwardly appearing as such; professed; pretended.

Proprietor p.116 

A person who has the exclusive right or title to something; an owner, as of real property.

https://www.dictionary.com/

Thursday Blog: Week Seven

This week I began reading the book The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. This book is about a man named Don Tillson who has an autism spectrum disorder which is undiagnosed. The book follows Don, as he looks for a wife using a series of surveys and questionnaires to determine who is the best-fit woman for him. He is a professor of genetics and his life has a set schedule and all of his days are planned and laid out in an orderly fashion. His approach to his love life is quite out of the ordinary and shows how different life can be when one is living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This book differs from my other books read because of the age of Don. Although the book Wish followed Bobby throughout his life, The Rosie Project begins in adulthood which provides a new perspective on the fictional portrayal of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Another thing about this book which is also providing me with a wider range of insight is the fact that, Don is on the high functioning side of the spectrum and because of that still does many things a typical adult would. This provides information on some of the differences between a neurotypical person life as an adult and a person on the Autism Spectrum.

Source: http://www.afaa-us.org/core-issues/employment

One thing that I have learned from reading The Rosie Project so far is what life is like as an adult working with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. As I previously mentioned, Don is a professor at a college where he teaches genetics. A job like teaching requires impeccable communication skills and extra-personal skills. In terms of communicating, while teaching, one must use language which is comprehensible and speak with confidence. Often times people on the spectrum struggle with skills like these. Often using complex vocabulary and confidence while speaking in front of large groups. Don, to spite his disorder is able to effectively communicate with his students using appropriate vocabulary and his self-assured tone.

 

Tuesday Blog: Week Seven

This week I began reading the book The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. This book is about a man named Don Tillson who has an autism spectrum disorder but is yet to be diagnosed. The book follows Don Tillson, as he looks for a wife using a series of surveys and questionnaires to determine who is the best-fit woman for him. He is a professor of genetics and accordingly lives an orderly and predictable life in a sheltered academic setting. His approach to his love life is quite out of the ordinary and shows how different life can be when one is living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Source: www.amitkanand.com

Quote

"I have found a solution to the Wife Problem. As with many scientific breakthroughs, the answer was obvious in retrospect. But if it had not been for a series of unscheduled events, it is unlikely I would have discovered it." (Simsion 1)

Don, a genetics professor lives an orderly life and everything is done a certain way. In addition to his orderly life, Don also has a rather mechanical approach to life. From his job to his personal life everything contains aspects of science. Don even applies his passion for science to his love life which in the past has proven to be rather uneventful. The way Don talks about his love life as a Wife Problem and calls the solution a scientific breakthrough proves that love in his eyes is much different from the way others view love. This quote which happens to be the opening of the book perfectly introduces the fact that Don's approach to love is different and introduces some of the struggles he faces as he tries to solve the "Wife Problem". Don is a perfect representation of someone who has autism on the high functioning side of the spectrum and is looking for love because relationships, when someone has autism, can be very different from someone who is neurotypical in a relationship.

This book reminds me a lot of the show Atypical on Netflix. Atypical follows a teenager named Sam, who is on the autism spectrum. Much like Don in The Rosie Project, Sam has decided he wants a relationship. Sam because he is only a teenager is faced with different problems when looking for love, like being more independent and self-sufficient. Sam who still lives with his family, influences his mom in particular to take a second look at how they are living. His mother and the rest of his family, including his father and sister, are now trying to understand their son and all the changes he is trying to make in his life. As Sam continues on his journey his family and friends around his question what it means to be normal. Much like how Don's approach to love and happiness is different, so is Sam's, this shows how both the book and the show portray life with an ASD.

Source: www.youtube.com

Friday Blog: Week Six

This week I read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon pages 144-226. while reading I did not find any words that I was unfamiliar with because of the shift in tone of the book after the discovery of his mother being alive. Instead, I decided to find words that are used in Europe, where the book takes place,  that have different meanings than they do in the United States.

