A Matter of Appearance

The narrative delves into Emily Wells' profound journey with Behcet's Disease, a rare condition that eluded diagnosis for years. As a former ballerina, she reflects on her experiences of pain and the struggle to articulate her suffering. By examining the works of influential thinkers like Freud and Sontag, Wells investigates the connection between gender, pain, and language, bridging historical and contemporary perspectives. This exploration emphasizes the challenge of conveying personal experiences of illness, offering a fresh millennial voice to the literature on health and identity.