House Rules

House Rules explores the intersection of autism and the American legal system along with the impact of an autism diagnosis on a family and an individual. Autism (often commonly referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition. Common symptoms of autism include:

• sensitivity to textures, tastes, sounds, and other sensory stimuli;
• a need for consistency and routine in daily life;
• discomfort with direct eye contact and/or physical touch, especially with a stranger;
• heightened anxiety in social situations;
• struggling to understand unspoken social rules;
• a literal understanding of the world;
• struggling to understand sarcasm or colloquialisms (for example, phrases such as “under the weather” or “is that the time?” which aren’t meant to be taken literally);
• needing to plan all activities very carefully;
• special interest in certain topics or hobbies; and
• needing to be emotionally and logistically prepared for any deviation from a daily routine.

In House Rules, Jacob experiences all these symptoms. Because autism is a spectrum condition, symptoms can manifest in different ways from one person to another. Furthermore, people with autism often experience a different variety of symptoms depending on their gender. These differences have historically created a gendered gap in the diagnosis of autism and the perception that only boys can have autism. Because girls are often socialized to be polite, friendly, and agreeable—while boys are given more freedom to display quirky or even destructive behavior—autistic traits in girls are often misidentified.

Many fictional representations of autism reinforce common stereotypes. Because characters with autism are overwhelmingly white and male, there is little acknowledgment of the reality that girls and people of color have autism as well. However, even when boys with autism are represented in literature, their portrayal is often one-dimensional and limited. In many cases, such as in the film Rain Man (1988), they may have savant-like abilities and be unable to live outside of a mental health facility.

House Rules’s portrayal of Jacob exhibits these stereotypes. Jacob is white and male, and he experiences significant challenges in daily life. He is highly intelligent, but he also lashes out with physical violence in response to upsetting stimuli, which reinforces the perception that people with autism are violent and largely incapable of living a “normal” life. Jacob’s challenges are presented as so severe that his younger brother expects to be responsible for Jacob’s care in the future after their mother passes away. While Picoult may accurately depict some aspects of the autistic experience, Jacob does not represent every person with autism.

While Jacob’s characterization is largely stereotypical and cannot be interpreted as a true reflection of autism, some aspects of House Rules are accurate. For example, many common signs of autism—such as discomfort with eye contact and difficulty understanding unspoken social cues—can be interpreted as guilty behavior in the context of a police investigation. This fact inspired the creation of House Rules, as Picoult explains:

I have a cousin who’s autistic. Several times, my aunt found herself in a public place trying to control one of his meltdowns—and people who didn’t understand why she was restraining him contacted authorities and made allegations of abuse. As he got older, and moved into a group home, his frustrations became more intense because of his size—he’d break in windows with his fist, for example—and several times the police were called.

It got me thinking that the legal system works really well, if you communicate a certain way. But if you don’t, it all goes to Hell in a handbasket really quickly. A lot of the hallmark behaviors of autism—flat affect, stimming, not looking someone in the eye—could very easily be misinterpreted as signs of guilt (“A Conversation with Author Jodi Picoult.” Amazon.com).

In addition to her personal experience with autism, Picoult also conducted research to ensure that her characterization of Jacob was accurate. During an interview with Indy Week, Picoult detailed her research process, paying particular attention to her conversations with more than 50 teenagers with autism and their families. Picoult said that these discussions generated hundreds of pages worth of first-person accounts and added, “Many of the observations went into the book, because they said it better than I could myself” (Smith, Zack. “Jodi Picoult Discusses Asperger Syndrome and Her New Novel, House Rules.” Indy Week, 6 Mar. 2010).