Disability Theory In The Rememberer

In the short story, “The Rememberer”, by Annie Bender, the devolution of a man into simpler forms is put into place. The literary theory, Disability theory, can be examined throughout the story’s theme; the theme being the concept of the “rememberer” a person who has the position to “to hang onto and recall the memories…slowly being lost…” The connection between the story and the theory involve a man, Ben, devolving into less of a man, not being able to do things on his own and relying on his lover as a caretaker. Ben, the narrator’s lover, is sad about the world. He believes that everyone thinks too much and that “Our brains are getting bigger…and dies when there’s too much thought and not enough heart.” The fact that he believes humans
are beginning to overthink things and are becoming smarter, symbolizes the way he reverse evolves into simpler species. The forms that he devolves into don’t think as complex as humans do. Specifically as he devolves the species he forms into at the end is a “one-celled wonder…brainless…”