Good Kings Bad Kings

Perhaps the biggest theme in Good Kings Bad Kings is the idea of self-sufficiency through social advocacy. Independence is elusive for many of the characters, who are either physically or mentally impaired and are unable to perform many actions that able-bodied citizens take for granted. However, Nussbaum challenges the stereotype that disabled youth are incapable of taking care of themselves by portraying characters who are able to develop control and autonomy through their actions and ideology. Joanne is a prominent character in this aspect because she is the first to introduce the idea of self-sufficiency, constantly challenging the system in order to express her liberation. She makes her own decisions in order to show she is in control and refuses to be labeled by others. For example, she refers to herself and other disabled people as “crips.” Though this may initially seem self-degrading, it turns out to be self-empowering, an act of reclamation through self-selection. Her push back against the way others may view her as weak or feeble actually makes her stronger by reversing a social expectation. In another instance, she explains how she doesn’t want to become overly dependent on Ricky after they have been dating for so long: