![]() ![]() The history of Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language has fascinated me ever since I first devoured Nora Groce’s seminal ethnography Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language: Hereditary Deafness on Martha’s Vineyard (Harvard University Press). ![]() Her struggle to save herself is at the core of this penetrating and poignant novel that probes our perceptions of ability and disability. His maniacal drive to find answers soon renders Mary a “live specimen” in a cruel experiment. And a cunning young scientist has arrived, hoping to discover the origin of the island’s prevalent deafness. ![]() Tensions over land disputes are mounting between English settlers and the Wampanoag people. Mary’s brother died, leaving her family shattered. But recent events have delivered winds of change. Now, over a hundred years later, many people there – including Mary – are deaf, and nearly everyone can communicate in sign language. Her great-grandfather was an early English settler and the first deaf islander. Summary: Mary Lambert has always felt safe and protected on her beloved island of Martha’s Vineyard. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |