In this essay I consider four ways in which Jenny challenges the usual portrayal of the physically impaired in the Victorian novel. In a complete reversal of the usual paradigm, the able-bodied man finds himself writhing helplessly, temporarily disabled, humiliated and in pain (704-06, IV, 8). Jenny's weapon of choice is pepper, the Victorian girl's counterpart of mace. The little dressmaker is so strong and courageous that she physically assaults a vile businessman, Fascination Fledgeby, who has hounded Jenny's friends and ruined many other lives through his extortionate lending practices. Far from slinking through life as an object of pity, Jenny proclaims herself 'the person of the house' (235, II, 2). Jenny is a welcome contrast to stereotypes of disabled individuals as 'permanent children' always in need of protection, 'defined by their perceived dependence on the nondisabled' (Klages 2). This normalcy must always be creating and bolstering its image by processing, comparing, constructing, deconstructing images of normalcy and the abnormal. I would explain this phenomenon as a result of the hegemony of normalcy. … I have come to see that almost any literary work will have some reference to the abnormal, to disability and so on. Lennard Davis observes that almost all novels represent binary oppositions in which the able-bodied attain supremacy vis à vis disabled individuals:

Jenny shows that a person with a crutch can be pro-active and powerful. Caught in a double bind, she must not only struggle with her own impairment but also support a dependent parent, her shiftless father, who is afflicted with alcoholism. Although Jenny's 'back is bad and her legs are queer' (272, II, 5), she is a model of agency, who quite literally works through her pain to create beautiful dolls' clothes.

Which she never did.It is a frequent complaint that Dickens's ideal heroine is the angel of the house and that his 'stereotypical presentations of angels, fallen sisters, and eccentric women regrettably leave in search of a viable heroine' (Golden 17-18). She became distraught after Batman yelled at here and faked her death.Īnita then took on the identity of Jenny Wren when seeking her revenge on Batman after he took in other sidekicks and they took over the mantel of Robin.

When Batman and Anita finally brought down The Escape Artist, he threatened to let the world know who Batman was really under the mask and that Batman along with Anita would loose everything.Īfter hearing this Anita shot and killed The Escape Artist, which then enraged Batman. Only really talking to her when needing something from her on his quest to bring down Batman.īatman utilized this and became friends with Anita in order to help bring down The Escape Artist. The Escape Artist adopted Anita, but never treated her as daughter. In reality Jenny, real name Anita Jean, was originally was an ally to The Escape Artist after hacking into his laptop with a decade-old cell phone. She has stated that she failed 'Zero Gauntlet' which is yet to be explain. Jenny claims to be Batman's first ever sidekick and to be the first ever Robin.

She call's herself Jenny Wren after the British nursery rhyme of the same name:

Jenny wren