Beyond Silence

In the film Beyond Silence, the protagonist Lara must learn how to adjust between the world of her parents which is soundless and her own world of music which is full of sound. It is difficult for her because her parents cannot understand her passion for music, especially her father who sees her passion for the clarinet as a sign of her allying herself with his sister Clarissa.

It does not seem fair that her father should treat her the way he does. He clearly loves her but is unable to understand the necessity of her lifestyle. As his wife reminds him Lara is his child but he does not “own” her. Lara's mother always seems to be smiling, despite her handicap. She loves her family and does not hold it against Lara for wanting to do what makes her happy.

Lara has to learn to communicate in ways other than speaking mainly because her parents are deaf but also because she is unable to express herself properly through words. She is very vocal in expressing her opinion to her elders once she gets older, but usually it is drawn out through a heated argument and she says things which are true yet hurtful. She learns sign language to communicate with her parents on a literal level, but the music she plays is also her way of communicating. She mentions how she prefers to play the “melancholy” pieces as opposed to the more upbeat and contemporary ones her aunt prefers. She puts all of her heart and soul into her music and by listening to it one can better understand her feelings. Unfortunately her parents are unable to hear her music which makes it more difficult for them to understand. Her father eventually learns at the end that though he may not understand her music, she is his daughter and he must accept her wishes.