Monday, July 30, 2007

Deaf Characters in Film for the EYE Generation

Earlier this month, the Washington Post included an article "The Eye Generation Prefers Not to Read All About It: Students in Film Class a Microcosm of a Visually Oriented Culture". A professor of theater and film at Montgomery College, Peter Schwartz teaches a three-week Summer Movie Production Workshop at the American Film Institute. When he could take it no more, he yelled, "Stop! Try to think less about which movie scene you are reminded of and more about the way people really act in real life. Everything isn't related to a movie!" Yet, most of the students in this very workshop were members of the Eye Generation, the visually oriented generation which acquires as much as 50% of their knowledge from visual texts over written ones. While my generation had television, movies, and video games (like Atari’s Pac Man), this generation interacts through YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace clearly feeling more at ease expressing themselves in visual forms.

The challenge, however, is that these students while taught how to read and how to react critically to literature, are not taught how to read and analyze visual images. Their ability to assign meaning to the visual texts is still quite passive which makes them victims for being easily manipulated as students, consumers and citizens.

This goes beyond traditional literacy of reading and writing.

After reading the Washington Post article, I kept thinking about the final activity of the CAID conference. Miram Lerner who works as an interpreter at NTID/RIT put together an evening of film, "Popcorn or Milk Duds? The Choices we make…".

As a movie buff, Miriam shared her insights into the representations of deaf people in film. Some of the literary functions of Deaf Characters in Film that Miriam shared with the group included: "adjunct informant" character where the main function is for the audience to learn more about the main hearing characters; "metaphor" whereas the deaf character epitomizes loneliness and isolation; "psychosomatic" which includes a subconscious decision not to hear based on some sort of trauma; "sign language as a hero" where the characters are somehow 'saved' because they know sign language; and "the normal guy-or-gal-who-just-happens-to-be-Deaf" category where the character is just a regular ol' character who happens to be Deaf.


****Below you can read my interview with Miriam Lerner****


SPW: Can you tell me a bit about yourself-- what do you do for fun?

ML: I LOVE TO READ AND WATCH MOVIES (OBVIOUSLY)! I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL FOR A FEW YEARS IN A ROW, AND THE FIRST YEAR I WENT FOR 8 DAYS AND SAW A TOTAL OF 55 FILMS ! I THOUGHT I HAD DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN !

MY HUSBAND, KENNY LERNER, IS THE PERFORMANCE AND CREATIVE PARTNER OF PETER COOK IN THE DUO FLYING WORDS PROJECT. WE HAVE A LOT TO TALK ABOUT AND BOUNCE OFF OF EACH OTHER IN TERMS OF SIGN CHOICES, TRANSLATION, IMAGES, ETC. KENNY TEACHES HISTORY TO DEAF STUDENTS AT RID. I CAN’T IMAGINE BEING MARRIED TO SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T SIGN OR ISN’T INVOLVED IN DEAFNESS IN SOME WAY.

SPW: You seem very passionate about the films. Can you explain how you began creating a list of Deaf Characters in Film?

