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So... what is autism?
So... what is autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, is a developmental disability that typically appears during early childhood. As implied in the name, autism is a wide spectrum, appearing in every individual it effects differently.
How does autism tie into Jack's character?
How does autism tie into Jack's character?
There are a couple different points in the play where Jack can be considered an autistic-coded character. One of the first instances is on pg. 34, when Anna is talking about Jack and a past interaction they had. Anna refers to Jack as being "blunt", which is a common trait among autistic individuals. Phrases may come out as rude or blunt without that being the intention, and it appears that Jack did this frequently enough in the past for Anna to find it a characteristic of note.
This relative bluntness, shown on pg. 41, as well as attention to details that others may overlook or dismiss is another indicator Jack may have autism.
One final signal that Jack could be autistic is how she doesn't necessarily adhere by "typical" social norms. On pg. 29, Jack very nonchalantly brings up the fact that she hitch-hiked to get to Anna's house. Later in the play, Anna and Maura discuss how they wouldn't hitchhike because of the fact that it's risky and a bit sketchy. This points to a potential for Jack being autistic, because of her trust in others and general willingness to pursue what others may not.
Another indicator could be that some jokes don't really land for Jack. At times, autistic individuals can have difficulty differentiating tone; for example, sarcasm and being genuine may come off as the same to them, while potentially being obvious to others. Jack shows this trait on pg. 41, when a joke that Maura makes doesn't go quite how she planned. Depending on the production, this could just be attributed to how the performer playing Maura delivers the line. From a straight read, however, it does lend the possibility that it didn't land because Jack could have autism.
Here are a few links with more information on ASD. It should be noted that although Jack doesn't exhibit every "traditional" sign of autism, it does not mean that the possibility should be counted out entirely. Autism typically represents differently in those assigned female at birth, which in turn means it goes undiagnosed in them. This could be a possibility for Jack; after all, a good part of this play is about self-discovery and questioning who you are.
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