Deenie

As Deenie starts wearing her Milwaukee brace, the narrative delves deeper into her relationship with beauty standards and body image. Deenie calls the device “the ugliest thing [she] ever saw” (95), and she states that she hates “just looking at the brace” (96). She gives herself a haircut to attempt to reclaim control over her appearance, deeming herself “as ugly as anybody’d ever been before…maybe even uglier” (103). Deenie has been conditioned to think that wearing a medical device makes her ugly, and that belief causes her significant anxiety. This underlines the negative impact of beauty standards and the general pressure to conform to social norms, which Deenie has benefited from until now. The young girl has been defined by her good looks for most of her life, and, as a result, experiences her condition as a challenge to her identity. Early in the novel, Deenie implicitly equates her appearance with her social value, due in part to Thelma’s upbringing and societal conditioning. Deenie initially recognizes her privilege when she describes herself as “lucky” to be good-looking, but she is now starting to experience the other side of that societal norm, furthering the development of the theme of Disability as a Catalyst for Self-Acceptance.

At this point in the story, Deenie actively rejects any suggestion that she may be disabled. She resents Aunt Rae calling her “sick” and Mrs. Anderson implying that she is “handicapped” because that language implicitly reduces her identity to her medical condition. She also refuses offers for accommodations, like using a lectern in class or being picked up by the “special bus” alongside other students with disabilities, for fear of being judged. The narrative reverses Deenie’s role to better highlight the damaging impact of ableist attitudes. While at the beginning of the story she repeated negative stereotypes about other characters with disabilities, she is now apprehensive about being on the receiving end of those same stereotypes. This is reflected by Deenie’s initial refusal to even look at the brace, which mirrors the earlier passage when she specifically avoids looking at Old Lady Murray or Gena Courtney. Deenie’s defense mechanisms, be it making herself “ugly” or trying to remain unnoticeable, paradoxically bring her closer to the characters she previously dehumanized, continuing the novel’s exploration of Empathy as a Tool to Challenge Ableism. When Barbara helps Deenie tie her shoelaces, for example, the latter feels “like the world’s biggest jerk” for demeaning Barbara in the past (128). This marks the beginning of their friendship and, by extension, of Deenie actively questioning negative stereotypes about people with disabilities.

The narrative suggests that dismantling her internalized ableism and questioning the value of beauty as social currency is the next logical step in Deenie’s journey toward self-acceptance. Deenie begins to explore other facets of her identity beyond her appearance and, significantly, beyond her mother’s control. She expresses her desire to become an orthopedist, for instance, a job that relies on intellect and empathy and goes against Thelma’s wishes. Deenie’s growing opposition to her mother is also implied through her father’s support as well as Dr. Kliner’s validation when he comments, “Your mother’s attitude toward your condition is fairly common. […] I can tell you have your father’s attitude and I’m glad. Because wearing the brace can be as easy or difficult as you make it” (96). Narratively speaking, Frank Fenner and Dr. Kliner are two adult authority figures whose attitudes significantly contrast with Thelma’s and consequently offer commentary on the latter’s behavior. This proves significant to Deenie’s emotional journey, highlighting the damaging impact of Thelma’s actions and The Negative Impact of Parental Ambition on Self-Identity. The narrative sets up the upcoming confrontation between Thelma and her daughters while providing a nuanced view of her character as an overwhelmed mother rather than a one-dimensional antagonist. This contributes to the sense of realism that is conventional in the problem novel genre by showing different possible reactions to Deenie’s diagnosis, from Thelma to Frank and even Helen.