and by the way, I hate how allergies and asthma are synonymous for weakness and uncoolness in fiction
OMG, this. So much this. My mom has severe asthma, and she's the coolest person I know. And seriously, most people have some form of allergies.
I also hate how speech impediments are a thing that get picked on in fiction (I know that's not really related to your point, but this book is reminding me of SS#2 and how Stacey got stuck with like, every ailment possible, and that made me think of the little girl in Stacey's cabin who had a speech impediment. Not that anyone made fun of her for it, and Stacey eventually grew to like her, but the fact that Ann had to phonetically spell out every frigging thing she said just drew attention to it. It's like saying "Hey! This girl talks differently than the rest of us do! Look at how her S's sound like SH's! Isn't that different?")
I may have gone a bit of a parenthetical rant up there. I have a bit of a lisp so it's a sore spot for me. I do admit that it causes difficulty sometimes, but I refuse to believe that I'm any less of a person because of it.
It's not unrelated at all! Nonie was a positive character, but you're right about how a) Ann is all OMG LOOK SHE TALKS FUNNY and b) in general speech impediments seem to be on the list of things it's totally OK to make character judgments about, and that gives really shitty messages. I felt like a lesser person because of my lack of romantic experience for a long time because it's considered totally OK to use "X-year-old virgin" as an insult. Because if someone hasn't dated it must be because they're undesirable and/or emotionally stunted, rather than because they don't feel that they're in the right place emotionally or simply haven't met anyone they're that into.
Anne sure loves phonetic spelling. I can't stand how she makes French people sound.
When I write fiction, I only spell out things that aren't properly spelled if it's actually important. Someone normally talks well and they're stuttering for a moment? Then I'll write in the spelling to show their feelings rather than saying, "So and so was afraid/whatever." Show, not tell. But if it's a regular impediment, then I'll just write what they were hoping to say.
Ann likes to use it to give a reason for someone to be picked on, which isn't cool at all.
OMG, this. So much this. My mom has severe asthma, and she's the coolest person I know. And seriously, most people have some form of allergies.
I also hate how speech impediments are a thing that get picked on in fiction (I know that's not really related to your point, but this book is reminding me of SS#2 and how Stacey got stuck with like, every ailment possible, and that made me think of the little girl in Stacey's cabin who had a speech impediment. Not that anyone made fun of her for it, and Stacey eventually grew to like her, but the fact that Ann had to phonetically spell out every frigging thing she said just drew attention to it. It's like saying "Hey! This girl talks differently than the rest of us do! Look at how her S's sound like SH's! Isn't that different?")
I may have gone a bit of a parenthetical rant up there. I have a bit of a lisp so it's a sore spot for me. I do admit that it causes difficulty sometimes, but I refuse to believe that I'm any less of a person because of it.
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When I write fiction, I only spell out things that aren't properly spelled if it's actually important. Someone normally talks well and they're stuttering for a moment? Then I'll write in the spelling to show their feelings rather than saying, "So and so was afraid/whatever." Show, not tell. But if it's a regular impediment, then I'll just write what they were hoping to say.
Ann likes to use it to give a reason for someone to be picked on, which isn't cool at all.
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