Taken from my blog – Adventures in Autism: A Late Diagnosis Story

DISCLAIMER: Before you become angry, read over what I have to say and please use the links–some contain spoilers–provided. It will be impossible to discuss this with you if we don’t understand each other. Thank you. (Also know that I am a huge Stephen King fan, just now getting back into his work.)

I am currently reading “The Shining” by Stephen King. Wendy and Jack Torrance are talking to the doctor about Danny’s trances. The doctor, a man who makes it clear that he is not a psychiatrist, says “schizoid behaviour” isn’t that uncommon in kids yet if family life continued on the harsh road it had been, those behaviours would have got worsed.

“And become autistic?” Wendy asks.

The doctor says “Possibly but not necessarily”.

“The Shining” was published in 1977 and back then we knew a lot less about autism (Content Warning: link contains upsetting history of treatments). It’s one seemingly of King’s tropes though: “The Magical Autistic”. It’s not always outright said. Still, you see it in “Rose Red”, in “Dream Catcher” (at least the film–yet to finish the book), and other books/adaptations. Often a child will display strong characteristics only for it to be down to something supernatural.

However, I think the newest book of his I’ve read was published a decade ago. So perhaps there has been some change. I don’t see Stephen King as a bad man, or unintelligent, or uncaring. I also don’t always see the trope employed badly. He often has had the “Magical Black Man” trope too. This is usually in the form of a benign black gentleman who happens to be special like John Coffey, Dick Hallorann, or Mike Hanlon.

This is a nuanced conversation and I don’t think there is an ultimate right or wrong. If a character in a book says something, the writer does not necessarily agree. However, I would be interested to find out what Stephen King has had to say about autism. It or at least its traits are common in his earlier works–perhaps they still are, I need to catch up. I would love to know why and how he feels about the use of both tropes mentioned.

A trope is a cliché, more or less, but as we all should know “clichés are clichés for a reason”. It isn’t always incorrect to use them. However, when you employ them to the amount that King does with these two in particular, I think it’s fair to expect some questions. Later I’m going to look into this.

CONCLUSION: Research and understanding into autism appears to have propelled in recent years. Is it correct to admonish writers for what they could research decades ago? I don’t believe that to be so. Still, it is interesting to see this and other types of disabilities ending up either as actually magical OR as a sort of “superpower”. I’m sure Mr King has discussed this at some point and I’d love to be directed to such conversations.

Stephen King is a favourite author of mine, one who had me reading at a young age (naughty me), and a man who helped full my love for not only horror but also the supernatural, magic, and writing itself. And so, this is not an attack. It is a desire to know more, to see what the man thinks and says and does himself. It took a lot out of me typing this up because, frankly, I’m exhausted today and I want to get back to the book! So, through your info at me, friends.