A COLLAGE OF THOUGHTS THROUGHOUT DEAF CULTURE

By Ryan Wright
Throughout my journey as a sojourner, I learned many things and had many experiences.
Here is a small collage of some of my favorite moments and things that I learned taken from
some of the works done during the course. Enjoy!
RIDICULED
I believe that the movie used the Deaf people in the movie as an example of classes, and how
they viewed people with and without wit. We see the Madame de Blayac having the power to
send the boy Paul away because of her ability to communicate and use wit. Then in the scene
with the deaf kids demonstrating that they can in fact communicate, and can even have wit, even
though it was not from the tongue. There was even a great part in that scene where the Deaf were
laughing at something that I would assume was wit, which rendered the entire room feeling
witless and dumb because they were the outsiders for a brief moment.
I believe that you had us watch this movie for multiple reasons. To show what it is going
to be like as a sojourner in the world of Deaf Culture, and to give us a brief glimpse into the
history of Deaf Culture. We need to be able to adapt to the culture, and immerse ourselves in the
culture without letting our etic perspective to hinder us. The brief part of the film with the Deaf
students introduced us to the character Abb Charles-Michel de l'pe, who was an educator of
18th-century France who has become known as the "Father of the Deaf." He was a philanthropist
who dedicated himself to the education and salvation of the Deaf.

THE VOYAGE
Day 32: Feels like we are going nowhere. The wind seems nonexistent, but we still made
use of our time today. Aside from our language practice which was going well, Mr. Clerc asked
me about my first time meeting a Deaf person. He wanted to know more about why I wanted to
start the school, as well as what my experience has been aside from the Deaf people I met in
France. I obliged, and told him my story. I told him that when growing up, there were some Deaf
people at my church, which I only knew about because my Mother was friends with them. One
of them was often my nanny at home as well. I never thought much about them being Deaf. It
just seemed normal since I was around them from a very young age. I learned many signs when I
was younger, but never took classes, and despite my exposure to the Deaf world, I didnt learn
nearly as much as I should have. I dont recall my first experience with a Deaf person, but I do
remember when I was a little bit older, we had a Deaf woman and her daughter come live with us
for a year. She signed different than most of the Deaf people I knew and used mostly
fingerspelling and what I was later told was home signs, because she was extremely oppressed.
After I was older, I decided that I wanted to get into Sign Language, which has lead me here on
my sojourning. Mr. Clerc responded with kind words, and said that he was glad that I had the
experience and wanted to be an advocate for the Deaf. A good conversation to help two people
grow closer as friends.
DEAF CENTER
The difference from hearing and Deaf are viewed differently from a deaf perspective and a
hearing perspective. In this case, Deaf, not Hearing, is taken as the central point of reference.

Rather than viewing things like a hearing person such as Very Hard of Hearing being someone
who lacks a lot of hearing, the Deaf Center comes from the opposite end viewing it as someone
who can hear a little bit. Someone who can hear a little bit is someone who departs from the
center greatly, thus someone who can hear quite well. The key concept in defining Hearing:
Hearing means the opposite of what we are.
Howard: I never knew I was deaf until I went to school. This Shows that meaning of DEAF
and deaf are, at the very least, not the same. DEAF is a means of identifying the group and
ones connection to it and deaf is a means of commenting on ones inability to hear.

DINNER AND A MOVIE

My overall impression and experience of that day.
I enjoyed eating out with only ASL and earplugs in despite the bad service, which could
have been for more reasons than the communication barrier. I believe that I would improve far
faster if I used earplugs more often. As for the movie, I would have rather watched a different
movie (not a horror movie, I hate those), and would probably find it better if I could watch a
movie with the sound so loud that I could feel the vibrations of the music, but I think I would
have blown my TV speakers if I turned it that loud. The musical I chose was a little corny, and
was just as bad with the sound off as it was with the sound on. I definitely want to try and watch
more movies and TV with open caption on.

UP IN THE OLD HOTEL

According to Mr. Frankenheim, The pursuits of U. L. members are carried from
common laborer right on up to one member who owns a big printing business and sells insurance
to the deaf as a sideline. In the club all members are equal, no matter what line they are in, or
race, or religion, etc. There was no discrimination between members, and everyone were treated
as equals, which you didnt normally see in a club at that time. Normally, during that time period,
the clubs were divided by classes and race.
The interpreters were normally hearing children of Deaf parents who knew sign
language. They were sometimes considered honorary members of some of the Deaf clubs. These
honorary members were sometimes considered the clubs interpreters, and were used in many
instances for the members which is explained when one of them is answering questions, If a
deaf person has to go to court m or is called to the income tax bureau, or wants to take out
citizenship papers or a marriage license, or the like of that, he usually asks his organizations
interpreter to go along and help him out.
WONDERSTUCK
There were definitely many themes throughout the book that we have covered in class.
One of those would be Bens statement towards the end of the book that he belonged there
with his grandmother and friend, was an obscure but good example of Bens new found
wellspring. He found what he needed, even though they were technically strangers that he just
met, he had a common bond with them that he did not have with the rest of his family at home.
So in a way he found his culture outside of his (somewhat) immediate family.

CONCLUSION
As a sojourner in the Deaf world, I am positive that I will be learning new things every
day, and that my journey will be a long one, but I feel that I have gained valuable tools to help
me on my journey as a sojourner. As Ernest Hemingway stated, It is good to have an end to
journey toward; But it is the journey that matters, in the end. I agree full with Hemingway that
the important part about our journey is not the final destination but how we got there.