Vocab:

Jumper – In the USA a jumper is someone who ends their life by jumping off something. In the UK, a jumper is a type of sweater (usually knitted).
Trainer – In the USA a trainer is a professional that works with you in a gym. In the UK trainer is the name given to Gym shoes.
Pants – In the USA, pants are trousers. In the UK, pants are underwear.
but a bird is also just a bird.
Bog – In the USA, a bog is a marshy area of boggy land. In the UK, a bog is another name for a toilet. Bog roll is toiler paper.
Braces – In the USA, braces are devices placed on teeth to straighten them. In the UK, braces hold up pants (what we call suspenders).
Trolley – In the USA, a trolley is a public transportation conveyance (most famous in San Francisco). In the UK, a trolly is a shopping cart.
Chips – In the USA, chips are potato chips (or corn chips). In the UK, chips are what we would call fries but are a chunkier version.
Coach – In the USA, a coach is someone who manages a sports team. In the UK, a coach is a bus.
Biscuit – In the USA, a biscuit is a buttery bread roll. In the UK, a biscuit is a cookie.
Flannel – In the USA, a flannel is a type of button down shirt that’s very warm. In the UK, a flannel is a washcloth.
Boot – In the USA, a boot is a form of footwear. In the UK, a boot is the trunk of a car.
Caravan – In the USA, a caravan is a type of minivan. In the UK, a caravan is a type of recreational vehicle.
Post – In the USA, a post is something in the ground holding something up. In the UK, the post is the mail.

Definitions taken from

 https://www.anglotopia.net/british-travel/british-american-english-differences-25-american-english-words-completely-different-meaning-britain/

Thursday Blog: Week SIx

This week I have continued reading the book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. This book is about a boy named Christopher, who discovers the dead body of the neighbor's dog. Mrs. Shears calls the police, and Christopher becomes a suspect. When a policeman touches him, he punches the policeman and gets arrested, later he gets released with a warning. After he is released he becomes obsessed with the crime and is determined to figure out who killed the dog. Christopher decides to write a book about everything that is going on. His dad later finds the book and hides it from him. Christopher while searching for the book finds letters from his mother which were dated after she apparently died. He then learns that his mother is not dead, she had an affair with Mr. Shears and his dad kicked her out. This shocks Christopher and angers him deeply, but he also does not understand everything going on. Christopher decides to ignore his father, and as a result his father starts saying everything he has every lied to him about, one thing being the death of Wellington, his dad actually killed him because of the affair. Christopher follows his mom to London to escape his dad when he finds out that his mother lives with Mr. Shears. Christopher and his mother are forced to return home and that is when his dad buys him a dog to win back his trust.

Source: www.amazon.com

As I finished this book I decided I would talk about the format of the book and the layout. The book was written as if it was Christopher, so it has a very quirky layout. For example all of the chapter numbers are prime. he says that he prefers this because he loves math and his favorite numbers are prime numbers. This choice adds a personal aspect to the book and shows how this book is almost written in Christopher's point of view. To explain his choice of prime numbers he said, "Prime numbers are what is left when you have taken all the patterns away. I think prime numbers are like life. They are very logical but you could never work out the rules, even if you spent all your time thinking about them." (Haddon 12)

                                                                                                                   Another thing about this book which makes it more personal to Christopher's life is the use of drawings and diagrams. Throughout the book the author adds pictures of the things Christopher is seeing and experiencing to make it feel as if you are there with him. In addition to adding to the ability for the reader to connect to the book, it also shows some of the ways in which he thinks differently than other people.  Christopher has a different brain than other people, he has a nearly photogenic memory and can do complex things all in his head such as advanced math or even creating maps. To show some of his skills the book includes illustrations of some of the things he does in hid mind and some of the things he sketches.  Below is an example of one of the maps he made while visiting the zoo. He did not complete this while he was there rather off his memory afterwards.

