Give examples of emotional, intellectual, and physical protection. Would you defend yourself in the same way Natalie does? What would you do differently?
Emotional Protection:
Natalie emotionally protects herself by keeping her old friendship strong with Meredith, and by making new friends at her new school. She is emotionally protecting herself by adapting to her new situation. Natalie is also protecting herself by realizing that she may potentially lose her vision. She is also learning braille and how to use a cane to mentally prepare for her ultimate blindness. These are all ways that Natalie is emotionally protecting herself.
Intellectual protection:
Natalie intellectually protects herself by learning about her blindness: why it happens, and how to overcome it. She is learning braille and how to use a cane, not only to emotionally prepare her to go blind, but to intellectually prepare herself for her impending blindness. She is educating herself on what to do when her blindness happens. Another way Natalie intellectually protects herself is by learning how to defend herself, and to be prepared to go blind in the future.
Physical protection:
Natalie is physically protecting herself by learning how to properly defend herself. She is learning ways to fight off an attacker and how to be safe in public places. Her teacher is giving her advice, such as walking with confidence, listening to the sounds around you, using your sense of smell, and spatial awareness. These things are how Natalie physically prepares herself for her future blindness.
would you defend yourself in the same way nAtalie does? what would you do differently?
I would choose to defend and protect myself in the same way Natalie does. I would learn to be emotionally, intellectually, and physically prepared for my potential blindness, in similar ways. However, I would behave somewhat differently than Natalie. Instead of being resentful of the things she had to learn, I might be more accepting of them, even though I would be devastated at becoming blind.