El Deafo
On those rare occasions that I am not reading (or writing
about what I’ve read) it is only because I have to get up and go to work.
I’ve been working as an American Sign Language- English interpreter for about 4 years now, but have been signing my whole life as I grew up with a large Deaf family. I work in a variety of settings, and I currently live in a city that has an awesome community.
Because of this background, I am naturally drawn to books and stories that have to do with deaf culture or those who identify with a hearing loss of some kind. So when I saw this book on the shelves, it caught my eye. I’ll be honest, if I was paying attention to the fact that it was a graphic novel I doubt I would have bought it but I figured worst case scenario I knew enough people I could donate it to.
Cece Bell writes El Deafo as a memoir, of sorts, about her childhood and how she came to be deaf, what it felt like to get hearing aids – especially considering the time and technology – how the people she encountered reacted towards her, how she reacted to them, and how she came to create El Deafo - herself as a Deaf superhero!
This story was eye opening. Even with working with children who have a hearing loss and have all kinds of assistive technology and modes of communicating, it is still interesting to me to see the numerous perspectives. I rarely get children telling me their feelings about having a hearing loss – why would I? (and no, I would never ask!) but nor do I ever think about it. Being involved in the community, I do not give it a second thought.
I’ve been working as an American Sign Language- English interpreter for about 4 years now, but have been signing my whole life as I grew up with a large Deaf family. I work in a variety of settings, and I currently live in a city that has an awesome community.
Because of this background, I am naturally drawn to books and stories that have to do with deaf culture or those who identify with a hearing loss of some kind. So when I saw this book on the shelves, it caught my eye. I’ll be honest, if I was paying attention to the fact that it was a graphic novel I doubt I would have bought it but I figured worst case scenario I knew enough people I could donate it to.
Cece Bell writes El Deafo as a memoir, of sorts, about her childhood and how she came to be deaf, what it felt like to get hearing aids – especially considering the time and technology – how the people she encountered reacted towards her, how she reacted to them, and how she came to create El Deafo - herself as a Deaf superhero!
This story was eye opening. Even with working with children who have a hearing loss and have all kinds of assistive technology and modes of communicating, it is still interesting to me to see the numerous perspectives. I rarely get children telling me their feelings about having a hearing loss – why would I? (and no, I would never ask!) but nor do I ever think about it. Being involved in the community, I do not give it a second thought.
Cece’s explanation opened my eyes slightly more to the
potential thoughts of those I work and/or socialize with. I have deaf friends,
I have deaf family, I have deaf colleagues, but I am not deaf. I am very much a
hearing person – I have hearing tendencies, and unless I am around my deaf
friends, I don’t adapt my behavior (such as signing all the time, or not yelling
to get someone’s attention) but I’ll admit I have the habit of closed captions
on the T.V all the time.
I thought El Deafo was a great story. In its platform it can be a great tool to show anyone who is struggling with any kind of physical change. For Cece, becoming deaf turned her world upside down – she struggled socially and academically - but when she turned it into a positive and shared that positivity, she realized that people were not afraid or nervous to be around her. She found that she could be herself.
I thought El Deafo was a great story. In its platform it can be a great tool to show anyone who is struggling with any kind of physical change. For Cece, becoming deaf turned her world upside down – she struggled socially and academically - but when she turned it into a positive and shared that positivity, she realized that people were not afraid or nervous to be around her. She found that she could be herself.
This moral can be applied to any
change that a child is going through:
Everyone can be a Superhero.
Everyone can be a Superhero.
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