Source: www.slideshare.net

Wednesday Blog: Week Six

This week while reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon I became more interested in the play version of it and decided to watch trailers as well as read reviews about the play. It was first preformed August 2, 2012 at the Royal National Theater in London  and during its premiere run, the play tied the record for winning the most Olivier Awards, including Best New Play at the 2013 ceremony.

"Winner of five Tony Awards, this innovative adaptation of the best-selling novel, staged by 'War Horse' director Marianne Elliott, doesn't disappoint in its touring production."

Tuesday Blog: Week Six

This week I have begun reading the book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. This book follows a boy named Christopher, who discovers the dead body of the neighbor's dog. Mrs. Shears, the dog's owner, calls the police, and Christopher becomes a suspect. When a policeman touches him, he hits the policeman and gets arrested, later he gets released with a police caution. After being released he becomes obsessed with the crime and determined to figure out who killed the dog, going against his father's wishes for him to leave the situation alone. Christopher decides to write a book about everything that is going on. His dad later found the book and hid it from him. Christopher while searching for the book found letters from his mother which were dated after she died. He then learns that his mother is not dead, she had an affair with Mr. Shears and his dad kicked her out. This shocks Christopher and angers him deeply, but he also does not understand everything going on. Christopher decides to ignore his father, and as a result his father starts saying everything he has every lied to him about, one thing being the death of Wellington. It turns out that his dad actually killed him because of the affair.

Source: www.davidicke.com

Quote 

"I decided that it was a kind of puzzle, and if something is a puzzle there is always a way of solving it. It's like computers. People think computers are different from people because they don't have minds." (Haddon 163)

Christopher is determined willful person, who no matter what he encounters will try to solve it. that explains he drive to find out who killed the dog, and also explains his drive to do so well in his A level classes. His determination comes from his infatuation with puzzles and mysteries. In some ways Christopher's life is a puzzle because there is so much he does not know if his mother is dead or alive, where she is, and both of his parents have had an affair. Although his life is somewhat complicated Christopher’s brain works much like an organized computer. The fact that Christopher's brain brain works much like a computer would shows how his way of thinking is different from many other peoples. As I mentioned in a blog last week, Christopher has unique skills which attribute to how smart he is.

Although Christopher has autism, I believe that many people's brains also work like computers. A brain working like a computer implies that their brain has a logical way of operation and is organised in every aspect. More specifically, a routine would be a logical way of operation, and a memory or knowledge would be like a database on the internet. In my personal life I agree that our brains work in this way. A stimuli like a sight smell or taste acts as a google search, and our memories act as the results. The way we make decisions is also based off these things, and the way we read emotions is as well. Many articles have been posted and say how similar the brain is to a computer, and for an example of this check out the one linked below.

Source: towardsdatascience.com

Friday Blog: Week Five

This week I read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon pages 1-144. while reading I came across a few words that I was unfamiliar with.

Vocab:

Advantageous P.25
Providing an advantage; furnishing convenience or opportunity; favorable; profitable; useful; beneficial.
Erroneous P.39 
Straying from what is moral, decent, proper, etc.
Promulgate P.43
To make known by open declaration; publish; proclaim formally or put into operation.
Remuneration P.51
To pay, recompense, or reward for work, trouble, etc.
Bruit P.74
To voice abroad; rumor (used chiefly in the passive and often followed by about ):
Recalcitrant P.85
Resisting authority or control; not obedient or compliant; refractory.
Beguile P.89
To influence by trickery, flattery, etc.; mislead; delude.
Circumlocution P.113
A roundabout or indirect way of speaking; the use of more words than necessary to express an idea.
Empirical P.128
Depending upon experience or observation alone, without using scientific method or theory, especially as in medicine.
Obdurate P.136
Unmoved by persuasion, pity, or tender feelings; stubborn; unyielding.

