Abstract

Scripts is an autobiographical narrative that explores the intersections of neuro-divergence and queerness through the lens of “an identity instituted through a stylized repetition of acts” originally said by Judith Butler. Following the narrator from birth to early twenties, the novella will explore the intricacies of social dynamics and non-verbal communications. It demonstrates the effects and consequences when those communications fail.
Beyond the theoretical, this is ultimately a story about family, and the strength that can come from such relationships. The narrator explores how it can be a struggle to raise a child who doesn’t automatically adapt socially, but always from the lens of love and support. This is shown alongside the close relationship the narrator has with her siblings.
The novella is divided into four sections - The Baby, The Child, The Teenager, and The Adult - and largely takes place in the last three. The narrative moves through different points of view, each being used in to create a sense of immediacy, distance, or unfamiliarity with the reader to reflect the sense of self the narrator is experiencing. Similarly, formatting and genre is played with throughout the text to demonstrate the skills that the narrator is learning and developing.