ML: AT NTID/RIT INTERPRETERS ARE DIVIDED INTO TEAMS, AND WE HAVE WEEKLY BUSINESS MEETINGS …AROUND 15 YEARS AGO I TOOK A POLL TO FIND OUT IF BRINGING IN CLIPS OF MOVIES WITH DEAF CHARACTERS WOULD BE INTERESTING TO EVERYONE FOR ONE OF THE MEETINGS AND FOLKS WERE ENTHUSIASTIC. I STARTED TRYING TO REMEMBER ANY FLICKS I HAD SEEN WITH DEAFNESS REPRESENTED. THE FIRST ONES I REMEMBERED OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WERE “NASHVILLE’ AND “LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR” AND “CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD” AND “MURDER BY DEATH”. I HAD HEARD OF “JOHNNY BELINDA” BUT NEVER SEEN IT SO I RENTED IT, AND SOME FOLKS IN MY TEAM TOLD ME SOME TITLES THEY KNEW OF AS WELL. I FOUND A WEBSITE THAT LISTED FILMS WITH ANY DISABILITY PORTRAYAL AND I FOUND A BUNCH OF TITLES THERE TOO.
I BEGAN JUST WATCHING THESE FILMS AND SLOWLY IT DAWNED ON ME THAT SINCE MOST OF THESE STORIES WEREN’T ABOUT DEAFNESS, PER SE, WHY ON EARTH WERE THESE CHARACTERS DEAF ???? I REALIZED THAT THEY FURTHERED THE STORY SOMEHOW, BY THE VERY FACT OF THEM BEING DEAF. ONLY IN THE CATEGORY OF “NORMAL GUY-OR-GAL” IS IT A NON-ISSUE THAT THEY ARE DEAF. THE CATEGORIES STARTED TO SORT THEMSELVES OUT AS I WATCHED MORE AND MORE FILMS, AND I DEVELOPED THIS THEORY ABOUT EACH ONE. MY TEAM ENJOYED THE PRESENTATION AND I STARTED COLLECTING MORE CLIPS AND GAVE THE PRESENTATION IN EXPANDED FORM A FEW MORE TIMES HERE AND THERE. I BELIEVE THAT RIGHT NOW I HAVE AROUND 30 CLIPS, MEANING THAT I HAVE 30 SELECTIONS THAT I CAN SHOW IF THERE’S TIME OR IT FITS THE AUDIENCE NEEDS. THERE ARE TONS MORE THAT I JUST CAN’T GET MY HANDS ON BECAUSE THEY ARE FOREIGN AND/OR OBSCURE AND UNAVAILABLE FOR RENTAL, IT’S DEFINITELY A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND I COUNT ON MY FRIENDS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE ATTENDED MY PRESENTATIONS TO E MAIL ME WITH TITLES THEY COME ACROSS.

SPW: This may be a difficult one.... Do you have a favorite movie or a favorite Deaf Character?

ML: I REALLY LIKE MARLEE MATLIN’S CHARACTER OF JEANNETTE IN “THE LINGUINI INCIDENT” BECAUSE SHE IS SO CONFIDENT AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR HER BEING DEAF IN THAT ROLE. SHE’S JUST A FUNNY PERSON !
I THINK DAVID IN “FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL” IS VERY FUN BECAUSE HE IS SUCH A BROTHER TO HIS BROTHER. THEY BUST EACH OTHER’S CHOPS, HE TAKES LIBERTIES WITH THE FACT THAT, OTHER THAN HIS BROTHER, HEARING PEOPLE DON’T UNDERSTAND HIM, SO HE CAN BE OVERT ABOUT THINGS AND HIS BROTHER HAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO VOICE IT IN A MORE PALATABLE FORM. HE IS ALL HEART AND HONESTY, AND I THINK HE’D BE FUN TO HAVE AS A FRIEND , OR A BROTHER !

SPW: What kind of advice would you give to young people who are watching a movie with a Deaf Character or even thinking about writing a screenplay including a Deaf Character?

ML: I DON’T KNOW IF IT CAN BE CALLED “ADVICE”, BUT WHEN I WATCH A FILM AND A DEAF CHARACTER COMES ON THE SCREEN, I IMMEDIATELY WONDER, “WHY IS THIS PERSON DEAF ???” THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT WE LIVE IN A PREDOMINANTLY HEARING WORLD. IF THE FILM IS NOT ABOUT DEAFNESS, AND IF THE DIRECTOR OR SCREENWRITER IS HEARING, THEN THEY HAVE MADE THIS CHOICE FOR A REASON. WHAT IS IT ???? THAT HELPS ME TO UNDERSTAND THE REST OF THE STORY BETTER.
SO, IF SOMEONE IS THINKING ABOUT WRITING A SCREEN PLAY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT DEAFNESS SIGNALS TO THEM, OR, WHAT THEY BELIEVE DEAFNESS SYMBOLIZES TO THE AUDIENCES FOR WHOM THE FILM IS BEING CREATED. THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT FILMS IS THAT NOTHING IS ACCIDENTAL ! EVEN DOCUMENTARIES ARE CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED AND EACH ELEMENT IS CHOSEN FOR EFFECT. CINEMA VERITE TRIES TO SHOW LIFE AS IT IS, BUT THE MOMENT SOMETHING IS EDITED AN ATTITUDE IS SUPERIMPOSED, AND CHOICES ARE INFLUENCING AUDIENCE PERCEPTIONS. IF A WRITER CHOOSES A DEAF CHARACTER IN A FILM NOT OVERTLY ABOUT DEAF FOLKS IN A HEARING WORLD, THEN THEY MUST ASK, “WHY DEAF ???”

