A View of Physical Disability and Identity in The Greatest Showman (2017) Movie

Zafira Nurdinillah (7C)

11150260000001
English Department, Faculty of Adab and Humanities, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic
University Jakarta, Indonesia
Email: zafira.malik15@mhs.uinjkt.ac.id

Abstract
Disability like any other social phenomenon is complex and socially constructed, however,
generally, impairment does not always lead to the term of disability as someone with unique
physical creature also recognized disabled by society. It has a relationship with identity in
how people with impairments assimilate their disability into their identity in various ways, as
identity is a complicated and multi-faceted thing and often experienced a dynamic change
(Martin 18). This study investigates how the identity formation of disabled people portrayed
in the musical genre movie The Greatest Showman 2017 directed by Michael Gracey. This
movie contains the issue on how disabled people construct their identity as they live within a
disable-community, shared the same experiences, oppression, and fight to gain recognition
on what society believes. The objective of this study is to show how disabled people construct
their identity in such a complex society. This research is conducted using a qualitative
descriptive method by analyzing monologues, dialogues, and the lyrics contained in Michael
Gracey’s The Greatest Showman as the analysis unit, then, the data is analyzed with content
analysis. The result highlights how disabled people gained more confident to shore up their
identity when they belong to the same community they live in, identity becomes a positive
sense of self, feelings of solidarity with the disability community. A coherent disability
identity considered as an adjustment to help individuals accepting their impairments,
including exploring daily hassles and related social anxieties.

Keywords : Disability, Identity, Adjustment, Social Construction, The Greatest Showman

