Chapter 69

Is it true that most Deaf adults from a residential-school background cannot sleep with lights on?        

        Before reading this chapter, I did not realize the affect that light has on most deaf people.  However, after thinking more about it, I realized that it makes perfect sense, because they rely mainly on their vision throughout their entire life.  I found it interesting that the sensitivity to light for deaf people is acquired mainly through residential schools.  "Deaf children don't choose to sleep in complete darkness; they're forced to.  And they gradually become accustomed to it" (pg 397).  I feel like this rule in residential schools is pretty extreme, but it definitely explains why as adults, deaf people can only sleep when there is absolutely no visual stimuli.  I could not imagine not being able to sleep with light.  Although I prefer the darkness, I can be flexible and without that, I would not be able to sleep during car trips, or when my roommate is up late doing homework!
        Deaf people use light for many different alternatives for sounds.  For instance, blinking lights are considered sirens...whether it represents a doorbell or a fire alarm.  With deaf people always cautious about their visual surroundings, it really does make sense that any light would distract them because not only does light allow them to see clearly, but it can represent a warning and alert system.
        I was surprised to learn that "not all light is equally disturbing" (pg 398).  While white light is seen as extremely 'loud' and 'annoying', other color lights such as red and blue "are more easily "ignored" by deaf sleepers" (pg 398).

The "darkness quirk"- Universal??

        The letter provided in this section by Sidney G. Pietzsch seemed to slightly contradict the previous question.  From experience, Pietzsch explains that not only Deaf adults from residential-school background have problems sleeping with lights.  He says that, "I am a Deaf adult from a "mainstreamed" background, and I find that I cannot sleep with the lights on either" (pg 399).  This go back to my previous statement...I think that this "quirk" could be because of their use of light in other important situations throughout deaf people's daily life.