All definitions are taken from Dictonary.com

Tuesday Blog: Week Five

This week I have begun reading the book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. This book follows a boy named Christopher, who discovers the dead body of the neighbor's dog. Mrs. Shears, the dog's owner, calls the police, and Christopher comes under suspicion. When a policeman touches him, he hits the policeman and is arrested, then released with a police caution. After being released he becomes obsessed with the crime and determined to figure out who killed the dog, going against his father's wishes for him to leave the situation alone. Christopher decides to write a book about everything that is going on. His dad later found the book and hid it from him. Christopher while searching for the book found letters from his mother which were dated after she died. He then learns that his mother is not dead, she had an affair with Mr. Shears and his dad kicked her out. 

Quote:
"If I get really interested in something, like practicing math, or reading a book about the Apollo missions or great white sharks, I don't notice anything else... this is why I am very good at playing chess because I detach my mind at will and concentrate on the board." (Haddon 73)

source: Thenationalautisticsociety.org

Christopher an autistic boy has a different way of functioning. This quote highlights one of the differences between his way of thinking and a neurotypical persons' way of thinking. Christopher is explaining how when he enjoys something, he is able to focus in on that one thing as if nothing else mattered. This shows how his area of interests and his different way of thinking allow him to be one step of everyone else in some senses. Earlier in the book, he described a similar thing where he said his brain recalled things differently than an average person's brain would. 

Source:slideshare.net/HatchEarlyLearning

Christopher's skills remind me much of my best friend's brother. Whenever she and I were together when we were younger, her brother always seemed to be busy. He always had something to do. His favorite things were bikes and cars. Whenever he was doing something that had to do with one of his special interest he seemed to be on another planet because of how focused he was. The way Christopher talked about his skills and the way he blocks out everything else when he is focused reminded me so much of him. 

Wednesday Blog: Week Five

This week I watched a second episode of Atypical. This episode was about Sam’s crush on a girl who already has a boyfriend. This episode highlighted some of the differences between someone who is neurotypical and someone who has a ASD in the sense of their love life. 

Friday Blog: Week Four

This week I finished the book Wish by Melina Gerosa Bellows pages 141-280. Similarity to last week I did not find any words I was unfamiliar with so I once again decided to define word that had to do with autism.

Vocab:

Apraxia – A disorder of voluntary movement, consisting of partial or total incapacity to execute purposeful movements, without impairment of muscular power, sensibility and coordination. The person has difficulty sequencing movements in the service of a goal. May be specific to speech.

Developmental Delay – A child who acquires skills after the expected age in achieving cognitive, adaptive, physical, communication and social skills.

Expressive Language Disorder – Developmental expressive language disorder in which a child has lower-than normal proficiency in vocabulary, the production of complex sentences, and recall of words. Child will typically use gestures, words, and written symbols to communicate.

Hyperlexia – Is a condition in which the main characteristics are an above average ability to read accompanied with a blow average ability to understand spoken language.

Neurotypical (NT) – Is a neologism used to describe people whose neurological development and state are consistent with what most people would perceive as normal in their ability to process linguistic information and social cues. While originally coined among the autistic community as a label for non-autistic persons, the concept was later adopted by both the neurodiversity movement and the scientific community.

Self-Stimulatory Behavior – A term for behaviors whose primary purpose appears to be to stimulate ones own senses. An example is rocking ones body: Many people with autism report that some ‘self stims’ may serve a regulatory function for them (i.e., claming, adding concentration, shutting out an overwhelming sound.) Other examples: hand-flapping, toe walking, spinning, echolalia.

Sensory Integration – Is the ability to take in information through the senses of touch, movement, smell, taste, vision, and hearing, and to combine the resulting perceptions with prior information, memories, and knowledge already stored in the brain, in order to derive coherent meaning from processing the stimuli.

Behavior Support Plan/(BIP) Behavior Intervention Plan – Multi-component behavior intervention plans, with multiple layers of support, are in fact the best way to establish effective and comprehensive strategies for addressing challenging behavior.

Augmentative Communication – Special devise that provides an alternative for spoken language. For example, photographs and picture exchange communication.

