Love Is Never Silent

The 1985 movie “Love is Never Silent” is set during the great depression and follows a young woman’s journey to find her own identity apart from being the only voice for her Deaf parents. Margaret Ryder was one of two hearing children born to her Deaf parents, Abel and Janice. Abel works on the printing press at a newspaper company while Janice is a seamstress. Tragedy strikes the family immediately in the film when Margaret’s younger brother Bradley unexpectedly dies. Margaret feels now more than ever that she needs to be the bridge for her parents and the hearing world. The only friend Margaret has that knows that her parents are Deaf is Mr. Patrakas, an elderly pawnshop owner. The two bond early on in Margaret’s childhood. She is forced to relay and communicate many mature, adult conversations for her parents even when she was only a young girl. When Margaret graduates from high school, she receives a radio as a graduation gift from Mr. Patrakas. She loved the radio because it was another voice besides her own in her silent home. Margaret gets a job as a secretary where she meets a man named William. Time after time, she rejects Williams offer to go on a date but eventually gives in. They quickly fall in love however she never mentions to him that her parents are both Deaf. When she finally does it is because William purposes and he tells her he doesn’t mind about her parents being Deaf. After various other events occur throughout the film, it is clear that Abel and Janice are affected directly by Margaret’s decisions. She struggles to find her own independence and despite what Mr. Patrakas has told her numerous times about living for herself and her own happiness, it isn’t until he passes away that she decides to do just that. Margaret has always spoken while signing until a scene in the church which explains her fear and reason of this. The guilt she feels for deserting her parents and the resentment they express towards her diminishes once