Thursday, November 10, 2011
Children of a Lesser God + Silences
We'll be watching "Children of a Lesser God" over the next couple of classes. Feel free to post your 'provocations' to the blog on a rolling basis. Consider connecting this movie to the other works -- cinematic and otherwise -- we've consumed this semester. You are also welcome to engage the Tillie Olsen essays on silence and its varieties scheduled for discussion on Tuesday.
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For Aristotle, humans are different from animals in that they are political animals, able to use their voices for more than expressing feelings. Sarah has not used her voice once so far in the movie. However, she is not limited by a lack of voice and demonstrates great intelligence. Her hands become her voice, but how does the replacement of her voice limit her or set her free from what binds others?
ReplyDeleteWhy does James Leeds want Sarah to speak his language? Why is he unwilling to accept her as she is?
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the autism acceptance movement.
The explanation starts at 3:14:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnylM1hI2jc
Sex is the only control and power Sarah has both over herself as well as those around her. Her entire life, her deafness silenced her free will and disabled others from being able to see her for who she was. Similar to Singer, her silence served as a venue for others to press on to her what they felt was best, ignoring her own dreams and aspirations. Yet it was as if she could use sex to fill this vacancy, and felt empowered that it was the only act in which her performance would bring her partner to an equal and admiring silence. In the movie, in the middle of a serious argument, she suddenly decides she wants to have sex with James. Is it only during sex that she feels like she is an equal to a hearing individual? That sex is the only outlet in which she is fully able to express herself and the one place where no one can impinge on her free will?
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the film, Sarah unwillingly tries to learn how to speak because she believes that other people should try to learn her language, instead of her always having to learn the spoken language. Sarah proudly sets herself apart from the rest of society, and will not talk to anyone who doesn't know sign language. Does Sarah's rebellious act translates to her denial of being classified as a deaf-mute?
ReplyDeleteThe film, Children of a Lesser God, mainly takes place at a school for the deaf. Sarah and James have a complication relationship as Sarah does not desire to talk besides the use of sign language. Are there any benefits in her stubbornness to speak vocally? Also, what is the meaning of the title?
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ReplyDeleteMusic allows Leed's class to embrace sound-- despite being unable to hear it. With their performance for the parents, music unites the deaf with the hearing as the whole auditorium dances together. Sarah also senses the music and is able to enjoy it as she dances in the restaurant alongside diners who can hear it. Considering how music connects the deaf to the hearing, why is it that James loses his enjoyment in music, and finds himself unable to describe the sensation to Sarah?
ReplyDeleteChildren of a Lesser God introduces watchers to the challenges that face the deaf. One is these challenges in particular is the feeling of isolation because they have trouble communicating with those who are "normal" (non-deaf). However, the tables are turned when James feels like an outsider standing in a room full of deaf people during Marian's gathering. How does this scene allow the reader to perceive what it would feel to be deaf in a room full of "normal" people?
ReplyDeleteAt the very end of the film when James and Sarah reunite, James says that he wants the two of them to find a place somewhere between silence and sound. Sarah has a disadvantage when it comes to learning spoken language, whereas James has about the same ability to learn sign as a deaf person would. Is it fair for him to suggest this kind of compromise, given Sarah's physical and emotional difficulties with speaking? Or is it selfish for Sarah to force James to learn her sign language, while she refuses to make the effort to learn his spoken language?
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A recurring idea throughout Children of a Lesser God is that perhaps deaf people are less than human. James focuses heavily on having his students do "normal" things, such as dancing and swearing. He succeeds to an extent; however, Johnny and Sarah never really accept speech. Is the aforementioned idea then true? Does it perhaps depend on the person in question?
ReplyDeleteIn the movie, Dr. Franklin seems to be content with keeping Sarah as a janitor while James pushes her to become more. Does this reflect a society that is supportive of deaf people (or people who communicate differently in general)?
ReplyDeleteOr does Sarah's reluctance to learn how to speak show that communication resides with the individual rather than with society?
Sarah is defined as a strong, but silent female. Literally silent as she cannot talk. Yet, when approached by James, she refuses to learn to talk, or even read lips. For much of the movie, she has yet to use her voice once, and instead prefers to be alone, to the point that she enjoys her job solely for the fact it allows her to work alone. If we agree with Aristotle's statement that man uses the voice to be a political creature, and to be part of society, can we view the movie as Sarah's slow integration into society? Is it possible for Sarah to be a part of society if she chose to remain mute?
ReplyDeleteThe scene where James and Sarah have the big fight and Sarah explains to James why she can’t let him share her silence because she believes to be in a relationship, the couple must be separate but one. She doesn’t know herself because she lived how others and James wanted her to live, therefore until she can’t be an “I” she can’t share her silence with James or anyone else. Sarah is not only silenced through a physical impediment, but also through her own fear of sounding ridiculous, thus accepting herself to be what others see her to be - working as a janitor, and not allowing herself to do things like the speaking people. Appling Lorde’s article on transformation of silence to understanding Sarah, can we say “in the cause of silence, each of us draws on her [his] own fear.” Was Sarah silenced by her own fear of being judged for sounding absurd by the speaking world that she closed herself to the world until she attended the party thrown by the deaf economist?
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ReplyDeleteIn what ways is the connection between sarah and james communicated to each other? In some ways, it seems true connection is brought through neither. While in the pool and the subsequent scenes in bed, each connect through touch and eyes. How does this reflect the compromise introduced at the end of the movie?
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