Baylet Scales – A developmental assessment used for children age one month to 3 1/2 years old. It is comprised of a mental, motor and behavior scale. This scale has a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.

Source: infographicbee.com

Thursday Blog: Week Four

As I come close to finishing the book Wish by Melina Gerosa Bellows I have decided to a character analysis of both Bella and Bobby, the main characters in the book. Bobby suffers from a more severe form of autism which affects him throughout his entire life. I have also decided to analyze Bella because her point of view shows what is like to grow up with a sibling who has autism. 

Bobby who was diagnosed with autism, somewhat accurately shows that hat it is like to suffer from severe autism. Some of Bobby’s main symptoms of his disorder are his sensory issues and his speech patterns of frequently quoting fictional characters. In terms of his sensory issues, Bobby suffers from extreme sensitivity to textures, lights, and sounds. For example, Bobby wears flannel to prevent any rough fabrics from bothering him. He also hates being touched even by his own family. When presented with one of these unpleasant stimuli, Bobby will often react by quoting a show he dislikes or an angry line said. On the flip side, when Bobby enjoys something he will quote a line from a show he likes. Many of Bobby's mannerisms line up with someone who has severe autism. Looking back at last weeks Friday Blog, many of the words are applicable to Bobby's situation.

Check out this powerpoint for more information

Bella, Bobby's twin sister who is neurotypical, an average girl who has very conflicting feelings about having a brother with autism. As the video I linked above mentions, siblings of people with autism describe their life as both rewarding and challenging. When they were younger, Bella perceived her brother at times to be a burden to her because she felt as if her brother was getting all the attention. As Bella grows up and becomes more mature she realizes how lucky she is to have Bobby in her life. For an example of Bella's change of heart, look at my Tuesday Blogs, weeks two and three to see how she has changed her mind. 

Source: pinimg.com

Wednseday Blog: Week Four

As I come close to finishing this book, became fascinated with a movie called Rain Man. This movie was originally brought up on page 142 when someone compared Bobby to the main character of the movie. In hopes to better understand Bobby as a character with autism, I decided to also watch Rain Man. Below I have included the trailer to the movie which was produced in 1988.

Tuesday Blog: Week Four

This Week I have continued reading the book Wish by Melina Gerosa Bellows. This book which follows Bella and her twin brother Bobby shows how aging affects both of them in all aspects of their lives. At this point in the book, Bella got engaged to a man who not only cares deeply for her but also cares for her brother. Her hopes are to one day be his full-time caretaker when her parents are too old to take care of him. Bella is then heartbroken when her fiance cheats on her and not only breaks her heart but also hurts Bobby due to how fond Bobby was of him. Years later it is revealed even though Bella and Joe called it off, Joe still visited Bobby and would take him places to do things he loved the most. Joe later died in an accident where at his funeral Bella and Bobby are reunited with an old friend who used to take Bobby for rides on his motorcycle, which was one of his favorite things to do. For old times sake, he takes Bobby on a motorcycle ride back to Bella's and Bobby's apartment. When they make it back to the apartment complex Bobby suffers from a stroke and is rushed to the hospital. After his stroke, Bella feels responsible because she let him go on the motorcycle. While in the waiting room Bella reflects back on her life.

Source: www.onecallmedicalalert.com

Quote:

"In some ways Bobby has always been like a Buddha, truthful, honest, living in the moment, without a shred of self-consciousness or malice. In a word, he was always himself. Instead of fixing him or changing him, or making him better, I might have simply accepted him, or at least accepted myself for my lifelong struggle to do just that"(278 Bellows)

Source: www.autism-society.org

While Bella was growing up she always tried to hide her brother as if he was an embarrassment to her. Later in life, she now idolizes her brother and everything he goes through. She sees that he has great qualities and that he is always true to himself something Bella has never been. By saying this she is admitting she no longer envies the attention he got that she so craved when they were younger, rather that she envies the fact that he has always been himself and no one else. This quote in its context also shows how tragedy can bring forward truthfulness in people and in Bella's case it shows how much she truly loves her brother to spite his disorder.

