ok hi. I've been relistening to Harbingers quite a bit while I work and there's one particular subject of the show I want to talk about: Amelia Sterling.
Amelia Sterling is autistic. Whether intentional or not, she exhibits so many traits.
First, let's go through the DSM-5. Walk with me. I'll go over further specifics afterwards.
To meet diagnostic criteria for ASD according to DSM-5, a child must have persistent deficits in each of three areas of social communication and interaction plus at least two of four types of restricted, repetitive behaviors.
A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by the following, currently or by history
1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions
This is shown pretty well in Adam and Amy's respective recollections of their date. In Adam's retelling, it frames the whole interaction as a bit more awkward. Amy is a bit off-putting and insistent. Meanwhile, Amy thought she was being much more charismatic than she really was. She also has a refusal for the reflect or feign any agreement with others' beliefs, no matter the situation.
2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication
This is really difficult to prove when the media you're analyzing has no visual medium... nothing else to say here unfortunately
3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers
I don't think I have to say anything. Her struggling to keep a boyfriend for an extended period, the way she snapped at the girl asking about Adam.
B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history
1. Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech (e.g., simple motor stereotypes, lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia, idiosyncratic phrases).
Again, no visual medium. But, if I have to reach, the way she echoes Ms. Skinner's thoughts could be seen as a form of echolalia.
2. Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior (e.g., extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat same food every day).
The most important thing on the list here is rigid thinking patterns. The way she was never able to think bigger the way Julian asked her to. Why the prospect of working with Ekerburg filled her with so much distress.
3. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g., strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interests).
Being good with numbers is a very common showcase of this particular symptom, which Amy is. Remarkably so, at that. Plus her very passionate interest in the Harbingers.
4. Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment (e.g. apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movement).
This also isn't something I can prove all that much. But, section B only needs two criteria.
So, in my own analysis, Amelia Sterling does indeed qualify for an autism diagnosis. But I want to dig deeper as to why exactly I find this interpretation compelling.
Firstly, I see myself in Amy a lot. Her rigid moral code and insistence for action is a very common trait of autism; it's more than common for an autist to have a strong sense of justice. She believes everyone who has the power to do so has an obligation to bring about that justice. Neurotypical people do not tend to think this way. At least, I think they don't. I wouldn't know.
My point is this: she very obviously thinks in a very different way compared to her peers. This is likely why she desires attention so much; because she wants to be the change that no one else will be. Not only that, but she's also spent her whole life not being listened to. She grabs her life by the reigns and commands for it to listen to her for once.
This is all my own thoughts and such. I wanna go into a deeper analysis about her date with Adam at a later date but I was feinding at work to get these thoughts written down
