Sound and Fury

On the No. 2 train down to South Seaport today, I enountered a throng of deaf people. Actually, it seemed like the entire car was filled with deaf riders. As the car sped down the tracks, into and out of tunnels, there was no usual chatter to compete with the drone and hiss of metal on metal. Despite this fact, I can tell there were lively conversations happening. Conversations probably not unlike those you and I would have, just devoid of sound.

Deaf people gesticulate more with their bodies. Hands waving, arms pumping, stiffened posture, faces contorted with emotion. It was beatiful to watch. I could tell that there was a bond in their disability. I wish I knew how to sign. The sight brought me back to a documentary film I saw a few years ago about deaf culture and the cochlear implant. The cochlear implant is a device that emits electrical signals directly to the brain and essentially allows a restoration of hearing.

Here's a link to the documentary film. It's a great film. It's been years since I last saw it, but I remember it vividly.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/soundandfury/