Essay Disabilities in The Short Bus by Jonathan Mooney

In the book, The Short Bus, Jonathan Mooney’s thesis is that there is more to people than their disabilities, it is not restricting nor is it shameful but infact it is beautiful in its own way. With a plan to travel the United States, Mooney decides to travel in a Short bus with intentions of collecting experiences from people who have overcome--or not overcome--being labeled disabled or abnormal. In this Mooney reinvents this concept that normal people suck; that a simple small message of â€Å"you’re not normal† could have a destructive and deteriorating effect. With an idea of what disabilities are, Mooney’s trip gives light to disabilities even he was not prepared to face, that he feared. Mooney embarks on this trip, starting in LA to his†¦show more content†¦What is important is that most of these individuals, who have been labeled disabled are fully able people that if under different circumstances would have more opportunity to advance. However, due to their labels they must fight society in order to fight for themselves. Throughout the book, Mooney not only focused on mental disabilities but physical ones because as they are labeled together, they are very different Mooney then meets a deaf and blind child named, Ashley who is the first person Mooney admits is abnormal. It was due to, two out of five senses not working properly that even Mooney labeled Ashley as broken. During this Mooney discovered the extent of disabilities but also the extent of limitations placed on people with physical limitations. He recounts philosopher, Aristotles views on the able body and the limitations of those who are not given able bodies. Mooney describes that when physical disabilities such as Ashleys, the level of intelligence possible for these people are viewed almost nonexistent. How can one learn if they cannot see or hear? It is Ashleys determination, it is the fact that her disability make it difficult for her to learn but do not stop her from learning that opens a new light is resilience in Mooney. It is one o f the instances in which Mooney, himself learns a valuable lesson. Later on Mooney meets Chad, who has cerebral palsy, and who loves riding roller coasters. During their encounter Chad pointed down to hisShow MoreRelatedReaction Paper1523 Words   |  7 PagesReaction Paper The Short Bus CON 712 Counseling Children and Adolescent Adrianne Green October 19, 2010 Before I began reading this book, I took a moment to think about the title: The Short Bus a Journey beyond Normal and what this book might entail. The term short bus brought back memories to me as a kid, people who were not smart enough to ride the long bus; or people who attended a special school because they were mentally retarded or mentally challenged. I felt connected to some of theRead MoreKent Roberts Is One Of The Character In The Book By Jonathan1160 Words   |  5 PagesRoberts is one of the character in the book by Jonathan Mooney, who was diagnosed with ADHD. ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a condition which causes symptoms such as inattentiveness, impulsivity and hyperactivity within individuals. Kent struggles with his ability to conform to the ques of society. As a result, Kent has trouble managing time, being organized, achieving and maintaining goals and keeping a job. Despite his short comings, Kent is extremely gifted and comes