Stay tuned: this year Miriam will be working on a special project making a documentary about ASL Poetry that will certainly be fascinating! The information below is from a handout Miriam created to accompany her Deaf Characters in Film presentation.

SOME LITERARY FUNCTIONS OF DEAF CHARACTERS IN FILM
by MIRIAM NATHAN LERNER

**** Please bear in mind that these are fluid categories – films fit into more than one at a time, and there are undoubtedly new sets and subsets that you may notice on your own. Keep me posted as to your ideas and any films you discover to add to the list ! ( mnldis@rit.edu)

ADJUNCT INFORMANT CHARACTER: The deaf person’s primary function to the story line is to give the audience more information about, and form more of an affinity with, the main hearing character(s). They may be fascinating in their own right, but generally the deafness is a marginal point of interest. Our attitudes about the hearing folks are affected because of their involvement with a deaf individual.

THE FAMILY STONE
GRAND CANYON
GAS, FOOD, LODGING
LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET
AMY

PLOT DEVICE: Sometimes used as slapstick/sight gags, sometimes as the obstacle to safety in a dangerous or terrifying situation. Deafness is to a deaf person in “Hear No Evil” as blindness is to a blind person in “Wait Until Dark” ( sounds like an SAT test, doesn’t it….?) Other times the novelty of how a deaf person lives or copes within a Hearing world, or interacts with other Hearing characters is presented humorously. In “Bangkok Dangerous,” the deaf protagonist becomes an adept hit man as a vengeful response to being teased as a child. In “Dear Frankie,” the cause of Frankie’s deafness is critical to understanding why this whole story is happening . Chief Bromden in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” pretends to be deaf, thus he functioing as the audience’s ears.

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST
SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL
HUCK FINN
HEAR NO EVIL
MURDER BY DEATH
SUSPECT
CALENDAR GIRL
BANGKOK DANGEROUS
SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE
DEAR FRANKIE
KUNG FU HUSTLE
THE QUIET


THE PIANO **** *
MUTE WITNESS**
MYSTIC RIVER*** these three movies use the characters’ inability to vocalize as the means of their isolation. In all three cases they can hear, understand, and interact with their environments, but require only one “interpreter” who understands their signs and voices their responses to others.

METAPHOR: In a literary sense, a deaf character in certain contexts epitomizes isolation, loneliness, and serves as a device for the projection of other characters’ repressed emotions, etc. “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” is an excellent example of the deaf person as a tabula rasa onto which other hearing players project their fears, hopes, dreams. “The Stand” sets up the deaf character as empathetic and Christ-like. His martyrdom is predictable. “Code Unkown” presents deafness as a language literally indecipherable to hearing people while simultaneously placing it as yet another example of other languages, situations, and attitudes that render people incapable of communicating with each other. “What the Bleep do We Know ?” presents a deaf protagonist who experiences mysterious psychic rifts which lead to self awareness. Why deaf ? Perhaps as a way to emphasize her visual journey without auditory distractions.

THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER
ILLTOWN
THE STAND
CODE UNKOWN
WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW ?

PSYCHOSOMATIC: In some cases there is a subconscious decision not to hear as a response to a traumatic event. “Ramblin’ Rose” presents a woman during the ‘30’s whose deafness conveniently leaves her oblivious to her family’s secrets, allowing her to be the one optimistic and balanced member.

PSYCH OUT
TOMMY
RAMBLIN’ ROSE


BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORIC : Pure and simple, the story of a person’s triumph over disability, their trials and tribulations. “Man of a Thousand Faces” is the story of Lon Cheney, Jr., who had deaf parents and was a fluent signer, which greatly influenced his career and relationships.

THE MIRACLE WORKER (two versions)
SILENT VICTORY: THE KITTY O’NEIL STORY
MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES

SYMBOLIC COMMENTARY ON SOCIETY ; Directors and writers use a deaf character as the ultimate outsider, disempowered, literally and figuratively without a voice within his or her culture. A combination of deafness and youth, or deafness within a society which places a high value on verbal wit, or a deaf character caught helplessly within the whirlwinds of historic change in another country can create a potent focal point of commentary. Notice how deafness is utilized in “The Shop on Main Street. ” Because an old Jewish deaf woman can’t hear, her Aryan “keeper” can’t make her understand what is happening in her town as the occupation advances.

