Identity Through the Lens of Disability, an Intersection: Insights from Shelley’s Franken Stein and Haddon’s The Curious Incident

Abstract

Disability in literature is more than just aplot device it is a powerful lens through which identity, humanity, and societal norms are explored. This paper examine show characters with disabilities are portrayed in literature and how these portrayals shape our understanding of identity. It also explores the complex relationship between disability and identity in literature, with a specific focus on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog int he Night-Time. The study is based on the social model of disability, which highlights how social barriers contribute to both physical and mental impairments. It shows characters as more than their disabilities, literature has the power to dispel stereotypes, promote empathy, and humanise disability. At the same time, it criticises instances in which marginalising disabled identities in literature serves to reinforce biased ideas. This paper help store think disability not as limitation but as a part of the human experience, reflecting the diverse ways in which people navigate Identity and belonging in an often – unforgiving world.