I. Introduction
What first occurred in your mind when the word disability was pronounced?
Definitely will not be far from the word impairment or imperfection. Disability
like any other social phenomena is socially and culturally mediated. Society
defines the meaning of it, the construction of what is ‘normal’ is deeply embedded
in our thinking, as well as in the paradigms and activities of schools, hospitals and
other institutions. Onley & Kim (565) states that literature appears to consistently
frame the concept of adjustment as an acceptance/adaptation to one's limitations
rather than the adjustment to attitudes toward disability. Disability-identity is
referred to like that part of the self-concept that develops from the disability-
related self-definitions that exist within an individual. Using the identity concepts
of some theorists, this article will discuss how a disabled person in The Greatest
Showman (2017) construct and develop his/her identity in such a complex society.
The Greatest Showman is a musical drama genre that was screened in
theatres around the world in 2017. The movie was directed by Michael Gracey in
his directorial debut. Inspired by the true story of Phineas Taylor Barnum which
raised the issue of disability as the main topic (Wikipedia). As a movie based on a
true story about the 90s American circus that recruited humans with a unique
physique as performers in his show, this movie raises an interesting issue about
how disability can construct someone’s identity to study further. Apart from
because this is a musical show with songs that spoil the ears, the audience also
dissolves in the story of the touching performers. This movie winning a number of
Oscars and it contains issues that concern the public why an issue regarding
disability and its relation to one's identity in a show and getting a lot of pressure
can be a booming film. That is why I interested to raise the issue of how the
formation of identity in the characters with disability portrayed in this movie.
Disability scholar, Linton (Lellis 508) describes disability as “a linchpin in
a complex web of social ideals, institutional structures, and government policies”
– not simply a disease or injury. The cultural identity of disability is described as
being rooted in oppression and discrimination, and how the public perceives
people with disabilities and the significance of disability issues may be influenced
by media messages. Moreover, Lawson added ‘spastic’, ‘cripple’, ‘invalid’, until
‘handicapped’ as several terms that have been used to define people with
impairments. The common factor was that they belonged to the non-disabled
people characteristics (Lawson 204).
According to the American Psychiatric Association in (Onley 563), a
number of disabilities have an impact on mental and cognitive functions such as;
memory, motivation, mood, attention span, and organisation. They fall into
several broader domains including developmental, psychiatric, learning, and
neurological disorders. Based on the social paradigms nowadays which write by
Fine & Asch in (Onley 564), barriers are erected that exclude individuals who are
considered different. Someone with physical disabilities is often easier being
recognised to the class of people we call disabled. They often experience outright
discrimination, assumption and attitudes from others, that can cause a strong
influence on self-perception, causing individuals to feel guilt, anxiety, self-doubt
and ambivalence, particularly in regards to receiving some help. Research and
theory on self-perception of individuals with a disability have been largely
focused on the experience of those who have physical impairments (Onley 564).
Furthermore, Naugle defined the concept of adjustment in (Onley 565), as
‘a reordering of priorities and adjustment of the self with a renewed sense of self-
worth’. Alongside with Naugle, Livneh (Onley 565) unified theory of adaptation,
he conceptualised adjustment as a staged process. He identified five stages of
physical disability adjustments:
Initial impact; defence mobilisation; initial realisation; retaliation; reintegration.
According to this theory, an adjustment is characterised by satisfaction,
confidence, and contentment. The term adjustment infers resolution of conflicts
and the establishment of a healthy identity formation in people with disability.
In line with this concept of adjustment, Darling in Neiberding (321)
explains how adjustment linked with an adaptation experienced by people with
disability, he elaborates on the views that society holds on disability by closely
examining socio-economic status, cultural representations of disability in the
media, race and ethnicity, particularly pointing out that some cultural values
promote acceptance of disability including familism, cohesiveness and
protectiveness. As a result, individuals have managed to develop a positive
identity as a result of movement with the notion of stigma in society, others still
continue to experience stigma and unequal treatment in today’s society.
Moreover, Conroy (343) in his journal titled “Active Differences:
Disability and Identity Beyond Post-Modernism” sees a fresh view towards
identity, disability, and freak-performance that the twentieth-century death and
resurrection of the freakshow, and the contiguous development of the disability
rights movement, offer a performative stand-off between the post-modern and the
post-postmodern and that this has implications beyond disability theatre and
disability performance. Like racial minorities, individuals with physical
disabilities share their common experiences, goals, and cultural roots, as well as
the historical and political view. Their experience have to be understand and
appreciated, with encouragement, they are able to acknowledge the many unique
and positive aspects of life with a disability. Without culture and community, an
 individual with physical disabilities maintains their feelings of shame and
ambivalence about disability.
Therein, the society also holds a role to make this uncomfortable insight
become familiar by nurturing disability rights movement or broadening the
disability culture to counter the negative stigma about disability available in the
majority culture. Then people with disabilities will feel empowered when they
come to see their difference as a valued part of their identities. So that, individual
with physical disabilities did not get confused and could be more proud about
their identity, asserting their political power to a majority culture while projecting
a new image of themselves as a powerful and competent human being.
Therefore, to characterize oneself as a disabled person is to assert the
adherence to the view that one's identity is that of a disabled person and not a
'person with a disability' (Lawson 203). Accordingly, to characterize oneself as a
disabled person is both a declaration of one's participation in a social group and
furthermore an acknowledgement of the externalization of disabled people which,
significantly, oppresses them through social structures, attitudes from individuals
and institutional practices. Here, it will be proposed that special community, such
as the life of disabled people as an entertainer in The Greatest Showman movie by
Michael Gracey, play a role in the formation of the identity of the disabled
member of the circus entertainment community. An analysis of issues relating to
physical impairments and social paradigms in the movie, and the capacity of the
social model of disability reconcile the concept of disability as a valid cultural
identity, will lead into an exploration of the community role in relation to disabled
people identity. How the disabled people as a homogeneous group in the movie,
shared experience within society and, whilst the nature of their impairments may
differ, the consequences of having an impairment result in a shared experience of
oppression in their life circle as an entertainer in the movie.