RIDICULE
ILLTOWN
TO LIVE
IN THE COMPANY OF MEN
THE SHOP ON MAIN STREET
THE PERFECT CIRCLE

SIGN LANGAUGE AS A HERO : Here is a new and exciting use of signing. The issue of deafness is entirely peripheral to the plot. What is most important is the hearing characters’ use and comprehension of sign language as a way out of a jam. The signing even takes a purely iconic form when the handshapes are drawn on a log !

THE RIVER WILD


NORMAL GUY-OR-GAL-WHO-JUST-HAPPENS-TO-BE-DEAF : Here is a person who is deaf – no explanations, not a lot of dwelling on pathology. “Four Weddings and Funeral” has a deaf hero ! I have a separate category of the clever gimmick used in the film at the end, but the crux of the David character is that he’s this very nice guy, and
PS) he’s deaf . In “Crazy Moon” the “normal” hearing man is the misfit, and the deaf woman shows him how to become a person of action and confidence. Similarly, in “The Family Stone” the deaf gay character is more “normal” and self-actualized than other
family members.

FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL
CRAZY MOON
THE LINGUINI INCIDENT
IT’S MY PARTY
POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES
LIAR,LIAR
REQUIEM FOR A DREAM
THE FAMILY STONE


STORIES ABOUT DEAF/HEARING RELATIONSHIPS ; The focus of the story is the deaf character(s)’ interactions with the hearing family, lovers, husbands, community, etc. Deafness can be used to represent the obstacle a hearing character must face to further understand themselves, as illustrated in the father/son relationship in “Mr. Holland’s Opus”.

JOHNNY BELINDA (two versions)
CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD
MR. HOLLAND’S OPUS
MANDY ( THE CRASH OF SILENCE)
BEYOND SILENCE

PARALLEL CHARACTER: In “ I Don’t Want to Talk About It,” the deaf girl we meet in the very beginning has a different disability than the main character, Charlotte, who is a dwarf. We see them in their first moments of the film when they are little girls together, and again near the end at Charlotte’s wedding when Rimalda gets the bouquet. Without having seen the deaf counterpart, we can still assume that her story has contained similar struggles for “normalcy” and acceptance. The scene is 1930’s Spain, and disability awareness is zilch at that time. Rimalda’s mother attempts to commiserate with Charlotte’s mother, establishing a simultaneous but unknown ( to the audience) story line somewhere else in town.

I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT

LET YOUR FINGERS DO THE TALKING: Sign is used to express something that the Hearing character can’t or won’t. It’s an ironic way to use a silent language to give “voice” to feelings that the hearing person is incapable or unwilling to deal with. This creates an interesting symbiosis – the hearing person much voice what they truly feel, yet can’t say for themselves. The deaf person is capable of expressing the feeling, but must rely on the hearing person to disseminate the message !

FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL
JERRY MAGUIRE. (the phrase, “You complete me,” is a verbal foreshadowing of character metamorphosis and development. Because the exact phrase is repeated later, I
call it a pre-emptive echo, which I know is an oxymoron but I like it anyway !

THE DEAF EXPERIENCE

Fictionalized representations of deaf characters getting by in whatever culture/society in which they find themselves. “THE PERFECT CIRCLE” portrays a deaf child caught in the ravages of war in Bosnia. “STILLE LIEBE” introduces two isolated and lonely deaf individuals, one a nun and one a pick-pocket from Latvia, who find each other and fall in love.

THE PERFECT CIRCLE
STILLE LIEBE
TO LIVE
RIDICULE

DEAFNESS = LACK OF COMMUNICATION: This is new – two films that I know of use deafness and sign language to exemplify the ultimate lack of communication in our world. It is used as a parallel to the global inability of all people to connect with each other

CODE UNKOWN
BABEL

Friday, July 27, 2007

Interview with author Penny Warner

Author Penny Warner has published over 50 books for adults and children, both fiction and non-fiction. She has a series that features main Deaf character, Connor Westphal, a journalist in the small town known as Flat Skunk (California Gold Country). Connor is one cool character who publishes her own newspaper, drives a 57 Chevy, and lives in a diner. Hey, who doesn’t dream of endless grilled cheese sandwiches?

