ASL book report

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Lorain County Community College *

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MISC

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Linguistics

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Apr 3, 2024

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docx

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Kira Appeman Professor Victoria Frisch ASL 1000 12 October 2023 I Was #87: A Deaf Woman’s Ordeal of Misdiagnosis, Institutionalization, and Abuse The title of this book simply says it all. I Was #87: A Deaf Woman’s Ordeal of Misdiagnosis, Institutionalization, and Abuse, by Anne M. Bolander and Adair N. Renning is a moving book about the life of a deaf individual and the adversity she faced, while being named “87” in her experience at Stoutamyre School. I enjoyed reading this book because of the psychological aspect it brings the reader. Anne Bolander lost her mother at a young age and her father remarried a woman that treated Anne with little interest and respect for an individual that seemed to be slower at learning. As a psychology minor, I enjoyed analyzing her parents’ behaviors to assume reasoning behind why they did what they did to their deaf child. A few new things I learned from this book were expense s of schooling and how disconnected they feel from others while having a disability. She stated on page 174, “I am more emotionally separated from my family: I am emotionally separated as well.” Not limited to this statement only, many other pieces of her writing suggest alienation and loneliness. It is very sad to learn how truly isolated they feel from people unlike themselves. Expenses of schooling were a main factor in arguments of Anne’s father and stepmother. They paid a lot of money for her to attend John Hopkins University for testing and Stoutamyre School for special education. I also learned that mental health could be such a huge deficit for those hard of hearing. She mentioned many times how she had gone through depression and even had thoughts of suicide due to the way she had been treated in her experience and school as well as her family, which was very sad

to read about. Another thing I had found to be new information was that, especially in her case, they can be misdiagnosed and referred to as mentally disabled or “retarded.” False accusations like this are confusing for a young girl that doesn’t understand that not everyone has the same hearing that she does. I would consider Anne Bolander part of the deaf community because she did not have complete hearing loss and could still speak and communicate. Several excerpts from the book support this conclusion. On page 3, she stated, “the bell was so loud that even I could hear it.” This implies that she could not hear fully but could hear loud, intrusive sounds. Bolander said, “They provided me with my first hearing aid and worked hard to help me overcome the fear of wearing it” (54). Having a hearing aid is another sign of d eaf culture. “’I’ll be okay, just let me sleep a little longer,’ I said, my eyes slowly closing as I turned my back to him.” This excerpt from page 125 shows us clearly, she was able to speak and communicate with others. I had been given the tools to take charge of my life and cease being a victim (Bolander, 171). Little “d” deaf culture suggests that individuals are hard of hearing, and not hearing loss. Also, from class discussions and PowerPoints, I gathered that deaf individuals use English (orally) more than signing, wear hearing aids or cochlear implants, and sees deaf as a disability not as a difference. Each piece listed from the book showing her abilities and statements support this assumption. I would highly suggest this book to all other people. Not only is it very informational in terms of taking a stance from a deaf individual, but it is very moving to indulge in Anne Bolander’s overall experience. Getting to better understand important parts of what got her to where she is today is inspiring. Overall, this book is a great read that I would recommend to anyone, and specifically those studying psychology because of the many aspects of mental wellness and behaviors that it covers.

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