Dietlin 1 Jessica Dietlin Ms.

Gardner English 10H 1 22 January 2014 Playing Life By Ear Ears are complete works of art. They give people the pleasure of hearing voices speak and the steady heartbeat of a loved one. They allow people to hear the crashes of the ocean waves and the birds chirping outside their bedroom window. They allow people to hear the loud music coursing through the air and the obnoxious honking of cars through the streets. They allow people to hear the pitter patter of the continuous raindrops against their roof and the beeping of the microwave, telling them that their food is indeed ready to be devoured. Ears are essential in everyday life, though people tend to not think much of them. No one really thinks of ears as instruments in which "sound funnels through the pinna into the external auditory canal, where sound causes the eardrum and its tiny attached bones to vibrate" (The Ear). They just know that ears are organs on the side of their heads that let them hear sounds in the world. Ears play a very important part in the lives of humans, especially in mine. When my brother was almost two years old, my family and I found out that he needed hearing aids. At first, he hated wearing them; however, he finally realized that they do actually help him hear, and he wouldn't be frustrated every time someone tried to talk to him if he wore them. Then, and only then, did he begin to accept them. When Jake was around five years old and starting kindergarten, other kids started to question the little vibrant orange devices--his choice of

Dietlin 2 color--in his ears. Little kindergarteners at school would approach me and ask, "What are those orange things in your brother's ears?" I would calmly inform them that they are hearing aids that help him hear. The kindergartners would simply nod their heads and walk away, and that was the end of the conversation. Questions like these were asked often, and I am positive Jake got quite tired of all the pestering five year olds. I tend to wonder if the kids actually did understand the point of hearing aids. Eventually, everyone knew about his hearing issues and Jake became the kid with the hearing aids who everyone got along with. Surprisingly, there are so many people in this world who are just like Jake. I tend to feel sympathy towards those who do have hearing issues because I have seen my brother struggle, and I definitely do not wish it upon anyone. However, I admire those, including my brother, who deal with hearing problems in their everyday life. Marlee Matlin has undeniably been an inspiration to me. She is an actress who has succeeded in winning an Academy Award, and she is deaf. How amazing is that? I love watching movies that include deaf characters, like the movie Mr. Holland's Opus. Having the ability to hear seems quite necessary, but it is definitely inspiring to see a person succeed in life without being able to hear. I believe sound is vivid and special to each and every person. People hear sounds differently, and interpret them in their own ways. That is truly incredible on its own. Because sound and hearing has affected me personally, I view ears as perfectly imperfect instruments that only assist a person, even if that person is hearing impaired. Ears sincerely fascinate me, especially since I first handedly witness my brother and what he deals with every single day. There is something about hearing voices and sounds that just intoxicates me and forces me to mull over their importance in humans' lives. Weird, I know. Whenever I hear OneRepublic's song "Hearing Voices," I cannot help but think about how I hear voices and sounds all around me constantly.

Dietlin 3 "I'm hearing voices all around, I'm hearing voices making sounds. What would they take? What would they say to me if only I was listening?" Over the years, I have learned not to take my ears for granted, even though it is most definitely an easy action to do. Honestly, I am proud of my brother for accepting his difficulties and not being ashamed of the "orange things" in his ears. Jake is different compared to all the other kids in his class because of the fact that he can't hear most of the things that they have just become so used to listening to. Eventually, Jake will realize that he survived many years of school with hearing aids, which are not necessarily the "in" thing at the moment, nor will they ever be. So for that matter, I am extremely proud of him and his continuous success. Ears have shaped his life in ways he probably never would have expected, and they have for mine as well. I never thought that I would be the girl who has a brother who cannot hear, but it does not bother me and it never will. Maybe the thought of having a brother who has hearing aids does not bother me because I know for a fact that numerous people in this world who are hearing impaired have fulfilled dreams they never thought they could. Decades ago, people viewed deaf individuals as "dumb" and of lesser value than those who had the ability to fully hear. Today, society is improving their views of deaf adults and children, thus creating an easier pathway for my brother and other hearing impaired individuals. Personally, I hope that this acceptance comes from the realization of the importance of hearing and how it has shaped numerous humans' lives. Ears may not be as significant to other lives as they are to mine, however they are undoubtedly meaningful to every person, to some degree. In my opinion, ears are treasures and it is up to a person themselves whether they choose to cherish their hearing, or take the precious

Dietlin 4 instruments for granted. The next time a person visits the beach and listens to the thrashing waves crash against the sandy shore and the seagulls squawking at each other, I hope they choose to take a moment, even a brief one at that, and realize they have been given the ability to hear these sounds. I hope they appreciate, for their own sake, the fact that they have been blessed with the organs of hearing on the sides of their head for a reason.

Dietlin 5 Works Cited Chudler. "Neuroscience for Kids - The Ear." The Ear. Dr. Chudler, 2012. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. OneRepublic. Hearing Voices. OneRepublic. Rec. 2004. Mosley Music Group, 2007. MP3. Smith, Michael W. "The Ear (Human Anatomy): Picture, Function, Definition, Conditions, and More." WebMD. WebMD, 2005. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. "Your Ears." KidsHealth. Ed. Steven Dowshen. The Nemours Foundation, 01 June 2011. Web. 20 Jan. 2014.