[nabs-l] To Be, or Not to Be, A Blind Character

[Joe Orozco]

Dear Kirt and all,

Thank you for your vote of confidence.  I'm truly on the fence as to whether
the guy will wind up losing his sight.  I've decided to write two
alternatives and see which one develops better.  Now, thanks to your guys'
encouragement , I am motivated to finish the book.  I only hope the rest of
the story lives up to the expectations set by the excerpt.  If there are
other writers on the list, I'd encourage you to join the Stylist mailing
list.  The traffic is moderate, and the discussions have gotten
substantially more helpful for up and coming writers.

Best,

Joe

"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves,
some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."--Sam Ewing 

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org 
[mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kirt Manwaring
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 10:15 AM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] To Be, or Not to Be, A Blind Character

Joe,
  This book sounds awesome.  Really awesome.  The whole blind thing
aside, I think it's right up my alley.  And that brings me to an
important point.  Heaven knows we need positive portrayals of blind
people in literature.  But, and I'm not saying don't do it, were I in
your place I probably wouldn't.  I know it's good to "write what you
know", but, because you know so much firsthand about blindness, and if
I'm understanding you right that's not even supposed to be close to
the main plot of the novel, I think you may run the risk of amplifying
that secondary subplot, even subconsciously.  I know I would.  Just a
thought.
  Looking forward to reading more of this,
Kirt
P.s.  If and when this gets published, I'm so totally buying it.

