One of the better lectures at the 2011 Annual Convention of the Modern Language Association (MLA) was on autism in literature.  The lectures from this panel are available here and they are worth a read.

All three of the lectures on the panel were well presented. The panelists didn’t just read their talks; in addition, they printed out both regular-text and large-print versions of their papers, so those in the audience could read along if necessary.

The overarching theme of the papers read aloud at this panel seemed to be that those with autism have more to offer the literary world than many would think.  Several panelists examined poetry written by autistics, pointing out the unique literary qualities such poems often possess.  Another panelist, Julia Rodas, analyzed Robinson Crusoe as a type of autism in literature.  All three panelists argued that the autistic perspective can be valuable in the literary world.

Once again, all three lectures from the panel are available here.  Those with ties to autism will find them extremely enlightening.

Allie Duzett is the Director of Strategic Operations for Accuracy in Media.

If you would like to comment on this article, e-mail mal.kline@academia.org

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