The CONNOR WESTPHAL MYSTERY SERIES includes Dead Body Language (which was nominated for an Agatha Award and won a Macavity Award for Best First Mystery), Sign of Foul Play, Right to Remain Silent, A Quiet Undertaking, Blind Side, and Silence is Golden.

Dead Man's Hand by Penny Warner
Publisher: Hilliard & Harris Publishers (April 2007)
Paperback: 196 pages
ISBN-10: 1591332095
Level: Mature Teen to Adult Content

Book Description:
In DEAD MAN'S HAND, Connor is on an emotional roller coaster, with hearing love interest Dan Smith and deaf advocate Josh Littlefield controlling the gears. Dan has proposed, and while she loves Dan, she isn't sure she wants to be married, since her parents divorced as a result of her deafness. Besides the fact that hearing and deaf people come from two worlds, marriage implies dependence to Connor, the one thing she's been fighting against her whole life. Josh, recently widowed and actively pursuing Connor, is single-parenting his young deaf daughter, whom Connor adores. But Josh has also grown more radical over the years, and has plans to establish a nearly self-sufficient Deaf Community at a nearby ghost town. As the town becomes divided on several issues Connor senses an undercurrent of malevolence. The casino controversy is keeping Connor too busy to examine her real feelings, but her sense proves portentous. The infamous and historic landmark, the Hanging Dummy-an image of a prospector carved from wood-swings from a rope over a Flat Skunk gold-mining shop, in effigy for all the poor hanged souls of the mining years. But it's suddenly lost an ear. Connor's roller-coaster is about to pick up speed with a whole new set of distractions-the appendage turns out to be human.

****Read my interview with Author Penny Warner below*******

SPW: What inspired your character Connor Westphal and her mystery series?

PW: I have a Master's degree in Special Ed/Deaf and worked with deaf infants and preschool children, as well future teachers of deaf education, and sign language. I wanted to write a mystery with an interesting character, and thought - why not have a deaf protagonist solve the mysteries? I figured she could do anything but overhear whispered conversations...

SPW: What type of research do you do to gain perspectives on the various Deaf Characters that you include in your series?

PW: Although I know many deaf people, I wanted to make sure my representation of a deaf person was accurate. No two deaf people are alike, of course, but they may share some similarities that I thought would be interesting to readers, and even aid in their detecting skills.

SPW: Will you talk about your experience working with/ teaching deaf individuals?

PW: I do have a lot of deaf fans that I hear from via email. But the most exciting thing has been working with Andrea Ferrell, the actress on 7th Heaven who plays Heather. She wants to turn the books into a TV movie or series - and I think she'd be the perfect Connor Westphal. I've also met with Marlee Matlin about the books.

SPW: How did you decide to become a writer? Will you describe your experience with publishing your first book?

PW: My first books were non-fiction -- children's activity and parenting books -- but I wanted to write a mystery because I loved reading them. I tried a couple of characters but they didn't click until Connor came along - she was just more interesting. My first agent didn't like the idea of a deaf character -- not "mainstream" enough - so I fired her and found an agent -- and editor -- who loved her.

SPW: Can you give us a sneak peek in the next Connor adventure?

PW: Truthfully, not sure yet, but there's plenty to tackle. I like to include an aspect of deafness along with a good mystery.

SPW: What advice would you give to young adults who are reading your books for the first time?

PW: Don't give up. And stick with what you believe in, even if others may not agree. If you like it, and think it's good and interesting, then someone else will too.

For more information about the author, visit: http://www.pennywarner.com/

Monday, July 23, 2007

Interview with author T.C. Boyle

T.C. Boyle is the author of twenty books of fiction. He received a Ph.D. in Nineteenth Century British Literature from the University of Iowa in 1977 and is a faculty member of the University of Southern California's English Department.

Talk Talk by T.C. Boyle
ISBN: 0143112155
(June 2007- paperback)

Boyle's most recent novel, Talk Talk (2006) includes a deaf character. The plot involves the identity theft of main character Dana Halter, a Deaf high-school instructor with a Ph.D. and former graduate from Gallaudet University. For fun, she keeps record of Latin roots. With all the multisyllabic vocabulary words, get ready to pull out your dictionary!
The suspense in the novel begins when Dana runs a stop sign while on the way to the dentist. She gets pulled over by police. With drawn weapons, she quickly realizes that she's in far bigger trouble than she'd imagined. With numerous warrants for her arrest that includes crimes such as drug possession, check fraud and assault (No Spoilers!!! that are actually for a man using her identity), Dana must rely on her only true ally-- boyfriend, Bridger (who is hearing and learns sign language) to help her clear her name.