On 8/24/10, sarah.jevnikar at utoronto.ca 
<sarah.jevnikar at utoronto.ca> wrote:
> Hi Joe,
> This is really exciting. I can't wait to read it.
>
> I couldn't agree with you more on your feelings of portrayals of blind
> characters in books and movies. My added frustration is that any
> competent blind characters are those who have lost vision later in
> life. Could someone please write a book about someone blind from birth
> who's also competent? I'd like a fully relateable character.
> Just my thoughts.
> Sarah
>
>
> Quoting Joe Orozco <jsorozco at gmail.com>:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> It's no mystery I thoroughly enjoy writing.  This year I've 
decided to
>> quit
>> fiddling around and finish that novel that's been festering 
in my head for
>> several years.  Without divulging too many details, I can 
tell you that it
>> will most likely be a piece about two street gangs that 
fight for more
>> than
>> just respect in a classic war between good and evil.  Think 
Stephen King
>> meets S.E. Hinton in a more aggressive version of The Outsiders...
>>
>> Now, here's my question:  What has been your response to 
blind characters
>> portrayed in books and movies?  I have mostly been 
disappointed.  They're
>> either too Super Hero or too wimpy.  I've progressed far enough in my
>> writing to come to the pivotal point where one of my protagonists can
>> either
>> go blind or not.  Actually, featuring a blind character was 
not part of my
>> original thought process.  I did not want to fit into the 
easy fallback of
>> the blind writing about the blind, but it would be a very 
good means of
>> educating the public, assuming anyone outside my family 
bought a copy of
>> my
>> ramblings, right?
>>
>> I'm curious to hear your thoughts.  If you think a blind 
character should
>> be
>> featured, what would you want him or her to portray?  Mind you, this
>> person
>> would have just lost their sight, so they would not be able 
to come out
>> swinging as a hyper independent role model.  They'll need to 
experience
>> the
>> typical stages of acceptance, a daunting process that may in 
itself rule
>> out
>> a blind person in my plot, but it would be a good means of 
emphasizing
>> Braille and other forms of essential training.  I'm looking 
for a balanced
>> prospective between educating in a positive light and 
realistic reactions
>> in
>> someone who lost their vision from one moment to the next, 
something to
>> which I cannot relate since my own vision loss has been and 
continues to
>> be
>> very slow.  If you think blind characters run the risk of reaffirming
>> stereotypes according to how people interpret the 
character's actions, I'd
>> like to know this as well.
>>
>> Naturally I have no idea if my little book will make it 
anywhere, but by
>> golly it's going to be finished, and in exchange for your 
participation in
>> the brainstorming phase, I will offer you a teaser which I previously
>> shared
>> with the writer's list.  It is very much a raw draft, so 
please feel free
>> to
>> tear it up so long as the main discussion is about my 
original question so
>> that the discussion stays on topic and I keep David Andrews 
off my back.
>> (grin)  Thanks in advance.
>>
>> Joe
>>
>> ***
>>
>> 	Christian Slater knew they would come calling one day.  He just
>> wasn't sure how they would make contact.  Perhaps a mysterious letter
>> would
>> one day appear in their mailbox.  Maybe one morning he would open his
>> e-mail
>> inbox to discover a message from an obscure sender, but given their
>> obsession with secrecy, it was more likely that someone from the old
>> fraternity would simply appear at the front door bearing 
news of the kind
>> Christian and his family could do without.
>> 	They chose the telephone.  Christian would have never 
guessed the
>> fraternity would gamble with an unsecure line, but he had always been
>> right
>> to assume that when they did reconnect with him, it would 
come as a total
>> surprise no matter how much he thought he'd prepared for the 
inevitable
>> encounter.
>> 	On the morning the call came, he was deeply immersed in 
the first
>> chapter of his latest novel.  The idea had come to him, as 
so many of them
>> often did, without forethought, and by the time he'd seen 
his family out
>> the
>> door, the kernel of an idea had grown into the makings of a promising
>> plot.
>> With school out, he had the rest of the summer to devote to 
his writing
>> without the burden of teaching the craft to a bunch of high 
school kids
>> who
>> would have already forgotten what they learned.
>> 	Christian snapped a glance at the caller ID, saw that it was a
>> restricted number and dismissed it as a telemarketer.  In 
his feverish
>> state
>> of mind he only wanted to be left alone with his story in 
progress.  The
>> call went to the machine, and after the obligatory beep, a 
voice Christian
>> hadn't heard in years came from the speaker.
>> 	"Mr. Slater, this is Don speaking.
>> 	Christian froze, fingers hovering over the laptop keyboard, eyes
>> slowly moving back to the answering machine and the clipped 
British accent
>> emanating from it.
>> 	"I trust you are well," the cultured voice said.
>> 	The energy left Christian in a stomach-turning lurch.  
His blood ran
>> cold when doubt turned to certainty.  He slumped in his 
seat, eyes riveted
>> to the machine.
>> 	"Mr. Slater, it is important that we speak at your earliest
>> opportunity," the man said.  "If you are there, please pick 
up the phone.
>> This is most urgent."
>> 	Christian pondered it for a moment.  He could ignore the call,
