Sound and Fury

Overall I thought that Sound and Fury was a very controversial documentary. Throughout the film, the families were constantly debating back and forth and arguing about whether or not Heather and Peter should get the cochlear implants. Although this would be a difficult decision to make as a deaf parent, I thought that Peter and Nita should have been more open to hear what the grandparents and rest of the family had to say.

The more I think about Peter and Nita's decision of not getting Heather the implants, the more I begin to understand. These parents grew up not being able to hear and want their children to be like them. This does bother me too. I felt throughout the film that these parents did not want their children to have an advantage over them. I understand that this is probably not what they were thinking, but in my mind, this is how it seemed. Peter and Nita thought that if Heather got the implant that she would move away from the deaf culture. I disagree with this. This could never happen because the rest of her family is deaf. Even if she could hear, she would still need to be able to sign to stay in contact with her parents and siblings. Mari grew up hearing, but with deaf parents. She is still a part of the deaf culture, but also the hearing culture. She still knows sign. She still communicates with her parents. She still signs to her deaf family. I believe that this is how Heather would be if she got the cochlear implants.

 Having the ability to hear, I would not think twice about giving my deaf child the opportunity to hear. Why would you want you child to go through life not having the ability to hear? I thought that Chris and Mari made the best decision for their son by giving him the cochlear implant. This opportunity will give Peter the chance to grow up in a "normal" life with his brother. I think that it would especially be hard on Peter not being able to hear because of the fact that he has a twin brother who is able to hear. Altogether, I believe that if the opportunity to hear when one can not is presented, one should take that chance and use it to his or her advantage.