Touching the rock
an experience of blindness
Aperçu de Touching the rock
Journey into blindness through Hull's extraordinary memoir, endorsed by neurologist Oliver Sacks. This landmark text transformed disability studies by revealing the profound psychological landscape of losing sight. What sensory gifts emerge when vision disappears? A powerful testament to human adaptation.
Thèmes clés dans Touching the rock
- sensory transformation
- blindness psychology
- acoustic orientation
- consciousness and identity
- visual memory loss
Citations de Touching the rock
Rain brings out the contours of everything.
The rain is gracious, granting me the gift of the world.
Wind replaced the sun as the primary weather indicator.
People fell into two groups: those with faces and those without.
I could not remember what he looked like.
Personnages de Touching the rock
- John M. HullA professor who documents his journey into total blindness
- MarilynJohn's wife
- ThomasJohn's son, born during his final eye operation
- ImogenJohn's daughter whom he knew before losing sight
- ElizabethJohn's youngest child of whom he has no visual memory
À propos de l'auteur
À propos de l'auteur de Touching the rock
John Martin Hull (1935–2015) was a theologian and disability advocate, and the author of the seminal memoir Touching the Rock: An Experience of Blindness. This profound work explores sensory adaptation and identity after sight loss.
As Emeritus Professor of Religious Education at the University of Birmingham, Hull blended academic rigor with personal narrative, drawing from his own transition to blindness in 1983. His work bridges theology and disability studies, notably in In the Beginning There Was Darkness, which critiques biblical perceptions of blindness, and On Sight and Insight, an expanded reflection on nonvisual cognition.
Hull’s advocacy extended beyond writing. He pioneered the Cathedrals through Touch and Hearing initiative, enhancing accessibility at 17 UK cathedrals, and received Taiwan’s Global Love of Life Award for his contributions to disability rights.
Praised by Oliver Sacks for its “minute and fascinating” insights, Touching the Rock remains a cornerstone of disability literature, inspiring the acclaimed documentary Notes on Blindness. His works have been translated globally, solidifying his legacy as a visionary voice in understanding human perception.
Telecharger le resume de Touching the rock
Obtenez le resume de Touching the rock en PDF ou EPUB gratuit. Imprimez-le ou lisez-le hors ligne a tout moment.
FAQ sur ce livre
Touching the Rock (1990) is John M. Hull’s memoir about adapting to blindness after losing his sight in 1983. It explores the psychological shifts of “deep blindness,” including diminished visual memory, redefined relationships, and spiritual questions. Hull documents daily challenges like navigating spaces without sight and reinterpreting biblical metaphors in his theological work.
This book appeals to readers interested in disability memoirs, theologians studying sensory deprivation’s impact on faith, and psychology enthusiasts exploring neuroplasticity. Oliver Sacks praised it as “the first great account of blindness”. It’s particularly valuable for caregivers supporting blind individuals.
Yes – it ranks among the most cited first-person accounts of blindness for its raw honesty and theological depth. Hull’s observations about spatial awareness, parental challenges, and sensory compensation (e.g., using auditory cues) make it a seminal text in disability studies.
Hull coins “deep blindness” to describe the complete erosion of visual memory and mental imagery over time. He details losing the ability to recall loved ones’ faces or imagine landscapes, forcing him to rebuild identity through sound, touch, and abstract thought.
Initially struggling with anger toward God, Hull reinterprets biblical stories through blindness. He critiques sight-centric religious metaphors (e.g., “light vs darkness”) and develops a theology valuing inner spiritual perception over physical sight.
Key insights include:
- Environmental navigation: Trusting echo patterns for spatial mapping
- Social coping: Directly addressing sighted people’s discomfort
- Self-care: Embracing assistive tools without shame
Hull recounts painful moments like being unable to visually recognize his children, compensating through voice recognition and tactile bonding. He emphasizes fostering independence in kids while navigating parental guilt.
Some theologians argue Hull overemphasizes blindness’s isolating aspects, neglecting communal support systems. Others note the memoir focuses more on adaptation than systemic disability advocacy.
While both analyze blindness’s theological implications, Touching the Rock is autobiographical, whereas In the Beginning… critically examines biblical texts’ bias against blindness. Together, they form a holistic study of disability and faith.
Notable passages include:
- On perception: “Blindness is a way of being – not a lack of being”
- On faith: “God became sound, vibration, the tremor in the air”
- On identity: “I am now a body without eyes”
With AI-assisted navigation tools reshaping blind accessibility, Hull’s human-centered insights remain vital for evaluating technology’s role in disability. His work also informs current debates about neurodiversity in religious institutions.
The memoir is available in print, audiobook, and braille formats from major retailers like Barnes & Noble. Some blindness advocacy groups offer discounted access.
