SlideShare presentation for ASL Literature course at George Brown College.

1. Sound and Deaf Literature
Literature has a large impact on the characterization
of human beings and society in general. Russell S.
Rosen looked into this with depth and I wish to share
this with you.
The article from the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf
Education can be found on:
http://jdsde.oxfordjournals.org/content/12/4/552.full#T
1

2. Sound representations in Deaf Literature
Sounds are important in non-Deaf literature to develop
character, setting and mood in the narrative.
Examples:
Howling wind
Whispering meadow
Spoke with a booming voice
Walked with a scraping shuffle
Rosen, Russell S. "Representations of Sound in American Deaf Literature." Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. 12.4 (2007): 552-565. doi: 10.1093/deafed/enm010

3. Literature by non-Deaf authors
Literature written by non-Deaf has used ideas of sound to represent the Deaf.
Two representations of Deaf characters:
Deaf “ who have some, albeit poor ability to hear but have good lipreading and
speaking skills”
Deaf “ are hearing people with hearing difficulties but with good lipreading and
speaking skills”
Also
Missing a connection with sound and therefore they live in an isolated world!
Rosen, Russell S. "Representations of Sound in American Deaf Literature." Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. 12.4 (2007): 552-565. doi: 10.1093/deafed/enm010

4. Literature by Deaf authors
Diverse views of the Deaf character in literature by Deaf authors but can be
grouped into two “states”
“Hearist state of being”-world centered on sounds and that sounds are important.
“Deafist state of being”-visual world and visuality is important as in seeing and
signing
Rosen, Russell S. "Representations of Sound in American Deaf Literature." Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. 12.4 (2007): 552-565.
doi: 10.1093/deafed/enm010

5. Deaf authors in hearist state
Deaf authors in a hearist” state represent sounds as being:
Disorted
Altered
Broken
Fading
Rosen, Russell S. "Representations of Sound in American Deaf Literature." Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. 12.4 (2007): 552-565.
doi: 10.1093/deafed/enm010

6. Deaf authors with deafist state
Sounds are nulled, negated or created to express in visual, tactile and signs as terms
of sound such as :
Colours
Movement
Vibrations
Signs
Mental fancy…imagining what sounds look like
Ella Mae Lenttz’s ASL poem “Eye Music”
Rosen, Russell S. "Representations of Sound in American Deaf Literature." Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. 12.4 (2007): 552-565. doi: 10.1093/deafed/enm010

7. Impact of Deaf Literature
This article is important to remember when selecting the best Deaf literature for
the right audience…
What do you want to tell the audience ?
What does the audience want to know ?
What does the audience need to know ?
What does the audience need or want to understand ?
Literature is a powerful tool in creating the
mindset, schema of the Deaf character.