**Read more below from my recent interview with T.C. Boyle.***

SPW: What inspired your character Dana? What type of research did you do to gain the perspective of a deaf woman?
T.C.: I do believe that a good novelist should be able to portray the point of view of anyone, of any culture, and I have written from many perspectives over the course of my career (I've just finished my twentieth book of fiction). I was inspired to create Dana because in a book about identity theft and the roots of individual identity, I felt it would be fascinating to portray another culture altogether, one that might, of necessity, protect its identity even more fiercely than that of the hearing culture. As for research: I did a great deal of reading and I paid a visit to Gallaudet, where the students were collectively reading my 1995 novel, The Tortilla Curtain.

SPW: Will you talk about your experience meeting or working with any deaf individuals (especially in connection to this novel)?

T.C.: I do have an acquaintance who became deaf later in life and adapted quite successfully to the use of cochlear implants. I also had the very rewarding experience of speaking with some forty or fifty students at Gallaudet. What I loved, among other things, was discovering the ability of Sign speakers to carry on simultaneous conversations at a distance.

SPW: How did you decide to become a writer? Will you describe your experience with publishing your first book?

T.C.: I was fortunate enough to go to a liberal arts college (SUNY Potsdam) and have the opportunity to discover what I most loved to do. I began as a music major, switched to history, then a double major in history and English, and finally took a creative writing class. I was also fortunate in publishing rather quickly--my first published story appeared in The North American Review some three years after graduation. If your readers are interested in a fuller accounting, please direct them to the essay on the About the Author pages of tcboyle.com ("This Monkey, My Back").

SPW: Any plans for a follow-up story using Dana? Any plans for future books with deaf characters?

T.C.: Not at present. Each book, each story, has its own valence.

SPW: What advice would you give to young people who are reading your book?

T.C.: Advice? To enjoy it. And to know that the book was deepened and enriched for me when I discovered that my protagonist would be deaf and that she herself was writing a book about Victor, le enfant sauvage of Napoleonic France, who was discovered as a feral child and who never was able to acquire written, spoken or signed language.

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Want more Deaf Characters?

Wikipedia includes a category of Fictional deaf characters.

Some of the characters include: comic books characters such as Professor Calculus (The Adventures of Tintin--SHOWN BELOW RIGHT) and Maya Lopez aka Echo (Daredevil and The New Avengers); television series characters such as Gordon Cole (Twin Peeks) and Rosemary Gavin (Rescue Me); characters from novels such as Drury Lane (by author Ellery Queen); soap opera character Thomas Henry Edward Sinbad Sweeney (on Brookside); and a fighting game character named Voldo (in the Soul series--SHOWN LEFT).

A Look at the Past

The late Douglas Bullard authored such books as Islay: A Novel, a book about a deaf man who establishes a deaf homeland by taking over a small state;and, On Deaf Ears, a collection of short stories about his oral deaf school experience. At the time of his death in 2005, Bullard was writing Dingbat, a story about a geologist in the Alaskan wilderness. Bullard was a Gallaudet graduate, an Alaskan geologist, and a former president of the Florida Association of the Deaf.

Tonight when I was browsing the world wide web, I found this article from The New York Times. Although the article was published twenty years ago, much of the content is relevant today. Below the article, I put together a few suggestions of other works one might be interested in reviewing. Sometimes it is good to keep the past in the past; however, after reading through this article, I know that it is also nice to bring the past with us into the future.

Deaf Writer Asks Questions That Echo for Young
SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK TIMES
Published: November 29, 1987
LEAD: The class of elementary and junior high school students at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf kept up a volley of questions for the novelist who had come to call. Courteously and with humor, the novelist, Douglas Bullard, tried to answer them all.

~The Deaf Way II Anthology: a literary collection of deaf and hard of hearing writers Tonya M. Stremlau(ed.) Publisher: Gallaudet University Press, 2002

~ASL Stories by Doug Bullard

~Deaf Mosaic: No. 13 [Videocassette]. (1986). Washington, DC: Gallaudet College. 4th FLOOR HV2545 .D44 no.13 (30 min.) : Signed and captioned.Douglas Bullard, author of ISLAY, a novel set in a deaf state; Signs Across America, a dictionary of regional American signs; “Legal Corner”, with deaf attorney Sheila Conlon-Mentkowski; actress/author Mary Beth Miller; and Days of Ink and Lead”, an affectionate look at the role the printing profession in deaf culture.

