On Being a Cripple by Nancy Mairs
"On Being a Cripple" by Nancy Mairs is a very personal book about life as a cripple. In it, the writer discusses her own experiences with the disability, how she has learned to live with the condition, and how humor is essential to being a cripple. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is dealing with a disability or life in general. It's a wonderful way to share the experiences of other people who are facing the same situation.
Nancy Mairs' "On Being a Cripple"
The author of Nancy Mairs' "On Being - A Memoir" is a respected essayist, poet, and teacher. Her book deals with the challenges of being a cripple and explains the attitudes of society towards people with disabilities. In "On Being - A Memoir," she uses the word cripple instead of the more conventional words handicapped, differently-abled, or disabled. Although the general public may feel similar way, they often do not express these feelings for fear of being seen as thoughtless or uninformed. However, in today's society, more people are open to the idea that being a cripple is not a sign of weakness, nor does it make a person less of a human being.
In "On Being a Cripple," Nancy Mairs discusses the impact of Multiple Sclerosis on her life. While she acknowledges that she has MS, she has a positive attitude about it and recognizes that she is more than her disease. She does not sugarcoat reality, however, and her tone and voice remain consistent even when she is not talking about it. In "On Being a Cripple," Mairs acknowledges that she is still able to teach, write, and be a good wife and mother, but that she has a very limited range of movement.
Her life as a cripple
Nancy Mairs is a feminist writer who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis (MS), an auto-immune, degenerative disease of the nervous system. Although her condition limits her daily activities, she has accepted her condition and wears the label "crumbler" with pride. Her family supports her and she makes the best of the situation, even though the disease can be debilitating.
Mairs' words "cripple" imply a strength and independence that others can't, but she uses the word in a way that allows people to connect with her. She also uses the features of language and tone to persuade readers that she is more than her disease. This book is a compelling read. It demonstrates how Nancy Mairs makes a disability seem less severe than it really is.
Her acceptance of her condition
Nancy Mairs argues that the word "cripple" evokes an eerie, frightening image. She acknowledges that she is unable to do the things she loves most, but she refuses to sugarcoat her condition. She does not want to offend people by calling herself a cripple, and she refuses to call other people "cripples." She uses rhetorical devices to combat this image.
In her essay, Nancy Mairs explains how her disease and disability have changed her life. Although she is unable to move her legs or walk, she does not let that stop her from enjoying life. She compares herself to two elderly women with multiple sclerosis, and she looks up to one as a role model. Her story is a powerful motivational piece for all disabled people, not just those living with multiple sclerosis.
The importance of humor in being a cripple
One of the things that you may not realize is that having a disability does not mean that you should have to accept ridicule or a negative attitude. The word "cripple" has a long and interesting history, having been a synonym for "crawler" in the Old English language. Today, the word is a derogatory term and is often viewed as offensive. However, if used with a sense of humor, it can help people better understand what it means to be disabled.
In a recent essay, writer Nancy Mairs uses the term "cripple" as a metaphor to describe her condition. Her purpose is to break down barriers to the pity people often offer disabled people. The author intentionally uses words with negative connotations in order to make the reader understand what she is saying. While this can seem a bit harsh, Mairs is very sincere and human in her attempt to combat the negative connotations associated with the word "cripple."
