On Being A Cripple
Adelia Dean
Fayerberg
AP English
23 September 2013
Being handicapped or disables isn’t always the best lifestyle to have, but it isn’t up to you on what “gifts” you get. Nancy Mairs knows a lot about that, because she is crippled. In the essay, “On Being a Cripple, Mairs writes for readers, disabled or not, about what it’s like to be crippled. She describes it in a sarcastic tone with seriousness and repetition with some very interesting word choice. Mairs suffers from being cripple, but uses the word with such comfort. She states, “As a cripple, I swagger. “ This strong statement shows that she is not embarrassed or ashamed of her condition. Mairs instead accepts it and states, “Perhaps I want them to wince.” This shows that she uses the word cripple on purpose; knowing people would look at her, like she used foul language. The repetitive use of the word, cripple, characterizes Mairs’ condition. She states, “It describes my condition.” “Disabled suggest any incapability, physical or mental.” “And I certainly don’t like handicapped, which implies that I have deliberately been put at a disadvantage.” Mairs says she doesn’t care what people call her. Mairs is aware that people do look at her differently, but she says, “Overall, though I’ve been lucky so far.” She doesn’t go by the beliefs of the community, but rather continually with activities she enjoys. Everyone has their own opinion. Mairs says, “I don’t like having MS. I hate it.” Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic, typically progressive disease involving damage to the sheaths of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, interrupting the nerves’ signal. She has been limping for ten years now, but her family helps her out. Mairs’ opinion about being crippled hurts to read. She says, “Because I hate being crippled, I sometimes hate myself for being a cripple.” After some time she does get at ease with her condition. Her reasons for her words have a way of expressing how she feels about her
Fayerberg
AP English
23 September 2013
Being handicapped or disables isn’t always the best lifestyle to have, but it isn’t up to you on what “gifts” you get. Nancy Mairs knows a lot about that, because she is crippled. In the essay, “On Being a Cripple, Mairs writes for readers, disabled or not, about what it’s like to be crippled. She describes it in a sarcastic tone with seriousness and repetition with some very interesting word choice. Mairs suffers from being cripple, but uses the word with such comfort. She states, “As a cripple, I swagger. “ This strong statement shows that she is not embarrassed or ashamed of her condition. Mairs instead accepts it and states, “Perhaps I want them to wince.” This shows that she uses the word cripple on purpose; knowing people would look at her, like she used foul language. The repetitive use of the word, cripple, characterizes Mairs’ condition. She states, “It describes my condition.” “Disabled suggest any incapability, physical or mental.” “And I certainly don’t like handicapped, which implies that I have deliberately been put at a disadvantage.” Mairs says she doesn’t care what people call her. Mairs is aware that people do look at her differently, but she says, “Overall, though I’ve been lucky so far.” She doesn’t go by the beliefs of the community, but rather continually with activities she enjoys. Everyone has their own opinion. Mairs says, “I don’t like having MS. I hate it.” Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic, typically progressive disease involving damage to the sheaths of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, interrupting the nerves’ signal. She has been limping for ten years now, but her family helps her out. Mairs’ opinion about being crippled hurts to read. She says, “Because I hate being crippled, I sometimes hate myself for being a cripple.” After some time she does get at ease with her condition. Her reasons for her words have a way of expressing how she feels about her