Deaf Character in TV series replaced


"Bionic Woman" is an upcoming television show premiering in September 2007 on NBC. The series is based on the original 1970's version of "The Bionic Woman". I guess to make the series new and fresh they decided to drop the article "The" from the title.

Actress Michelle Ryan plays the main character Jaime, the female athlete "remade" after a car crash to become the bionic woman. The actress took lessons from a dialect coach (since she has to fake an American accent); learned Krav Magar (a martial art used by the Israeli Special Forces); and she started learning sign languages since her little sister (played by actress Mae Whitman) is Deaf. In the pilot, actress Mae Whitman plays the role of Becca who is Deaf and uses sign language; however, she is now being replaced with another actress. The TV Guide Blog (June 27, 2007) reported that an NBC spokesperson confirmed the character's replacement was for creative reasons, "It is very common to change story lines, characters, actors after the initial pilot is shot." Although producers are seeking a replacement, the new actress may not be required to learn sign language since an NBC executive "requested that the character's hearing be restored" (Wikipedia, "Mae Whitman" retrieved July 15, 2007).

To see a preview of the upcoming series (not Closed Captioned) visit: http://www.nbc.com/Fall_Preview/Bionic_Woman/
The website includes some heated posts with comments stating that since NBC received negative publicity about using a hearing actress (instead of a deaf actress) to play a deaf character, NBC changed the character altogether.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Friday the 13th!

When the 13th calendar day of any month falls on a Friday it is considered to be a day of bad luck in several cultures. The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia.

Although I love almost anything scary, frightening and weird, I am also a skeptic (meaning that I don't believe in such things easily) and simply believe that most of these stories that I hear are mostly likely Urban Legends; however, after looking at websites like snopes.com and howthingswork.com (Click on the links and go directly to the pages on Friday the 13th), both sites explain why we should indeed be a little nervous....

There actually is evidence to suggest that Friday the 13th is unlucky for some people. Some psychologists have found that there are some people who are more likely to have accidents and become sick on Friday the 13th.

The Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in North Carolina estimates nearly $900 million is lost in business each Friday the 13th because some people will not travel or go to work.

Did you know?

*That hotels rarely have a room number 13

*Highways will sometimes skip exit 13

*A hangman's noose has 13 knots

*The driver of Princess Diana hit pillar #13 at Place de l'Alma when she was killed in Paris, France

*Christ and his 12 disciples (13 including Jesus) were in attendance at the crucifixion which occurred on a Friday.


In the meantime, here are some scary books with Deaf Characters for you to enjoy with the lights on!

Jean F. Andrews (Flying Fingers Series) The Ghost of Tomahawk Creek (1993)
Join main characters Donald, Matt and Susan for a delightfully scary story in this Flying Fingers Club sequel.

V.C. Andrews Girl in the Shadows (2006)
Main character April Taylor has recently lost her parents and moves in with a kindly elderly woman and her deaf granddaughter. A dangerous couple arrives and disrupts April's new sense of comfort.

James Casey Gillies The Legend of Five Great Deaf Ghost Stories (2003)
Here is a collection of creepy ghost stories including: "A Reclusive Ghost in the Room"; "Henrietta, the Old Deaf Lady"; "A Girl in Room 24"; "A Man in the Lake"; and "The Old Deaf Aunt's House". The stories include both deaf characters and deaf ghosts!

Betty Sullivan La Pierre The Silent Scream (2001)
Richard, a young deaf boy, returns home and finds his mother murdered. As he goes out to find his mother's killer, he puts himself in jeopardy. This mystery is full of suspense and an interesting group of characters, including a crazy mountain man.

Monday, July 09, 2007

This seasons seems to be filled with MAGIC... with the release of the seventh and "final" book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling's will be released on July 21 (but you probably already know that, right?); the release of the latest Harry Potter movie and the television show starring magician/illustionist Criss Angel (you know the one who went on a date with Cameron Diaz). With all the advertisements, you just can't miss the Magic!

Today, I thought I would include some information that if you're interested in magic, you might not want to miss....

