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Fictional Characters whom you think have Asperger/autism

Does anyone think Neo in The Matrix is aspie? Today someone told me I reminded them of Neo. I asked if it was because I spoke without emotion and she said yes.
 
Ereth said:
It's not canon. Dr. Asperger's research occurred well after Conan Doyle's death, and Asperger's was not identified in its modern sense until the late 1980s. What Sherlock has done, by putting the characters into a modern setting, is try to provide some sense of explanation as to why Sherlock is how he is. This was never done in the original text. I really think Sherlock could go either way, personally.
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Doyle certainly never mentioned the Asperger's in the series, because it had never been studied or acknowledged to exist. However, if the character follows the "symptoms", why should they not be diagnosed with a condition that covers said "symptoms"?
 
Madame Catfish said:
Doyle certainly never mentioned the Asperger's in the series, because it had never been studied or acknowledged to exist. However, if the character follows the "symptoms", why should they not be diagnosed with a condition that covers said "symptoms"?
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So true. The Aspie-like traits of Sherlock Holmes are not new, they trace back to canon. Of course, we can't diagnose a fictional character any more than we can diagnose an Data (also fictional) on Star Trek. I'm reading the canon right now and I relate strongly to Holmes as written. That's good enough for me.
 
Madame Catfish said:
Doyle certainly never mentioned the Asperger's in the series, because it had never been studied or acknowledged to exist. However, if the character follows the "symptoms", why should they not be diagnosed with a condition that covers said "symptoms"?
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You make an excellent point, but which interpretation of Sherlock would we diagnose? Doyle's original, who is certainly introverted in his own way but who has no trouble interfacing with other people? I'm not sure he'd meet the criteria. Perhaps the BBC Sherlock would---and Watson even suggests ASD as a possible cause of his behavior.

But nobody ever really has a problem with Sherlock's eccentricities in Doyle's original---so again, I think he could go either way.
 
Ereth said:
You make an excellent point, but which interpretation of Sherlock would we diagnose? Doyle's original, who is certainly introverted in his own way but who has no trouble interfacing with other people? I'm not sure he'd meet the criteria. Perhaps the BBC Sherlock would---and Watson even suggests ASD as a possible cause of his behaviour.

But nobody ever really has a problem with Sherlock's eccentricities in Doyle's original---so again, I think he could go either way.
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I was specifically referring to the original works, but some of the more modern series exaggerate the character's Aspergian traits. In the canon, Holmes actually did act in many very socially unacceptable ways, though it is unclear as to whether this was a result of cluelessness or mere assholery. What really struck me about the books as kid was the stimming, though. Holmes engaged in repetitive gestures when under stress or when thinking over a case, for instance:

1.”Holmes sprang from his chair and paced about the room in uncontrollable agitation, with a flush upon his sallow cheeks and a nervous clasping and unclasping of his long, thin hands.”
2.“’Well, he’s that strange, sir. After you was gone he walked, and he walked, up and down, up and down, until I was weary of the sound of his footstep. Then I heard him talking to himself and muttering… and now he has slammed off to his room, but I can hear him walking away the same as ever.’
‘I don’t think you have any cause to be uneasy, Mrs. Hudson,” I answered. “I have seen him like this before. He has some small matter upon his mind which makes him restless.’”
3. .”We found Holmes pacing up and down the field, his chin sunk upon his breast, and his hands thrust into his trouser pockets.”
4.”He was pacing the room swiftly, eagerly, with his head sunk upon his chest and his hands clasped behind him. To me, who knew his every mood and habit, his attitude and manner told their own story.”
5.”Mr. Holmes is walking up and down the field outside…Between ourselves, I think Mr. Holmes has not quite got over his illness yet. He’s been behaving very queerly, and he is very much exited.”


Although I tend to lean towards the idea that Holmes was an aspie, I have no definite opinion on the matter, since fictional characters are perceived in different ways by different people, and I just happened to interpret the books in this way.
 
Madame Catfish said:
Although I tend to lean towards the idea that Holmes was an aspie, I have no definite opinion on the matter, since fictional characters are perceived in different ways by different people, and I just happened to interpret the books in this way.
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Yes, of course. I understand. We can love the same character and have different opinions about him. I'm happy just to have people to talk to who share my love of Sherlock and his world. :)
 
Ereth said:
You make an excellent point, but which interpretation of Sherlock would we diagnose? Doyle's original, who is certainly introverted in his own way but who has no trouble interfacing with other people? I'm not sure he'd meet the criteria. Perhaps the BBC Sherlock would---and Watson even suggests ASD as a possible cause of his behavior.

But nobody ever really has a problem with Sherlock's eccentricities in Doyle's original---so again, I think he could go either way.
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That's an interesting question. Doyle always said Holmes was mainly based on Dr Bell, but Bell once commented that Holmes was actually more like Doyle himself. If you could create a world to write yourself into, wouldn't it be one where no one had any difficulties with you just being yourself? I believe I would, if I had any talent at writing. Just a point to ponder, I find this all fascinating.
 
Yes, I've loosely based characters on myself. But it's also worth noting that many authors are told that at least one of their characters resembles them in some way. I think writers may put more of themselves into their stories than they intend or realize sometimes.
 
I take back the Luna Lovegood suggestion. She just has PTSD.
Hermione Granger, on the other hand… (Though of course not intentionally.)

Emma Watson said the character was often "unaware of herself" when she spoke or thought out loud. Granted, her special interest seems to just be "everything about the magical world", but for all we know she switched rapidly between special interests throughout the seven years/books. It's been about seven years since I read the last book, and the only stim I can remember is her chewing thoughtfully on whatever she was holding at the time, but then, she is not all that perceptive, so maybe getting sensory overloads really aren't a problem, or maybe the same magical factor that let them survive falling out of the sky would have protected her from them. She has little logic to speak of, but that seems to be because the author lacks a sense of logic, not because of some flaw or trait about the character herself.

She has poor social skills and adheres strictly to rules and routines. That concludes my analysis.
 
Two characters from some rather good sci-fi I've been reading lately

From Iain Banks' Culture series: Gestra Ishmethit pretty much fits to a tee
From Alaistair Reynolds Revelation Space series: Felka, though her condition was artificially induced
 
Andrew_Collins said:
The darleks in Dr who
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That would open the discussion if ASD isn't something inherently human and if not, how you would define this on other species. Plenty of animals would qualify as aspies that way as well. Daleks most likely as well though.

I kid of course, but the notion on whether ASD can be beyond the human species is an interesting though nonetheless.
 
That's true. The Ninth Doctor is probably Aspie, but in later incarnations he seems increasingly psychopathic.
 
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