A Sum Of Few Parts

What is a man? Is he the sum of all his parts? What if some of the parts are missing: big parts like entire arms and legs? Does it make him less of a man? Usually, yes. One averts one’s eyes when one sees a wretched, helpless, and pitiful shell like that; and maybe try to salve the shame at one’s inner abhorrence, by giving a small hand out. But it does not have to be that way. There are some men – extremely rare – who can rise above deformities so staggering that they beggar the imagination. And not just survive; but inspire; and reach heights of achievement that would be the envy of his able-bodied contemporaries. One such man is Hirotado Ototake.

Take a look at the photograph accompanying this article. What is your first reaction: shock, revulsion? But look closer: this is no pathetic wretch to whom fate has dealt an incredibly cruel blow: this is a well-dressed man; whose eyes gleam with intelligence and whose chin is set with determination. This is no bum; but one of life’s success stories. You can tell that by just looking at him.

Hirotada Ototake was born in 1976 with tetra-amelia, a congenital condition that left him with almost no arms or legs. It was his further misfortune to be born in Japan. Japan is a country notorious for its rough treatment of the physically and mentally handicapped. They have endured decades of being ignored, personally and politically. Fortunately for Hirotada, his parents did not despair or give up on him. In fact, they determined that, as far as possible, he would live a "normal" life. This means that he was given no special treatment either at home or at school, and ended up participating in school activities and sports. The only ‘special thing they did for him was to order a highly advanced, electronic wheelchair. He used this to play basketball; and pulled himself around on his behind for the 50-meter dash. One time, he had his friends take him up Mount Kobo.

Hirotada was determined not to let his formidable handicap hold him back. He applied for and got admission to Japan’s prestigious Wasada University. He achieved this by studying hard for his entrance exams; and writing them by means of holding a pen between his cheek and the stump of his left arm. For anyone else in his situation, this itself would have been an immense victory; but Hirotada was not done yet. He still had worlds to conquer.

In 1998, Hirotada wrote and published his coming-of-age story, "Gotai Fumanzoku" (literally "My Unsatisfactory Limbs," translated into English with the title of "Nobody's Perfect"). It became an instant bestseller in Japan; and has sold over 4,500,000 copies -the second largest selling book in that country in fifty years.

The book is a frank account of Hirotada's childhood, schooldays and college life. He relates the reactions of the other children to his appearance as being a mixture of surprise, nervousness and more than a little curiosity. Instead of being shunned, however, Hirotada found the other children rallying round him. "Let's help Hiro-chan," was a call to find a way to incorporate him into the usual schoolyard rough and tumble.

I believe the book has succeeded so well, mainly because of its author's unfailing optimism. A few excerpts from the English translation vividly illustrate this.

Hirotada freely admits that girls weren’t beating down his door to get dates. He writes, "No matter how brave a face we may put on it, the hard fact is that people with disabilities do have a handicap in love." A lesser man would have been resigned to his fate, but not our boy. He continues, "I think the important thing is not to turn your disability into an excuse. True, when your heart's just been broken, it may be the first thing you think of... but was that the real reason it didn't work out?" This shows amazing maturity and absence of self-pity for someone his age. He goes on to say, "I don't suppose a disability is actually an asset in too many people's eyes, but don't let that stop you. In the end, it all comes down to what you, as a person, have to offer".

"Nobody's Perfect" constantly reflects on the irony of Hirotada’s situation: the fact that he has become a celebrity by stressing his normality. There should be no reason for him to write this book, he says, because everyone should be treated equally. This is what he calls bringing down the "Barriers of the Heart," and, according to him, one way to start is for people to interact with the disabled as a matter of course.

There are hopeful signs that this is happening. A very successful TV drama in Japan, "Beautiful Life," featured a love affair between a young man and a disabled girl. Another popular drama, "Happy" featured the trials of a young blind woman. Hopefully, this signals the beginning of a major shift of opinion.

As Hirotada explains, "In Japan, everyone just assumes that the disabled are people you feel sorry for, but I'm not pitiful. I enjoy my life, and I want to tell people that." Thanks to his book, that message has been put across to 4.5 million of his countrymen – and beyond. Well done, young man. You are an inspiration to us all.