12th World Deaf Magicians Festival in Riverside,California
April 6-13, 2008 (Registration Due January 31, 2008)
Junior Magicians (Ages 7-17)

While you're waiting for this festival, check out this book:

A Dynasty of Magic by Doreen E Woodford & Mary Plackett
Publisher: BDHS Publications
This book includes a biographical history of two Deaf magicians (father and son) who entertained Deaf and hearing people alike for over 75 years.

Happy Reading!

Sunday, July 08, 2007

New & Upcoming Releases

Echo by Clint Kelly (July 2007)
Age Range: Teen to Adult
Main character Cassie Dixons takes a relaxing vacation and goes to the Cascade Mountains with her friends, the Fergusons, and their teenage deaf son, Cody. While Cassie sees how Cody's mother is overprotective of him, she decides to encourage him to have confidence in himself and explore; yet, "Cassie aches for the boy, knowing that hearing is both the audible and inaudible ways in which we hear each other and God"(publisher release information). When Cody disappears, the peaceful vacation turns into a frantic search for his whereabouts that has Cassie feeling guilty.

Author Clint Kelly is a communications specialist for Seattle Pacific University.


Neither-Nor: A Young Australian's Experience with Deafness by Paul Gordon Jacobs (April 2007)
Age Range: Teen to Adult

This is the story of Paul Jacobs who lost his mother when he was three months old and then lost most of his hearing at five years old. In this memoir, Jacobs shares his experiences in the classroom and with sports, including his experience playing on the Deaf Australian World Cup cricket team for; and his experiences with the positive role models who supported him.

Some Kids Are Deaf by Lola M. Schaefer (September 2007)
Age Range: 8 to 12
Schaefer's book encourages appreciation for difference. This book is marketed more for those who are not familiar with deaf people.

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Deaf Education Conference and an Advance Reader's Copy!!!

Last week I attended the CAID (Council of American Instructors of the Deaf) Conference in Reno, NV where I presented on the portrayals and perceptions of Deaf Characters in Adolescent Literature (PICTURED RIGHT).
I handed out my 'Top 5 favorite books with Deaf Characters' bookmark (PICTURED LEFT)which was a difficult task because there are so many good books. Since I was flying and flying usually includes flight delays, I thought this trip was going to provide a great opportunity for me to read.

I brought Delia Ray Howard's Signing Hands (look for my interview with her later this month!) and some non-Deaf Character books (Yes, I do try to read books outside this genre). There were so many exciting presentations and activities (which included "hanging out" with one of my former students who lives in Reno and a Lake Tahoe riverboat cruise with my mom, Phyllis- PICTURED RIGHT) that I hardly had time to read!

While at the conference I picked up information about two programs encouraging literacy: 1.) Say It in Sign has produced "moving" American Sign Language greeting cards and Flashcards and 2.) Burton Vision has created a computer program that "builds bridges between American Sign Language and English". The program works for ASL users and those who wish to become fluent in ASL. I believe my favorite part is the "Classic Stories". Plus, Michael Burton gives one entertaining presentation!

This week I'm trying to catch up. I have added a few book titles to the "100+ and Counting" list AND I just received my Advance Reader's Copy of LEADING LADIES from Doug Cooney.
(THANK YOU AGAIN DOUG!)
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Leading Ladies (November 2007-- not yet released)
By Marlee Matlin and Doug Cooney
Publication Date: November 2007
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
288 pages ISBN-10: 0-689-86987-8
Grades: 3rd and up

Just as Deaf Child Crossing focused on Megan at camp, and Nobody's Perfect focused on Megan's birthday party, Leading Ladies focuses on Megan wanting to be the star (shocker!!!) in her class' musical production of The Wizard of Oz. Megan's good friend from camp, Lizzie who attends the Illinois School for the Deaf transfers to Megan's public school. Lizzie had such a small role in Nobody's Perfect that I'm glad to see that this character is given a major storyline. Of course, there is going to be DRAMA (pun intended) with another friendship triangle (characters Cindy and Alexis are back too) and a musical production. Also in this book, Megan's family has a new dog named Solo (I remember crying and crying over Apples -- no spoilers here, read Deaf Child Crossing). Even without knowing if she will secure the part of Dorothy, Megan begins training Solo to be the best Toto possible. I can't wait to finish reading this book!