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. 

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