Representation Of Disability in The Oracle Code

Abstract

This research paper examines The Oracle Code by Marieke Nijkamp in the context of the Social Model of Disability, to consider how the narrative portrays disability as a social issue rather than an individual one. The narrative revolves around Barbara Gordon, a teenage hacker coming to terms with life in a wheelchair after a brutal injury. Set in the Arkham Center for Independence, the novel critiques institutional ableism by portraying the center as a place that pretends to support recovery but instead enforces conformity to non-disabled norms. Barbara's journey from despair to empowerment embodies the core of the social model, where the barriers she faces are not physical but societal attitudes and structural exclusion. The narrative actively resists stereotypical portrayals of disability as tragic or inspirational. Instead, it presents Barbara as a complex, capable individual who challenges oppressive systems and reclaims her identity. Drawing from Nijkamp's lived experience as a disabled and neurodiverse author, the novel becomes a powerful piece of resistance literature. It emphasizes the importance of visibility, autonomy, and dignity for people with disabilities. This chapter argues that The Oracle Code is not only a graphic novel about disability but also a celebration of disabled voices and agency within a world that often seeks to silence them.