El Deafo
Cece Bell
Nau Taufalele
Fall 2014
In the book, El Deafo by Cece Bell tells her story of growing up hearing impaired and
how she has coped with being different from others as well as feeling alone, through the colorful
and detailed panels. One of her themes focuses on the importance of ordinary, with Bell
providing the perspective that what is considered “ordinary,” may apply differently to the way
other people view it. As a character, we see Cece is hearing impaired and dealing with explaining
her situation to others who show pity towards her, while barriers restrict her and differentiate her
ordinary from the ordinary of others.In relation, the book, Economies of Abandonment: Social
Belonging and Endurance in Late Liberalism, by Elizabeth Povinelli, uses a series of events and
anecdotes to present an overarching theme, like social projects, that are generalized by one
market value. This questions how people live life under
the standards of one economic market. Also, which
groups are generalized and categorized into specific
groups and how are they compared to groups who are not
socially constructed? Is there only one way of living an
ordinary life? These are the type of questions that are
viewed throughout the comic and bring awareness to
what is considered ethical or “ordinary.”
In each panel, she wears a hearing aid
attached to her ears then eventually has to wear a bigger
hearing pack, which she wears across her chest. Bell
describes how the label, “special” can isolate a person
from others who do not experience the same condition;
she is considered “the other.” In addition to the hearing
aid serving as a representation of her difference, Cece
also understands sign language as a mark of her
difference, and becomes upset with mother, who is using
sign language to communicate with her. (Cece
2014:115). The panel shows the anger and
embarrassment she feels because sign language makes it
obvious to others that she is hearing impaired. Cece feels
that “helping” only makes the situation worse. She finds
herself dealing with this situation when she daydreams about herself being a superhero, El
Deafo. The panel shows Cece in a cape with her hands on her hips; this is one of the only times
she is happy. She finds content during this process because she is able to befriend another
superhero, which she calls a true friend. During one episode of her fantasies where she is
overjoyed as she is looking to hire a superhero that will “join the fight against boredom and
loneliness and to never swerve from the path of true friendship” (Bell 2014:130). The superhero
that is hired is also wearing a cape and stands next to Cece--signifying camaraderie as well as
happiness. The author uses this to depict how Cece finds solitude and a safe space; this takes her
away from the social construction made by her neighbors, peers, and teachers.
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