Every implanted child a star (and some other failures):Footnote¹

The title for this paper is taken from the conflicting interpretations regarding the cochlear implantation of children. The phrase, “ever implanted child a star” comes from a banner displayed at a national conference on childhood implants and is representative of the excitement and hope evident in the discourse of those who are pro‐cochlear implants (Cited in Lane, Feb/March, 1993, pp. 21). On the other hand, the concept of being an “oral failure” is prevalent in Deaf cultural discourse. For instance, the well‐known mime Bernard Bragg has a famous vignette he performed for the National Theatre of the Deaf/wherein he recalls the story of how he was trained to articulate a particular sound by blowing on a feather. When he grew older and left school he tells of trying to order a hamburger at a McDonald's and when the clerk fails to understand his speech his only recourse is to pull out a feather to articulate the sound appropriately, thus demonstrating his failure with oral speech (1979).

Guilt and shame in the cochlear implant debatesFootnote²

I would like to thank the National Endowment for the Humanities for the opportunity to participate in the 1995 Summer Seminar on Responsibility and Social Issues from which this particular research project developed. I would also like to thank the seminar director Peter French and fellow seminarian Mary Traschel for their invaluable feedback in revisioning this work.

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• The title for this paper is taken from the conflicting interpretations regarding the cochlear implantation of children. The phrase, “ever implanted child a star” comes from a banner displayed at a national conference on childhood implants and is representative of the excitement and hope evident in the discourse of those who are pro‐cochlear implants (Cited in Lane, Feb/March, 1993, pp. 21). On the other hand, the concept of being an “oral failure” is prevalent in Deaf cultural discourse. For instance, the well‐known mime Bernard Bragg has a famous vignette he performed for the National Theatre of the Deaf/wherein he recalls the story of how he was trained to articulate a particular sound by blowing on a feather. When he grew older and left school he tells of trying to order a hamburger at a McDonald's and when the clerk fails to understand his speech his only recourse is to pull out a feather to articulate the sound appropriately, thus demonstrating his failure with oral speech (1979).
   Google Scholar
• I would like to thank the National Endowment for the Humanities for the opportunity to participate in the 1995 Summer Seminar on Responsibility and Social Issues from which this particular research project developed. I would also like to thank the seminar director Peter French and fellow seminarian Mary Traschel for their invaluable feedback in revisioning this work.
   Google Scholar