In particular, this quote stood out to me because it shows the progression of maturity in Bella with respects to how she views her brother. One thing I have noticed growing up with my best friend and her younger brother is also her shift in attitude towards him. As I mentioned in my previous quote blog, when we were younger she felt as if she couldn't manage to get her parents attention causing her to envy her brother who seemed to have most of the attention. As time passed the feelings of envy changed to feelings of pride and protectiveness for her brother. Much like it took Bella years to see the positive sides of having a sibling with autism, is also took my friend a while. The second connection I have to this quote is an experience I had a few summers ago at the summer camp I worked at. In my group, I had a child with autism. Being responsible for a child with autism was at times very nerve-racking, for I had to be extra attentive to the child and their needs. Although at first, it was difficult for me, by the end of the summer I realized just how lucky I was to have them in my group.

Source: www.las.uk.net

Friday Blog: Week Three

This week I read Wish by Melina Gerosa Bellows pages 1-141. In my reading I did not come across any words I was unfamiliar with so instead I found a list of words and phrases that are key to know about Autism.

 Echolalia

This is the repeating of sounds, words, or phrases. People who “echo” may not always be able to communicate effectively or express their own thoughts, but they parrot back what they have heard. If asked a question, they might repeat the question, and not answer the question.

Scripting

The repetition of words, phrases, intonation, or sounds of the speech of others, sometimes taken from movies, but also sometimes taken from other sources such as favorite books or something someone else has said. Echolalia is sometimes referred to as scripting.

Perseveration

Repeating or persisting with an action or behavior after the stimulus that prompted it has ceased. To perseverate is to become stuck on something and to not be able to mentally shift gears.

Transition

A change from one environment or activity to another. Transitions can be hard for a person with autism. It sometimes helps if warnings are given before a transition.

Meltdown

Often mistaken as temper tantrums, meltdowns are common with people who have autism and are typically not anger-infused. Instead, it is the body’s way of reacting to a confusing or over-stimulating situation. Meltdowns can be loud or they can be very quiet.

Stimulatory behavior (Stimming)

Repetitive behavior, such as the spinning of objects, vocal echoes, or other repetitive actions, that people with autism commonly partake in to alleviate the stressors of overstimulation.

Elopement

To leave without permission or without letting others know where you are going, and without processing the dangers/risks involved in leaving. Elopement is a great concern in the autism community.

Savant

To have detailed knowledge in a specialized field. A small percentage of people with autism are savants. Savants may have many different skills not specific to one field.

Prosody

The rhythm and melody of spoken language. Prosody is shown in the rate, pitch, stress, inflection, and intonation used in our speech. People with autism have a harder time with intonation, and can often be more monotone or speak in a singing voice.

Comorbidity

The simultaneous presence of two chronic diseases or conditions in a patient. Many things are often comorbid with autism, including epilepsy and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Sensory processing disorder (SPD)

A neurological condition that exists when sensory signals are not adequately processed in order to appropriately respond to the demands of the environment. For example, many people with sensory processing disorder are highly sensitive to fabrics and certain food textures.

How the terms and phrases relate back to the book...

To relate these terms back to the book, Bobby experiences many of these things. For example, Bobby can only wear flannel because he had a sensory processing disorder which makes him especially sensitive to rough fabrics. He also speaks in prosody and scripting by relaying quotes from shows and songs he likes and dislikes to express his emotions and mood. Bobby also suffers from epilepsy which is known as a comorbidity, the presence of two chronic conditions. Bobby's Autism is classified as severe which is explained in the diagram below. 

