Media Reaction

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M5 Media Reaction/ The Story of Luke

Nhazanu Yekeh Pessima

Graduate School College of Education, Endicott College,

AUT 527: INTRODUCTION TO AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

Professor. Dawn Fittipaldi

October 20th, 2022

Reaction: Media on Autism

The Story of Luke

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a fast-growing developmental condition that has recently caught the media's attention. Several documents have been written and films produced to spread awareness of the condition. Many people have learned about the condition through watching and reading materials produced in the media. The Story of Luke is an example of a film that illustrates the life of autistic individuals, the daily challenges they face, and how those close to them struggle with the quest to live everyday life like others. This movie has been rated as one of the most informative and inspiring films concerning the daily issues and struggles that autistic people face.

The movie's main objective is to project how autistic people are encouraged to live everyday life like others. It explains how the life of a character named Luke turned upside down after the death of his grandmother. Luke is left with his grandfather senile grandfather, whom they are forced to live with their dysfunctional relatives. The relatives became impatient and sent the grandfather to a nursing home while Luke was left with his grandfather's advice on getting a job and finding a girlfriend (Staff, 2013). Luke embarks on a journey of a quest for everyday life like others. The movie represents characteristics of autistic individuals such as difficulties in communication and inflexible observance to routines.

Though these materials aim to create awareness of ASD and destroy the stigma associated with the condition, some portray unrealistic stereotypes about the situation. A misconception about people living with Autism is evident in the film, where Luke's boss claims that autistic people have no place in the world other than that of pity and sorrow for others. Luke stands up for himself and expresses that autistic people have a purpose just like others. This movie illustrates how differently individuals with autism are treated by those close to them. Luke's grandmother is compassionate, patient, caring, and loving, while his aunt and boss, on the other hand, are rude, impatient, and abusive. The idea of the production to bring about the two sides of how autistic people are treated in a society portrays its accuracy on how different people deal with the condition.

The film does not deviate from the DSM explanations on how to diagnose ASD. Luke, the autistic character in the film, matches all the characteristics portrayed in the DSM-5 criteria. The criteria explain that a person with autism should show persistent deficiencies in social interaction and communication across situations, whether present now or have existed in the past. Other characteristics include if the person shows restricted, recurring behavior patterns, interests, or activities, as shown by stereotyped or recurring motor actions, the use of objects, or speech in the present or in the past. The movie does not give out information on vaccination to prevent autism, but from past studies, vaccines were viewed as a cause of autism until proven otherwise. The story of Luke explains how replacement behavior and antecedent strategies are paramount in changing behavior.

Luke, though on a higher functioning end of the condition, portrays how people living with autism transform the lives of those around them. This film positively impacts the autism community by encouraging them to stand up for themselves, so they have equal opportunities like others. It was also sad to see that the ones that should be protective of them, like Luke’s mother does not want to be identify with him due to stigma from society. The film also encourages people living with Autism on the importance of understanding themselves and the environment around them for their easy daily routines. The film stresses that Autism is a developmental condition, not a mental disorder. Therefore, the autism community can participate in similar activities, such as getting jobs, finding love, and living a happy life like others. The story of Luke and many other films and stories have created awareness especially for parents. A lot of parents are deeply involved with their children’s progress by getting involved themselves.

References

Staff, T. (2013). The Story of Luke: Film Review. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/story-luke-film-review-433084/