The novel "Finding Grace", by Alyssa Brugman is the story of a brain damaged woman named Grace

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English                 Sabrena Lee and Anousha Gilroy

Expository Oral

Anousha and Sabrena are seated on stage as a short clip is played on the projector screen, showing the introduction of a news broadcast.

Sabrena:        Good afternoon, I am Sabrena Lee.

Anousha:        And I am Anousha Gilroy.

Together:        And you are tuned into today’s new broadcast.

Anousha:        Our main stories tonight:

Finding Grace’ and ‘Whose Life is it Anyway’ are both texts which mobilise the discourse of Disablement, however, they each construct two completely different views.  Just how do they do it?  We get down and dirty discussing the effects in which the attitudes, values and beliefs inherent and the discourses mobilised in the texts position the readers and viewers to side with a particular opinion over another.

Sabrena:        In addition, a live debate will be taking place about the controversial issue of euthanasia, or suicide, whichever way you look at it, and who has the right to make the decision concerning whether a person lives or dies.  However, firstly, we will cross over to Sam French, who is currently at the National Library of Brisbane.  

(The tables are moved apart to signify a scene change)

Anousha:        This is an outrage!  I am reporting live from the National Library of Brisbane where a serious felony has been committed.  All copies of the novel, ‘Finding Grace’ have been stolen, (Holds up novel) except for this one.  But why, you ask, would anyone want to steal this book? Let me tell you.

The novel “Finding Grace”, by Alyssa Brugman is the story of a brain damaged woman named Grace and her path to recovery.  The novel is viewed through the perspective of Grace’s new carer, a teenage girl named Rachel.  This representation of Rachel contributes to the foregrounding of certain attitudes, values and beliefs which construct the dominant discourse of Disablement which is evident throughout the novel.  Other prominent discourses which are mobilized in the text are relationships and personal growth.  The discourse of Disability is mobilized throughout the text by the character Grace, who is diagnosed with severe brain damage. The novel values disabled people with high respect and as the title of the novel suggests, the story is about discovering who Grace is and about the normal life that she had led before.  This facet creates the belief that disabled people should be viewed upon as normal people, with feelings and personalities similar to others.  

The discourse of relationships is significant in linking the whole novel together. It is mobilized through many different people and there are a number of different types or relationships. The key relationship in the novel is that of Grace and Rachel. It begins as a carer and a seemingly brain dead woman, when Rachel thinks of it as babysitting. But evolves into a friendship when Rachel begins to realize Grace is a normal person. She begins to feel a connection with her and to genuinely care for her. The discourse of personal growth is mobilized through Grace and Rachel. It is interrelated with the discourse of relationships as it through these that the progression occurs. Grace starts off as nearly a vegetable, but as she becomes comfortable and familiar with her relationship with Rachel, her state of mind improves and the reader begins to see her react and respond to different situations. Rachel’s relationship with Grace helps her to mature and discover who she really is.    

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It is evident that the viewpoints of Rachel and Mr Preston have been foregrounded throughout the text. This privileges their view that disabled people are human beings just like everyone else. The viewpoints of Anthony Preston have been marginalized, by doing so, he is unable to defend himself against accusations or provide his point of view about Grace’s current situation.  Due to Grace’s condition, she is incapable of speaking; however, she is not marginalized throughout the text because the reader must rely on other character’s opinions about her by the viewpoints which are privileged throughout the text.  There is ...

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