II. Finding & Discussion

Apart from the movie, the true story of P.T. Barnum presents a scary, terrible, and
apprehensive story of how he uses a disability people to popularized the Freak
Show in America. He popularized the dehumanization of disabled people as a
form of entertainment. He bought and sold slaves and people with disabilities. He
showcased them in museums and circuses and profited off their suffering. While it
is worth acknowledging that Freak Shows did give disabled people a small
amount of agency over their lives, that agency only existed within the realm of
disabled people as less than human — as being treated like animals. (Weinkauf
2017)
According to the true story, Phineas T. Barnum began his long career in
show business in 1835 promoting a hymn-singing black woman named Joice
Heth. A nine-teenth-century spinmaster of the art of publicity and hype, Barnum
claimed that Heth was 161 years old. Moreover, Barnum said that she had been
the boyhood nurse of George Washington. Which are those his statement is full of
lies. Ten years later, in 1881, he merged his show with the James A. Bailey's
London Circus. The combination became known as the Barnum & Bailey Show.
In 1907 the Barnum & Bailey Show was merged with the Ringling Brothers
circus. This new super show was christened the Greatest Show on Earth (Spring
44).
At the beginning of the story, Gracey serves the audience about how the
life of young Barnum, living a poor life in survival, then with all his confidence he
propose Charity, the daughters of the rich family he is working for. He has two
daughter Caroline and Helen who give him an idea to build a better show rather
than ‘Barnum American Museum of Curiosity’ which full of the died creature and
stuff. “You need something alive dad, something unstuffed, like a mermaid, a
unicorn”. Since that time Barnum begin to search unique creatures by recruiting
disabled people, or in this movie they often called “freaks”. This is proof that the
definition of disabled people is they who has the property of non-disabled as they
have a unique physics unlike “normal” human commonly (Lawson 203).
Have in common with the real story, The Greatest Showman movie also
have 80’s as setting time of the movie. Barnum in The Greatest Showman movie
also often telling lies for his own sake. Like the true story have Joice Heth as a
singer, the movie also have Jenny Lind as one of the “normal” performers of the
show. How Barnum gouges disabled people with promising them they will get
whatever they want outside their comfort zone, introducing them to the world as
they are the same. Its all started when Barnum meets Charles, a guy who has been
hiding under his mother for over 20 years staying at home, because he is
embarrassed with his body size that does not relevant with normal people, he is 21
years old with the body of 7. The dialogues come out:
 “I want to put another show and I need a star,” Barnum said.
“You’ll only be put a laugh on me” –Charles yelled. Indicate his unconfidence
side as people with disability. Moreover, Barnum keeps convince him with
replies “People will see Jendral and won’t laugh, they’ll salute”, then after
that Charles smiling, agreed, then become the first “freak” member of the
show.
The second “freaks” Barnum recruited is Lettie, a woman with an unusual face
who has a beard all over her face which does not fit the usual feature of a woman,
more likely a man (Gillick 232). Barnum tries to persuade Lettie by saying “you are
so talented, extraordinary. They don’t understand, but they will”, this statement
becomes another evidence that people with unique physical impairments often have
no self-confident to live the life like “normal’s” regarding their own disability. After
Lettie, many more disabled people come to register to be part of Barnum show
because they have been promised with the “acceptance”. A tattooed man, dog boy
which have a hair all over his body, world’s heaviest man, super-tall Vasily Palavos
the Iris Giant.

