Staging Disability in John Belluso’s The Rules of Charity (2007)

Abdelwahab, Heba-t-Allah Badr M.

doi:10.21608/opde.2025.445087

Staging Disability in John Belluso’s The Rules of Charity (2007)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Heba-t-Allah Badr M. Abdelwahab

Assistant Professor, College of Language and Communication Humanities Department-Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport -AASTMT – Smart Village -Giza –Egypt

10.21608/opde.2025.445087

Abstract

Since the 1990s, disability studies have received increasing attention. These studies denote the various ways people understand, explain, and respond to disability. Several theories or models have emerged over time, each with different assumptions about what disability is and how society should deal with it. This research aims to analyze John Belluso’s The Rules of Charity (2007) from a socio-psychological perspective. Rooted in the literary disability theory, the paper incorporates elements of both the psychoanalytical and the family systems theories. It investigates the effects of disability on family relationships and dynamics as well as the societal challenges faced by disabled individuals. The paper also highlights the significant psychological consequences of disability on parent-child interactions in Belluso’s play. Key sources of conflict in the relationship between adult children and their disabled parents stem from long-term interdependence and caregiving responsibilities. Caring for a disabled parent carries substantial emotional, physical, and often financial burdens, impacting on the caregiver's wellbeing and interpersonal relationships.

Keywords