Social Construction of a Disability: The Phantom of the Opera

Society constructs meaning, labels, and general stereotypes for what is considered the status quo within the general population. Film disseminates information to the masses, information that may act to confirm our fears, reaffirm a set of beliefs, or even to challenge existing beliefs. Gartner (1982) concluded that we have “learned images” of what should be considered a disability and it is within these images that we decide what is right and wrong, good or evil, beautiful or ugly. One question that arises is whether disability is constructed socially. Bogdan and Knoll (1995) state that the media supports our views on disability, confirming common beliefs and stereotypes. The purpose of this review was to examine different versions of ”The Phantom of the Opera,” from 1925 through 2004, to determine whether the portrayal of societal views on disability have changed over time towards a less stigmatizing view, or whether the media continues to propagate images that serve to build barriers for individuals with disabilities. All three versions of the film perpetuate common stigmas associated with disability and show limited change in the way society constructs individuals with disabilities. It is not until we begin to analyze the media to better understand societal views of disability that we can begin to remove these artificial barriers through education