Picture 1. Charles & Lettie when they first meet Barnum

They received so much critics and discriminations, just then they begin the
show, many local people do not accept and make fun of them. They keep mocking
and throw hate speech toward them, posters that read NO MORE FREAK SHOW can
be seen everywhere, they keep saying “Go home you freaks!”. The climax is when the
Barnum theatre is burned by people who don't like the presence of these unique
creatures. Not stopping by that, the discriminations continues and gets worse, one of
the journalists, a show critics made a headline titled “A Primitive Circus of Humbug”.
All the performers heard this and feel so down, alongside on what Fraser said in
Lawson (212), their identity need a recognition. This is a view from an egalitarian
perspective that proposes that groups become 'reification' as a consequence of having
to summarize differences under a collective identity to justify their claims for
recognition. In their lowest point of life, Barnum as the leader of the show keep
encourages them to give the best thing they can do. Barnum encouraged them by
giving the good news that they were invited to Buckingham Palace to meet Queen
Victoria.
However, after Barnum gathered all the person with impairments (or often
called “freaks” in the movie) as his show performers, he is never satisfied. After
arrived at Buckingham Palace and meet Queen Victoria, instead of maintaining his
relationship with his circus disabled member, he left them to try gaining more profit
with asking a collaboration with Jenny Lind, a famous singer as he believes it will
give him more income. “People come to my show for the pleasure of being a humbug.
Just once, I’d love to give them something real” –Barnum to Lind. He seemed to have
two personalities, in front of his members he praised them, but behind him he vilified
them. This is show how the capitalist as Barnum who search for more profit from time
to time, have no guts to exploit disabled people to become one of his way to gaining
profit for himself, depicting how people, at that time, sees disabled people like
something or stuff that can be used as a burlesque (Niekerk 1).
As a musical drama genre, a lyrics of the song sang by the characters also
became one of the consideration to analyse their disability identity. This movie
presents many songs regarding lyrics that contain the issue of how disabled people
formed their identity. One of the popular song in the movie which categorised in
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Theme Song titled “This is Me”. Contains the
lyrics which can be evidence on how society elaborate a view from people with
disability. In this song, the “freaks” show their impairments with pride and
acknowledge that people may not understand them (Volkman 2018). The song begins
with lyrics that illustrate the views of society toward people with disabilities. This can
be proven how society sees a disabled person at that time, through the lyrics that sang
by Lettie, as a central player in the circus, a woman with a beard in all over her face
which considered as her disability:
“Hide away, they say. Cause we don’t want your broken parts. I’ve learned to
be ashamed of all my scars. Run away, they say, No one’ll love you as you
are”- Lettie, (a woman with a beard and fat body) The Greatest Showman,
2017.
 The quotation above, depicting how the society in the movie sees the disabled
person as something disgusting and should hide their existence from this universe.
Alongside with this statement, Lawson elaborates how society has become the engine
of the disability movement providing the platform on which disabled people voiced
their demands for civil rights and fight all the stigma against them (Lawson 209).
The performers then embody the lyrics of the second stanza of “This is Me”,
this quotation of the lyrics depicting their confidence when they live in a community
to support their disability rights and shore up their confidence:
“I won’t let them break me down to dust. I know that there’s a place for us. For we
are glorious.”
The word us here as to indicate that the stronger the community a disabled person has,
the more confident they gain with the support of each other to against the bad attitude
toward them (Dunn 148). The “freaks” empower each other and inspire in many
ways. They change the way other people view people with disabilities by opening
minds and breaking down barriers, proven by the statement we are glorious.

Picture 2. Charles and Lettie perform at Barnum show confidently

At the end of the story, the situation turned around, Jenny Lind leaves Barnum
and he almost give up when he got bankrupt and have many debts everywhere.
However, his performers turned around to encourage him by expressing how they
were treated at the beginning of the film, and did not want to give up with their
identity as a disability performer:
“Our mothers are ashamed of us” –Lettie
“Hide us her whole lives” –Charles
“Then you pull us out of the shadows, and now you are giving up on us too?”
“You gave us a real family, and the circus, that is our home. And we want our home back”
 Consequently, with the support of Barnum musical shows and circus, they
become a proud disabled performer, they begin recognised that being useful and
encouraging each other is more important rather than feel ashamed and hiding. They
get used to entertaining people who come to their show, sing and dance with pride in
front of them. Eventually, they consider their own disability as something worthwhile
and part of their self-identity that has to be proud of rather than hidden.

III. Conclusion
To sum up, this movie provides a coherent picture of how the development of the
disabled characters' identity formation from the beginning to the end of the film.
In can be concluded that all the disabled person within the movie has morbidity to
show up their self to the world at first, but after they assembly together, bounding
and share their experience with each other, also the experienced in receiving same
discriminations, made them become stronger together. The show becomes
successful and they have no shy feelings anymore at the end as they form their
identity through their disability and the help of communities they live in. The role
of capitalist like Barnum as they supervisor, shore up their identity seen in how
they become more confident, gained a social recognition as they want to. This
movie gave the explicit information of how the identity formation of all these
disabled people formed, begin with the feelings of unconfident, ashamed,
embarrassed, and all the guilty feeling changes as the time goes to a confident, a
feeling of hope and start to show their beautiful identity without the feelings of
fear anymore, they breaking boundaries of social construction who considered
disabled people as “freaks” and disgusting creatures, in the end, they have proven
they can also live a normal life without being mocked or laugh at.

Words count : 3.333 (abstract-conclusion)

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