This blog will be posted after we finish the film on Monday. Please check back after class on Monday. Have a great weekend!
Monica
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About Me
- Monica
- Here is a safe place to discuss and learn issues directly related to dignity. Together we will explore, learn and grow.
The first parallel to what we have learned in class and The Hammer would be oral speech. Matt Hamill grew up deaf with his first language being English, not ASL. This is because his grandfather insisted that Matt could learn and understand the English language if he was properly taught the sound and mouthshape of words. The second parallel would be the assumption that all Deaf people can read lips and or know sign language. When Matt first attended Purdue, it was assumed that he knew how to sign because he was Deaf, but growing up using the oral method, Matt never learned much sign. Then once Matt arrived at RIT, he quickly realized that a lot of Deaf people can't read lips like he can. A third parallel is that state schools or Deaf schools are very important to the Deaf Community. Matt attnded RIT, which has a very dominant Deaf population. It is shown in the movie that these Deaf communities are very strong because the Deaf rarely have to worry about struggling with communication with the hearing world. In these Deaf Communities, Deaf people can be themselves.
ReplyDeleteOne way that Deaf culture is shown in “The Hammer” is when Matt is at school and he learns that Deaf culture is more about community. He grew up with the mentality that you have to do everything on your own. His grandfather wanted Matt to be independent and not have to lean on anyone. Deaf culture is a collective society and ultimately life is a team effort and Matt learned that through school, relationships, and wrestling.
ReplyDeleteA second example is when Matt explains to Kristi that they grew up differently. Matt grew up with English as his first language and Kristi’s first language is ASL. Matt has trouble with understanding ASL at first. Also, he talks to everyone at RIT and doesn’t even really realize it until Kristi points it out.
Lastly, a few people in the movie call being deaf a disability. Each time, Matt corrected them. Many people have the pathological view and do not understand the cultural view. Matt’s grandpa helped him realize at a young age that being deaf does not have to limit his abilities. His grandpa gets Matt involved with wrestling because he sees his potential. His grandpa also makes Matt push himself to succeed. I was happy to see Matt never view himself as less than others in the movie.
1. The first example of what this movie concreted about Deaf Culture was the Deaf schools. At mainstreamed schools, Matt struggled with understanding people and where he fit in. It was hard for him to make lasting relationships and was surrounded by an individualistic society. At RIT, he found himself and his niche, and realized that he was not alone. People wanted to communicate with him; he was just so used to relying on himself that he forgot.
ReplyDelete2. The second example is the importance of ASL in Deaf Culture. At RIT, everyone was using sign as their method of communication while Matt was taught to speak when he talks and barely use sign. Kristi helped him to realize this by “turning your voice off” so that you don’t offend anybody. Communicating is so important, and since not everybody can read lips, ASL is the preferred method.
3. Thirdly, the notion that being Deaf is not a disability. He proved to people that he could do whatever hearing people could do- and better. His grandfather never let him feel sorry for himself which is why I think he succeeded in wrestling. After the death of his grandpa, he kept that idea planted in his head and used it as a driving force for his success. So many people have the wrong idea about Deaf people and as a result treat them as lesser people, when in reality they are capable of everything that hearing people are.
I agree that the first scene with the audiologist really set up the tone for the movie. It was interesting to see the grandfather's first reaction to learning that Matt was deaf. He was viewing being deaf from a medical perspective and probably thought of all the things he wouldn't be able to do.
ReplyDeleteI also thought it was interesting how everyone at RIT assumed he could sign. It seemed like no one even thought of the possibility that he could have been raised orally. I also liked that the movie showed how hard school was for him. At Purdue, he couldn't read the professors lips but he also couldn't fully understand the interpreter.
ReplyDelete