Source: discovermagazine.com

The words and definitions listed above are all from the website https://www.wrtsfranchise.com/autism-terms/ 

Tuesday Blog: Week Three

In the book Wish by Melina Gerosa Bellows the book follows both Bella and her brother Bobby. the book takes place through Bella’s and Bobby’s life which allows the reader to see who autism affects them throughout the years. the book begins in the year 1774 when they are about 8 years old at this time autism was not widely diagnosed and strange therapies where used for treatments. Although they are twins they are very different, Bobby suffers from severe autism and Bella, on the other hand, has very mild autism. Growing up Bella has felt as if she lived in the shadow of her brother, never getting the attention she desired from her parents. Bella is bullied for her brother's condition and for being overweight.

“As hard as I strive to achieve, I feel invisible to the members of my family” (Bellows 92).

At this point in the book, Bella reached her breaking point. She could no longer hold her emotions in and hide them from her family. She has always been a good student and has always looked out for her brother. The severity of her brother's autism takes a toll on Bella and her family which detracts from Bella’s accomplishments and hard work and places most attention and affection on Bobby. This quote shows Bella’s frustration with her situation. It’s not that envies her brothers disability and the attention he gets from it, she just desires to be seen and appreciated. This quote may seem as if she wants her brother to disappear, but that is in fact wrong. All her life she has “wished” for Bobby to get better hence the title of the book.

5 Tips for Brothers & Sisters

This quote stood out to me because I've heard the exact words said by my childhood friend. Growing up she was the oldest with a younger brother who suffered from autism. Although her parents tried their hardest to treat their children equally she always felt as if she was invisible to her parents. Being her best friend I saw how much this affected her. She would often tell me about how she wanted to just give up because no matter what she would never be noticed. Now that we are older I see how this affected her growing up and I now see how it has changed her overall. Although this invisibility to one's family is a negative thing it has taught her to be self-sufficient and she now is much more mature and understands why her brother needs the extra attention. All my time spent with her and her brother also had a similar effect on me and I feel as if it has added an extra sense of maturity to my life.

Source: https://slideplayer.com/slide/6228862/20/images/33/Impact+of+Autism+on+Siblings+Relationship.jpg

Friday Blog: Week Two

This week I read Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork pages 148-312, finishing the book. While I was reading I came across a few words I was unfamiliar with.
Vocab: 
Aberration p.167 a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically one that is unwelcome.
Contravene  p.182 violate the prohibition or order of (a law, treaty, or code of conduct).

Strewn p.223 scatter or spread (things) untidily over a surface or area.

Cajole p.235 persuade someone to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery.

Knoll p.246 a small hill or mound

Azure p.257 bright blue in color, like a cloudless sky.
Unabashed p.262 not embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed.
Indefatigable p.281 (of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly
Inchoate p.304 just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary.

Thursday Blog: Week Two

While reading Marcelo in the real world by Francisco X. Stork, I have begun to notice some ways the author chooses to portray Marcelo’s disorder. Some of the most prominent things I have noticed about Marcelo are his behaviors. Some of these behaviors are avoided eye contact, speaks in the third person, specializes in one topic, and participates in a social interactions class. All of these things are connected to his diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome. In relation to my original topic, I will see if some of Marcelo’s behaviors line up with actual behaviors of someone diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome to determine if the book is an accurate representation of an ASD.

Source: biomedcentral.com

This list from everydayhealth.com is what I will compare Marcelo’s behavior with. 

• Poor eye contact or the tendency to stare at others
• Inability to recognize humor, irony, and sarcasm
• Inappropriate behaviors or odd mannerisms
• Problems expressing empathy, controlling emotions, or communicating
• Fascination with certain topics 







• Interpretation of information as literal



Source: tedxtacoma.com

As you can see the connection between Marcelo’s behavior and this list are very similar. Even some of his behaviors which I did not write down are represented in this list. First, Marcelo has difficulties maintaining eye contact. When looking up more about eye contact and ASD I found this website where people with Autism describe what making eye contact is like for them. Some of the statements from the people interviewed line up with Marcelo’s explanation as to why he struggles with it.

