Savant Syndrome: An Unusual Case of Narrative Ability

Abstract

Savant syndrome is a relatively rare, but quite remarkable condition, in which a person with serious intellectual impairment has astonishing islands of ability or brilliance that stand out in stark contrast to their overall disability. This paper presents the case of a male savant who has profound sensory, communicative and physical disabilities, and who is unable to speak or read. Nevertheless, he has a recently discovered, and untutored, prodigious ability to draw. He draws from life, but most remarkably he can draw with detail from memory. His drawing is quick and instinctive, and his mastery of perspective is astonishing. While his own sense of identity is clearly reflected in what he chooses to draw, it is on his unusual perceptions of narrative structure that this paper will focus