Reflection on Sound and Fury - Essay Example

SOUND AND FURY ‘Sound and Fury’ is one of the better films I have seen in recent years. During the first half of the movie I was convinced it was notfor hearing people since it was all about how deafness affects identity and the views of deaf people. But after watching the whole film, I can say with sincerity that it was an excellent way of getting hearing people to see the viewpoint of deaf people about hearing or the ability to hear. But there were some scenes I couldn’t relate to at all even when I tried my level best to understand the views of deaf people.

However what I actually loved about the movie was its bottom-line that explained to me what deafness means to deaf people. It is a bond that unites them to others with hearing disability. The story revolves around two families and their views on deafness and a cochlear implant that can help deaf people hear. Its characters are powerful, the emotions overwhelming and an ending that I found thought provoking and disturbing at the same time. Deaf characters in the movie viewed deafness as something sacred and did not consider it a disability.

The threat posed by the new device is thus too overwhelming and they unite to protect their culture and their sign language. Peter and Nina are parents of Heather 6, and while they are all deaf, Peter is a strong advocate of sign language and an active member of anti-implant community. However they are shocked when Heather decides she wants an implant so she can talk to hearing people. She wants to hear the sounds around her especially of animals and lion in particular. The reaction of Heather’s mother Nina is of particular interest since she goes against the decision simply because she feels that if Heather starts hearing, she wont be communicating in sign language anymore.

I may sound politically incorrect when I say this but the truth is that I did not like Nina’s reaction or their decision not to let Heather get implants. It is very difficult for a hearing person to understand why Nina behaved this way because anyone would want what’s best for his or her children. If you had a disability why would you want your children to go through the same problems? Any hearing or non-hearing person would obviously try to minimize the problems in their child’s life so why would Nina behave like an enemy.

I couldn’t understand that and while I wanted to view things from a deaf person’s situation, I still couldn’t bring myself to accept Nina and Peter’s reaction. Interesting they decide that Heather could have implants later in life but they knew fully well that by then she wouldn’t be able to enjoy the benefits of this device. The resentment and insecurity exhibited by both parents are things that give their character a negative touch. They seem like Heather’s enemy and their resentment leads to manipulation that made me want to go inside the movie and grant Heather her wish somehow.

She is an innocent girl. I am just surprised her parents couldn’t see her intense desire to hear. What on earth is wrong with that? And hearing or not hearing, we all know that parents really work hard to make life easier for their children. In this movie it appeared that Peter and Nina were only making life difficult for little Heather. I was indeed left with an intensely sad feeling, which bordered on serious resentment. Though I admit the film generates powerful emotions and was meant to communicate the views of deaf people to the hearing world, I couldn’t bring myself to accept the decision made by Heather’s parents since it was not in her best interest.