Pierre Desloges
By: Paige Norman, Period 3; ASL 3
Pierre Desloges wrote the first book published by deaf. He didn't become deaf until age seven from smallpox. As the disease continued for several years, he had lost almost all his teeth and ability to speak French, therefore he relied on writing and poor pronunciation as the start of his communication skills. It was then, at age twenty seven that he learned sign language. Based on what his life has reflected, what he's been through, the outcome effects him greatly to the point he moves away from home to make a new life for himself. This is when he meets a deaf Italian man that's willing to teach him how to sign, but he could neither write or read. There's no telling how long it took Desloges to learn but we know it took him about 20 years after he'd lost his hearing to finally be taught the language. He had a lot more troubles back home that urged him to leave the most. Friends and even family treated him like he was "beastly", imbecilic, insane. He could barely communicate with those around him; living a cruel and discriminated young lifestyle.
Questions I'd like to ask:
- What was the difference in how your relatives and the people around you everyday treat you compared to before you lost your hearing?
- What was their communication tactic?
- What activities/clubs were you involved in when you left home to start your new life?
- How was your new life different from being home?
- Was it easy meeting or finding dead people like you?
Would I date this important character in deaf history?
I can't truly answer a question like that not knowing how his personality is, but if I did like him as a person then I wouldn't take being deaf in as in excuse on why I wouldn't date him. It depends on the way he is, not the way he communicates, which cannot be helped nor taken back.