Bat and the Waiting Game

Arnold’s novel advocates for autism acceptance by exploring typical challenges faced by children with neurodivergence in family, school, and social environments. The majority of research about autism pathologizes neurodivergence by seeking a “cause” or a “cure” for autism rather than focusing on ways to make society more accessible, and many interventions and therapies pressure children with autism to behave neurotypically. In contrast, Arnold shows that Bat can achieve his goals and strengthen his relationships with others without conforming to neurotypical ways of thinking, speaking, or behaving. The novel’s characters prize respect and empathy rather than uniformity, encouraging readers to embrace these values as well. 

Arnold’s portrayal of autism resonates with the principles of the autism acceptance movement and aligns with the neurodiversity paradigm, which posits that “autism and other neurocognitive variants are simply part of the natural spectrum of human biodiversity, like variations in ethnicity or sexual orientation” (Walker, Nick. “What Is Autism?” Neurocosmopolitanism, 2014). Organizations like the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) and Parenting Autistic Children with Love and Acceptance (PACLA) advocate for autism acceptance by working to strengthen the rights of those with neurodivergence and increase their inclusion in society.

As reflected in the novel, two of the primary challenges that children with neurodivergence children face in their everyday lives are navigating their sensory environments and social landscapes. Although these may seem like separate struggles to an outside observer, they are closely intertwined:

An child with autism has a sensory experience of the world that is more intense and chaotic than that of a neurotypical child, and the ongoing task of navigating and integrating that experience thus occupies more of the autistic child’s attention and energy. This means the child with autism has less attention and energy available to focus on the subtleties of social interaction. Difficulty meeting the social expectations of neurotypical individuals often results in social rejection, which further compounds social difficulties and impedes social development (Walker).

Arnold portrays these struggles with realism and compassion, showing how draining everyday experiences, from bright fluorescent lights to the rules of conversational etiquette, can be for Bat. Even though his community and classroom environment are depicted as safe and supportive, he still struggles to find acceptance among his peers. Israel is Bat’s first friend, and Bat describes himself as “a social frog” to express his difficulty connecting with others (130). Published during a time of widespread stigmatization and misinformation about autism—such as the inaccurate belief that only boys are diagnosed and false claims linking autism to vaccines or poor parenting—Arnold’s A Boy Called Bat series offers a call for acceptance and a reminder of the importance of community support.