A postcolonial and disability studies analysis of a selection of popular contemporary novels about disability

Abstract

This thesis will combine postcolonial theory and disability theory to analyse the representation of characters with a disability and their family members in a selection of contemporary popular novels. The texts examined will include The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Night-Time (2003) by Mark Haddon, Wonder (2012) by R.J Palacio, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving (2012) by Jonathan Evison and Me Before You (2012) by Jojo Moyes. Language use, identity, othering, community and the role of the author will be explored. The power dynamics of these texts will be deconstructed to examine what aspects of disability are being represented in these novels which are highly influential in popular media and in some cases educational settings.