Ability and Society

With almost a third of Estancia Aldea Norteña released, all the major characters are now in the mix. Readers have already commented on how this alternate universe cast compares to the original's. One specific change was determined before I even began this story: Elena (aka Eleanor Tilney) uses a wheelchair.

Back in January I posted about altering names and backstories in an alternate universe. Some edits are obvious and easy to make (such as driving cars versus carriages). But other concepts need more tweaking to bring into the modern day. In Northanger Abbey, one of Eleanor's defining characteristics is her isolation and loneliness. Catherine may be less wealthy but is blessed with a large loving family and many friends. In contrast, Eleanor depends on her brother for companionship, and his company is sporadic.

Not all Regency ladies faced identical challenges. In Austen's own canon, the protagonist of Emma is described as "handsome, clever, and rich ... with very little to distress or vex her." Emma's father is alive but more her responsibility than the reverse, and she admits to a friend that she does not see marriage as necessary or even that desirable. Miss Bates of the same novel is a woman who never married, lives with and cares for her mother, and cheerfully takes part in Highbury society; when Mr. Knightley takes Emma to task for slighting Miss Bates, he cites her poverty rather than her singleness as requiring sympathy and aid.

So while Miss Charlotte Lucas of Pride and Prejudice practically decided a comfortable marriage with Mr. Collins was preferable to a poor spinsterhood keeping house for her brothers, and Emma eventually fulfilled the romantic heroine's destiny at the altar, Austen does not paint a universal brush that all unmarried ladies are pitiful recluses or incapable of agency. There's a grand diversity found within the text of men and women overcoming difficulties unique to their circumstances.

However, Regency England did obey different social norms, and it's hard to convey that same sense of dependence and conflict of choice in a modern setting. I played with several contemporary Northanger Abbey ideas long before writing about Argentina. One of the earliest was an Eleanor with mobility challenges. This choice isn't making a statement on different abilities for all, any more than Eleanor's canonical dilemma models the entire genteel maiden experience. Instead, it's a translation of her personal challenges: a specific situation that requires extra effort to deal with, limits some of her options, and complicates her relationships. Elena Tilve is blessed with better financial backing than her peers; however, her father's capacity to purchase the best medical care and equipment comes at a cost to her autonomy. Parental support in this case also exerts control rather than assisting independence.

Again, not every person with a physical handicap is similarly encumbered. In fact, after reconstructive leg surgery, I attended school first on wheels and later with crutches. There are many professional athletes and musicians, teachers and scientists all fulfilling their potential in wheelchairs or with other impairments. While researching sports in Argentina, I discovered an internationally recognized soccer or fútbol team made up for players who are all blind. There's a detailed TED talk in Spanish about them online, as well as this NBC News video showcasing one player's inspiring story. His parents, unlike General Tilve, applaud and embrace their son's decisions and abilities.

Jane Austen presented a rich tapestry of women in all their differing complexities, inanities, vices, and virtues. Fan fiction present the opportunity to feature more than just the exact same people wearing different clothes. I've seen stories where Elizabeth Bennet was reimagined as a pastry cook, defense lawyer, and veterinarian. Why not also experiment with visual impairment or deafness? More revolutionary, what if a Darcy or Knightley romantic lead were in wheelchairs or had prosthetic limbs? Would they still be considered attractive? How would the other characters, and indeed the readers, react to them? Hopefully more authors may answer these questions. If you know of any examples, please share them in the comments below.