Speaking in the third person connects to problems communicating. In addition to talking to the third person, Marcelo also has problems controlling and portraying his emotions. From birth, his parents knew he was different because he never cried and he also took much longer than an ordinary child. Instead of referring to his parents by mom and dad he calls them by their first name and instead of saying I or me he refers to himself as Marcelo. Overall Marcelo is an accurate representation of someone with Asperger’s syndrome so far in the book. 

Wednesday Blog: Week Two

As I continue reading Marcelo In the Real World by Francisco X. Stork I have also begun watching the show Atypical. This show's main character is Sam, who seeks more independence. Atypical is a coming of age story that follows Sam, an 18-year-old on the autistic spectrum as he searches for love and independence (https://m.imdb.com/title/tt6315640/plotsummary) As I continue to watch this show I will analyze the portrayal of Sam and see if it is an accurate representation of an ASD.

Tuesday Blog: Week Two

This week I have continued reading Marcelo In the Real World by Francisco X. Stork. This book is about a young man aged 17 who suffers from a disorder similar to Asperger's syndrome which is on the ASD. Marcelo is working at his father's law firm where his father wants him to participate in "normal people things". This unsupportive behavior does not lead Marcelo to feel encouraged or confident in his new workplace. On top of the pressure his dad places in him, Marcelo also has to deal with many mental dilemmas surrounding his unethical coworkers. One of his coworkers, Wendell, tries to take advantage of him to get a girl. His coworker talks about sex and other inappropriate topics with him and tells Marcelo how he “wants” his boss Jasmine. He then explains how he wants Marcelo to help him lure Jasmine onto his boat. Wendell plays out a scenario which sounds much like a plan to rape her and bribes Marcelo to help. Very conflicted Marcelo leaves and keeps the plan to himself.

Source: http://www.aspergersnaturalhelp.info

Quote

“In some way, the strange-looking streets are simply a reflection of my thoughts. It seems perfectly natural to be lost outside when that’s the way I am inside. No landmarks anywhere” (Stork 163)

After Wendell brought Marcelo out to lunch he left after revealing his plan to seduce Jasmine. Marcelo is left alone in an unfamiliar place and is also very confused about what Wendell had just asked of him. Marcelo has always had a hard time understanding things like sex and relationships, so when Wendell told him all of those things it confused him even more. When he was leaving the restaurant he got lost. As he was trying to find his way Marcelo compares his mental state to his physical state of being lost. In the quote, he is basically saying that he has no clue what's going on inside of him and that he does not recognize himself.

Source: http://www.aspergersnaturalhelp.info

This quote can not only connect to Marcelo, but it can connect to nearly anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed. As the diagrams show, someone with ASD often has trouble comprehending or has inflexible thinking, this is what leads Marcelo to feel lost in his own mind. Although I personally do not have any type of ASD, I also sometimes have the feeling of being lost and confused about things going on in my head. These feelings of confusion usually present themselves when I am undergoing a large change or when I am under a lot of stress. 

Friday Blog: Week One

This week I began to read Marcelo In the Real World by Francisco X. Stork. So far I have read pages 1-148. While I was reading I found a few words I was unfamiliar with.

Vocab

Discordant p.12

Being at variance; disagreeing; incongruous.

Twang p.12
To have or produce a sharp, nasal tone, as the human voice.

Foreboding p.14
A strong inner feeling or notion of a future misfortune, evil, etc.; presentiment.

Misgivings p.16

A feeling of doubt, distrust, or apprehension.

Innumerable p.21
Incapable of being counted; countless.

Bureaucrats p.33
An official who works by fixed routine without exercising intelligent judgment.

Futile p.35

Incapable of producing any result; ineffective; useless; not successful.

Profligate p.68
Utterly and shamelessly immoral or dissipated; thoroughly dissolute.

Reverie p.88
A state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing.

Intonation p.95 
The pattern or melody of pitch changes in connected speech, especially the pitch pattern of a sentence, which distinguishes kinds of sentences or speakers of different language cultures.

NY Times