What novels have you read, recently or in a long-ago English class, that involve characters with Down syndrome or other intellectual disabilities? I’ve been thinking for a long time about the way people with IDD are portrayed in literature. I’m inclined to say they aren’t always (usually) fully human, with a range of emotions and possibilities. And yet they are often used within a story to demonstrate the sicknesses within our society.

I suspect I’ll have more to say about this topic at some point, but for now, I’m wondering if there are books I should add to my list. Here’s what I have so far:

• The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
• The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O’Connor
• Child’s Play by Alice Munro
• Flowers for Algernon by ​​Daniel Keyes
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

What novels (for adults) with characters with intellectual disabilities would you add to this list?

More with Amy Julia:

• Two Picture Books (for Everyone) With Characters With Down Syndrome
• TIME | Where Are All the Children’s Books Featuring Kids With Down Syndrome?
• Main Characters With Intellectual Disabilities in Chapter Books

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