This paper reviews Rex (2008) by Catherine Lewis, a hybrid biography and memoir chronicling the childhood of Rex, a boy born blind with autism and a cyst on his brain. The review examines how Lewis interweaves her own perspective as a mother with her son's developmental journey, tracing Rex's hypersensitivities, communication struggles, and the transformative role the piano played in his life. The paper also critiques the failures of Rex's special education teachers to harness music therapeutically and highlights the book's broader theme: that society, not the child, must adapt to embrace neurodiversity.
In Rex, Catherine Lewis chronicles the remarkable journey of her son's childhood. The book is part biography and part autobiography, as Lewis's own feelings and perceptions are as integral to the story as the tale of Rex himself. Far from detracting from the narrative, Catherine's perspective enhances the book and provides a holistic interpretation of Rex's extraordinary childhood.
Born with a large cyst in his brain, Rex was destined to develop differently from most of his peers. Doctors soon determined he was blind, but Rex's inability to walk, eat solid foods, or talk in step with his peers raised many additional red flags. It soon became apparent that Rex had symptoms of an autistic spectrum disorder.
Hypersensitivity to external stimuli — especially touch, but also light and sound — was a key sign. So too was Rex's difficulty communicating with peers. His repetitive movements, including spinning in place, were further signals. Catherine Lewis describes her son as a "tortured prisoner of his own dysfunctional body" (p. 232) — that was, until Rex discovered the piano.
The piano first came as a gift on Rex's second birthday. From that moment on, both the boy's life and his mother's were transformed. Rex still could not navigate his way through a room he had walked through hundreds of times before: "his brain was filled with spatial confusion" (pp. 125–126). Yet Rex could always find the piano. As Catherine Lewis writes, "his brain could relax…at his piano he was safe" (p. 126). The sense of safety Rex felt there allowed him to relax his mind and begin to connect with the world around him.
Music became Rex's primary language. According to research on music therapy, structured musical engagement can open communication pathways for children with autism — a reality Rex's story vividly illustrates. His relationship with the piano was not simply a pastime; it was the medium through which his interior life could be expressed and shared.
"Piano integrated into IEP; teachers mishandle music"
"Bullying, scripted communication, and music as bridge"
"Society, not Rex, must change to embrace difference"
You’re 45% through this paper. Sign up to read the remaining 3 sections.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.