A Portrayal of Physical Disability in Brigid Kemmerer's Novel A Curse so Dark and Lonely

Authors

  • Selwan Abdur-Ridha Dhamed جامعة واسط/كلية التربية/ قسم اللغة الأنجليزية , University of Wasit / College of Education for Humanities / Department of Arabic Language / Literature Branch
  • Asst. Prof. Aseel Kadhim Alrikabi University of Babylon, College of Education for Human Sciences , جامعة بابل كلية التربية للعلوم الانسانية

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31185/lark.2770

Keywords:

cerebral palsy, psychobiography

Abstract

The present study uses psychoanalytic and critical disability theories to analyze Kemmerer’s novel A Curse So Dark and Lonely. It tries to explore how a healthy author depicts the suffering of a disabled character and whether she can depict the protagonist’s suffering physically and psychologically. How does the protagonist differ from many other disabled characters? The study concludes that no matter how the healthy author does, she cannot depict the deep psychological struggle the disabled protagonist endures like disabled authors

Author Biography

  • Selwan Abdur-Ridha Dhamed, جامعة واسط/كلية التربية/ قسم اللغة الأنجليزية, University of Wasit / College of Education for Humanities / Department of Arabic Language / Literature Branch

    طالبة دراسات عليا في المرحلة البحثية / جامعة واسط/ كلية التربية للعلوم الانسانية/ قسم اللغة الانكليزية/ فرع الادب

References

Works Cited

Bhatti S., & Jakatdar. [Books on Toast]. (2020, Nov, 27). Interview with Brigid Kemmerer/ A curse so dark and lonely [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/owxY9tdRr60

Brigid Kemmerer - Book series in order. (2019, December 11). Book Series in Order. https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/brigid-kemmerer/

Brigid Kemmerer. (2022). Freshfiction.com. https://freshfiction.com/author.php?id=29567

Kemmerer, B. (2019a). A curse so dark and lonely. 1. Bloomsbury. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43204703-a-curse-so-dark-and-lonely

Kemmerer, B. (January 2019b) A curse so dark and lonely. Bloomsbury. The United States of America.

Maxwell, D. (2019). Interview With an Author: Brigid Kemmerer. Lapl.org. https://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/blogs/lapl/interview-author-brigid-kemmerer

Mealy, D. (2019, March 13). Brigid Kemmerer Discusses A Curse So Dark and Lonely. The Children’s Book Review; The Children’s Book Review. https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/2019/03/brigid-kemmerer-discusses-a-curse-so-dark-and-lonely

Sandoiu, A. (2017, August 26). Strong friendships in adolescence may benefit mental health in the long run. Medicalnewstoday.com; medical news today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319119

Downloads

Published

2025-04-04

Issue

Section

Western languages ​​and literature

How to Cite

Selwan Abdur-Ridha Dhamed, R. ., & Aseel Kadhim Alrikabi, A. P. (2025). A Portrayal of Physical Disability in Brigid Kemmerer’s Novel A Curse so Dark and Lonely. Lark, 17(2/Pt1), 1155-1133. https://doi.org/10.31185/lark.2770