Apart from being an autism mom, one of my identities is
being a musician, a violist specifically. Two of my favorite things are playing
chamber music (pieces written for a small group of conductorless players, such
as a string quartet, in which each player has their own part) and in opera
orchestras. I like the same thing about chamber music and opera: they both
demand an extreme kind of concentration.
In both cases, you never know what
is going to happen next. In opera, you have to be prepared for the tenor to
forget an entire verse of his aria or for the conductor to start the next
selection too fast or slowly. In chamber music, you need to listen closely to
the person who hands the melody off to you, so that you can play it with the
same style, at the right volume, in whatever tempo they were playing it.
Somebody might get lost, but you just have to keep going, even though you never
heard the cue you were waiting for.
By the way, I happen to live in a
household with two family members with absolute or "perfect" pitch.
Both Singularity and Klailklop have it. Sadly, I do not have a well-developed
sense of absolute pitch, but I do manage to sing things in the right key about
half of the time.
Anyway, when I read a review of The Tooth Tattoo, by Peter
Lovesey, in the newsletter of my local chamber music society, I immediately put
it on hold at my local library. This book is a mystery that revolves around a
famous string quartet (the group of players, not a piece of music). Much of the
story is told by the violist! This was enough to make me want to read it. And
not far into the book, I learned that a member (the second violinist) of the
quartet happens to be...wait for it...autistic!
Now, there has been increasing
visibility of people with autism in popular culture in recent years. Some of
the most notable examples I can think of off the top of my head include the
character of Max on NBC's drama Parenthood, Claire Danes' portrayal of Temple
Grandin in HBO's eponymous biopic, and the titular character in the movie Adam. It is interesting that
the examples I am thinking of are all very high-functioning people, unlike the
more stereotypically autistic character in the 1988 movie Rainman. Click here for
a more complete list. No doubt this is a function of the increased incidence of
autism over the past twenty-five years and, more importantly, increased autism
awareness.
There has been a lot of discussion
in the autism self-advocacy community and the autism parent community about
these TV shows and movies. I haven’t seen anything about autism and The Tooth Tattoo, so I am going
to share my reaction it.
Here is the first time we meet
Anthony, the second violinist:
Mel was looking at the one musician he hadn’t already met, a guy
more his own age [late twenties], with brown hair to his shoulders and dressed
in a black shirt and red corduroy trousers, but unwilling, it seemed, to make
eye contact.
Ok, fair enough. Making eye contact is often too intense an experience for people with autism.
Ok, fair enough. Making eye contact is often too intense an experience for people with autism.
[…]
“Good to meet you,” Mel said to Anthony and could have saved his
breath. The second violin showed no intention of shaking hands or offerin any
kind of greeting.
[…]
And as Anthony took up the fugal theme on a single up-bow it was
apparent how seamlessly the two blended. This was playing of rare quality. The
second violin might be a social misfit, but he was a fine musician.
Yes, when there is underdevelopment in one area, we need to look for overdevelopment elsewhere.
Yes, when there is underdevelopment in one area, we need to look for overdevelopment elsewhere.
Later, Mel, the new violist in
the group, is discussing the group dynamics of a string quartet (entire books
have been written about this) with Ivan, the first violist:
…Mel said to Ivan, “this is more dynamic than anything I’ve
experienced musically before, the way we all contribute ideas. “
“It’s how [this quartet has] always worked.”
“So creative.”
“Nothing is static in ensemble work. We learn from each other
constantly.”
“I’m learning in spades.”
“It isn’t one-way. We’re responding to you.”
Mel blinked. “Really?”
“I don’t say things I don’t mean. So you feel you are benefitting
from the experience?”
“Enormously, even though I still hardly know you.”
“Me personally?”
“The group. Anthony puzzles me the most. A sort of Jekyll and
Hyde.” He stopped embarrassed at what he’d said. “No, that’s out of order. Do
you know what I mean?”
“Bipolar?”
“I wouldn’t want to give it a label.”
“Good -- because we don’t think he’s bipolar. That’s about highs
and lows, isn’t it? Manic-depressive stuff. He’s not particularly depressed.”
“There’s a personality change when we start rehearsing.”
“The music is paramount to Anthony. It dwarfs everything else. The
rest of his life bores him. He can’t be bothered with it. Playing in the
quartet is his only reality.”
OK, music is Anthony’s special interest.
“Isn’t that dangerous?”
“There are times when we have to remind him over the most mundane
things like getting his hair cut or renewing his passport. He needs someone in
his life to chivvy him along. But he’s not capable of entering into a
relationship, so I don’t think he’ll find anyone.”
This really makes me angry. It is a stereotype that autistic people are not
able to form relationships with other people. I believe that they desire it,
but it is may be too intense for them to tolerate.
Also, I think that we neurotypicals need to
develop a more flexible concept of what a relationship is. For an autistic
person, it could look quite different, but still fulfill their needs.
And one other thing: I know from personal
experience that an autistic person is capable of connecting to others.
Singularity and I have a very strong bond.
“Not capable? He must have emotional needs.”
“Outside music?” Ivan shook his head. “I’m not aware of any. The
emotion is all channelled into his playing. If his body tells him he requires
food, he’ll eat. He doesn’t read or go to the cinema. When he wants sex, he’ll
pay for it. All those things are functional, unconnected with intellectual
pleasure which comes to him only when he picks up his violin.”
“When he
wants sex, he’ll pay for it.”
WTF??????????????????????????????????????
Having said he wasn’t giving a label to Anthony’s behaviour, Mel
passed no comment. Privately he thought this sounded like some form of autism.”
Well I guess autism advocates are having some effect, as
laypeople have some awareness of what autism is.
Later there is a discussion between
the detective investigating the murder mystery and one of the quartet members,
on the topic of Anthony’s reaction to talking to the detective:
“[The murdered ex-violist] could rely on [Anthony] to tell the
truth. There’s no sophistry with Anthony. He gives it to you straight if he
gives you anything at all. That’s a symptom of his condition.”
OK, it seems as if the author read something
about “theory of mind” or about how autistic people, with less awareness of
social rules, are less, um, diplomatic than others. I think that this is a case
of listening to what “experts” have said about autism, rather than what
autistic people have to say for themselves. For example, Ido Kevar is very
clear in Ido in Autismland
that he does possess theory of mind; it is just that his inability to
control his body gets in the way of being able to display it.
Well,
this post is getting very long, so I am just going to leave you with a link to
a touching video made by the girlfriend of an autistic person. Listen to her,
and you will hear someone who has opened herself up to trying to understand a
different way of being. I feel heartened that there are people like her out there,
as I continue to cherish the neurotypical hope that my beloved Singularity will
find someone who will be able to fully appreciate him.
