Good Kings Bad Kings

The wheelchair is a common symbol in this novel, a tool that allows disabled characters to access—or to be prohibited from accessing—physical mobility. What makes the wheelchair more than simply a vehicle for movement is that it also represents social mobility and the worth of each character based on their chair’s ability. For example, Mia—a Mexican American youth who is in the lowest stratification of society—has a “manual chair,” even though she can’t move. The lack of her physical mobility also underscores her lack of social mobility—or her ability to have a voice and representation. Joanne, on the other hand, a wealthier, middle-aged white woman, has an electric chair with various capacities that provide her with a more comfortable experience as a disabled person. Joanne is aware of this discrepancy and notes the discriminatory implications of Mia’s wheelchair:

Mrs. Phoebe said Mia wasn’t ready for a power chair. But I’m looking at her, she’s planted in this one spot all by herself, can’t move an inch on her own, can’t talk to the other kids, has to wait for a staff person or one of the kids who can walk to notice her so she can get a push.