>> pretend he was not home.  Then a memory of the man's ice blue glare
>> surfaced.  That penetrating stare had always troubled 
Christian.  Now it
>> was
>> almost as though the man were in the room, daring him to be 
foolish.  He
>> slowly reached out for the receiver, willing his voice to 
sound calm and
>> collected.
>> 	"Hello," he croaked.
>> 	"Ah, good.  You are home after all," the caller said, sounding
>> genuinely relieved.
>> 	"Wha, what do you want?" Christian stammered.
>> 	"Come now, Mr. Slater that is no way to greet an old 
friend."  The
>> man's voice appeared to be amiable.  Christian, despite not 
having heard
>> this man's voice in nearly twenty years, knew this was only a facade.
>> 	"We are not friends," Christian countered.
>> 	"So you are still a bit sore about that old business," the man
>> mused.  "I dare say it has been far too long for you to hold 
a grudge."
>> 	"You're unbelievable," Christian hissed.
>> 	"Alas, it would appear time may not heel all wounds 
after all.  So,
>> let me get to the purpose of my call."
>> 	Christian's hand tightened around the receiver.  He had 
never cared
>> for the man's false joviality, but he was sure it would be 
far preferable
>> to
>> the blow that was no doubt coming.  "Please do," Christian said.
>> 	"One of your brothers has met with an unfortunate...accident."
>> 	"I have no brothers," Christian said in a voice that 
was just over a
>> whisper.
>> 	"I'm sorry," the man replied.  "I thought we were done 
being coy.
>> Of course I was referring to the brotherhood in the fraternity."
>> 	"I left the fraternity," Christian muttered.
>> 	"You never left the fraternity," the man sighed as 
though exercising
>> immense patience with a stubborn child.  "You never left the 
fraternity.
>> No
>> one ever leaves the fraternity, Mr. Slater."
>> 	"I was told I could--"
>> 	"You were told you could what," the man interrupted, 
dropping all
>> pretense of pleasantries. "You thought you could just leave 
and pretend
>> your
>> allegiance never existed?"
>> 	Christian's eyes strayed to the family photo hanging over the
>> fireplace in his study.  In the picture his then three-year-old son,
>> Aaron,
>> stood blithely between his parents.  Their daughter, Trish, 
was a newborn
>> cradled in the arms of a smiling Carolyn.  Posing for the 
photo, he had
>> felt
>> that his life had truly taken a turn for the better, that 
his past would
>> fade into distant memory.  Now, despite the fear raking his 
stomach, he
>> almost grinned at his own stupidity.  Had he truly believed 
he could just
>> get away?
>> 	"One of the brothers and his wife have met with an 
untimely death,"
>> the caller went on.  "They had a son, Theodore, who has been 
left behind
>> with no suitable guardians.  The High Council has met and 
decided your
>> family would be best suited to take responsibility for the 
young man."
>> 	"I beg your pardon?"
>> 	"A family has died.  Their son needs a home."  The 
voice was slow
>> and irritatingly precise, exhibiting all the patience of a teacher
>> explaining to his dimwitted student the basic principles of gravity.
>> 	Christian was torn.  On the one hand he could not have felt more
>> relieved.  He had been certain the request would be far more 
despicable.
>> Exactly what he thought they might ask of him he did not 
want to begin to
>> imagine, but on the other hand, this business of a homeless 
boy was, well,
>> random!
>> 	"What part of it is confusing, Mr. Slater?"
>> 	Christian sat forward.  "You want me to just take in a boy I've
>> never met?  From a group of people I haven't even spoken to 
in more than
>> eighteen years?"
>> 	After a pause, the man asked, "Do you foresee a problem 
with that?"
>> 	"Do I foresee a problem with that?"  Christian was appalled.
>> "You're damn right I foresee a problem with that.  I think 
you're crazy to
>> just call me up this way.  What, did you just draw my name 
from a hat or
>> something?"
>> 	"I do not pretend to understand the Council's 
decisions.  You have
>> an obligation to the fraternity," the man explained in a 
tone that was
>> almost brittle with disdain.  "Your respite is over.  Far worthier
>> brothers
>> would be all too glad to assume this responsibility."
>> 	"I'm sorry for the boy's loss," Christian hissed.  "But you just
>> can't call me and expect me to be overjoyed when I'm being 
coerced into
>> taking in a child from a family I never even met."
>> 	"Coercion," the man pondered, savoring the word.  "You 
are right to
>> assume that you do not really have a choice in the matter.  
The boy will
>> be
>> coming to your home in two months, just in time for the fall 
term.  This
>> should give you ample time to prepare for his arrival."
>> 	"And if I refuse?"
>> 	"Mr. Slater," the man chuckled.  "Don't be silly.  I'll be in
>> touch."
>> 	The line went dead.  Christian dropped the phone into 
its cradle and
>> then just sat staring at it.  There were too many questions 
colliding in
>> his
>> head, too many competing thoughts.  The call had been a 
shock.  The nature
>> of the call had been just plain strange, and...  With dawning horror,
>> Christian looked around the room.  The fraternity was indeed 
obsessed with
>> secrecy.  It would never take unnecessary risks.  He 
suddenly wondered how
>> long they had been monitoring his family.
>>
>> ***
>>
>> "Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up 
their sleeves,
>> some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."--Sam Ewing
>>
>>
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