Disability, Family Coping, and Family Resilience in Doris Lessing’s The Fifth Child
NALANS: Journal of Narrative and Language Studies, cilt.14, sa.30, ss.215-223, 2026 (Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 14 Sayı: 30
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.59045/nalans.2026.106
- Dergi Adı: NALANS: Journal of Narrative and Language Studies
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Directory of Open Access Journals, MLA International Bibliography
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.215-223
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Disability Studies, Doris Lessing, Family Coping, Family Resilience, Stigma
- Atatürk Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Disability studies have increasingly attracted scholarly attention across various disciplines, including literary studies. In the context of disability studies, this article examines the representation of disability, stigma, family coping, and resilience in Doris Lessing’s The Fifth Child, focusing on the Lovatt family and their fifth child, Ben, whose difference is perceived as socially abnormal. As an interdisciplinary field, disability studies also engages with literary texts, which provide valuable insights into the representation and perception of disability and social difference. Drawing on disability studies, stigma theory, and family coping perspectives, the study employs qualitative literary analysis and close reading to investigate how disability is constructed and negotiated within familial and social contexts. Lessing’s novel explores the communication and interaction between individuals perceived as different and the social environment in which they struggle for acceptance and belonging. The findings demonstrate that Ben’s marginalisation results not only from his physical and behavioural differences but also from the social norms, exclusionary attitudes, and expectations imposed by his family and the wider community. The study further reveals that the Lovatt family experiences considerable difficulties in developing effective coping strategies and family resilience, leading to emotional fragmentation, social isolation, and the gradual disintegration of family relationships. By examining the intersection of disability and family dynamics, this article contributes to literary disability studies and highlights how Lessing critiques normative understandings of family, belonging, and social acceptance.