Nancy Mairs “On being a Cripple”: Analyzing Empowerment and Unconventionality

Understanding “On Being a Cripple” by Nancy Mairs

Nancy Mairs, in the essay “On Being a Cripple,” explains the changes a normal person must endure after becoming a cripple. Nairs supports her argument by describing the word “cripple,” her new name, which she provided herself with after becoming diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The author’s purpose is to empower herself and to help her accept herself for who she is. The author writes in an audacious tone for disabled people and nondisabled people alike.

Nancy Mairs presents herself as empowered and unconventional, as conveyed through her use of repetition, unconventional sentence structure, and irony.

Empowerment Through Repetition: Mairs’ Narrative Style

Throughout the excerpt of “On Being a Cripple,” repetition is used constantly used to give Mairs a sense of empowerment. For example, in the excerpt, she states that “I choose from among several possibilities… I made a choice a number of years ago… I recognized that they are complex”. The repetition of phrases such as “I choose,” “I made,” and “I recognized” implies that she has control over her life. Mairs is empowering herself because she is making her own decisions. It illustrates the point that she has enough power to complete life’s tasks without depending on someone else. Another example of self-empowerment through repetition is when Mairs reasons that “Perhaps I want them to wince. I want them to see me as a tough customer”. In this case, she is attempting to make people wince by describing herself as a “cripple.” Mairs repeating the phrase “I want” suggests that she has control over her own decisions. Additionally, she has the power to make disabled and nondisabled people wince because she identifies as being “crippled” and not “disabled,” it is her choice alone to do this. However, Nancy Mairs does not only present herself as a powerful individual. She also displays herself as a nonconformist and unique.

Mairs’ Unconventional Approach: Breaking the Norms

In the essay, Mairs employs unconventional sentence structure to illustrate that she is unconventional in manner. In the text, Mairs claims that “people-crippled or not- wince at the word…”. When dashes are used in writing, it means that the reader should pause for a longer time than they would a comma. In other words, Mairs is creating a sense of discomfort and emphasizing that everyone is uncomfortable by the use of the word “cripple.” Moreover, commas and dashes are basically interchangeable; the only difference is that dashes are rarely used and unconventional. The use of dashes in her writing implies that Mairs, like dashes, are unique and unconventional from the normality of commas. Additionally, recognizing differences in oneself compared to others is the first step towards accepting themselves. Another example of unconventional sentence structure is when Mairs states that “one to whom the fates/gods/viruses.” Slashes are also unconventional because most English writers use commas to differentiate a list. However, slashes are a way to list off a list much faster than using commas. By quickening her listing process, it implies that Nancy Mairs is lumping together and discrediting all of the explanations for why people become crippled by simply making them unimportant. Also, as previously stated, the use of slashes creates the notion that Mairs is a nonconformist because she does not use conventional English sentence structure.

Irony as Empowerment in Nancy Mairs’ Words

Nancy Mairs, besides using unconventional sentence structure to appear unconventional, also utilizes irony to empower herself. In the essay, Mairs opens up with, “I am a cripple. I choose this word to name me”. This starting sentence is ironic because she is taking power away from the word “cripple” and funneling it toward herself. Nancy Mairs has become more powerful because she has taken such a negative and potent word and reduced it to a name, her name. This also facilitates Mairs journey of acceptance because she has labeled herself her condition. Later in the text, Nancy Mairs states that “As a cripple, I swagger.” This quote is ironic for a few reasons; one, swagger has a male connotation even though Mairs identifies as a female. Additionally, swagger typically means to walk or behave in a very confident and aggressive way. However, considering her condition, it is understood that she can not “swagger” because she can not walk in the first place. Mairs labels herself as a cripple again, implying she accepts herself as being disabled.

In the essay “On Being a Cripple,” Nancy Mairs presents herself as unconventional and bold. Her intent is to empower herself in her writing and to aid in accepting herself for who she is. This text is a good read for disabled and non-disabled people alike or someone who has not found a way to accept themselves.

References:

1. Mairs, Nancy. “On Being a Cripple.” “Plaintext: Essays.” University of Arizona Press, 1997.

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