The Boy In the Moon

A) Comment on Ian Brown’s impressions of the L’Arche communities in Montreal and in France that he visits. (Chapters 11 and 12) Provide specific support by quoting the book directly. 

Ian Brown is thoroughly impressed by the l’Arche communities. He is amazed at how well disabled people do when they are treated with respect and as equals, and how the staff learn from the arrangement as well. He also gained self confidence from the experience and gained more respect for disabled people even though he has a disable son. “I realized I was afraid of everything: afraid to take a shower, for fear of waking everyone up; afraid to come down to breakfast. (By nine in the morning the house was alive with noise – long high moans, train hoots, ays and oohs and clapping). But something about the unassuming nature of life in the foyer fixed that.” (page 217). 

B) Describe what you have learned about life with a profoundly disabled child. How has Brown’s memoir altered/clarified your attitude? Provide specific support by quoting the book directly.

  This book has shaped my understanding in subtle ways. I think it has helped me understand that disabled people are just as human as anyone, but cannot express themselves as fully as us. It has also brought to my attention how needy these people are and how much help they require. I also think it has helped me to lose my adversity to them by becoming familiar and learning more about them. “At 10:47 that night, Brenda roused Cliffie from the TV. ‘Cliffie, time to go to bed.’ ‘Mom’, he said. Nothing delayed about that tone. ‘Why can’t I stay up? I’m a teenager’. He had the routines of normal life down.” (page 129). 

 

C) Provide three questions for Ian Brown.

    i)  What was the hardest part about raising walker?

    ii) Do you think you were driven to rationalise Walker’s existence?

    iii)  Why are so many parents of disabled children so intent on raising them and trying to get something out of it, rather than wanting to abandon them?