Chapter 22: “He’s Blind for a Reason, You Know”

How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster

By: Amber Brown

If a writer introduces a blind character to an audience, then that character is

going to perform a very significant role during the plot of the story.

• Extremely Important & Ironic Disability

• In a story (NOT IN REAL LIFE)

• Portray pshycological, moral, & intellectual characteristics

• Blind See and Sighted are Blind

• Identifies failure to see reality, love, truth etc.

When a Writer wants us to know something significant about a character then…

• Mention It

• Concepts of light and dark

• Dark=Blindness

• Light=Sight

• Mentioned Early

• “Indiana Jones Principle”

• “If you want your audience to know something important about your character (or the work at large), introduce it early, before you need it.”

Introducing a Blind Character to the Audience is a Challenge

Challenges the Writer• Actions have to

accommodate the disability• Disabled characters can be

a hassle to authors• Specific Reasoning

Challenges the Audience• Learning the characters is

blind• Familiarity to the concept of

light and dark• Interpret Text for Full

Meaning