Point of View

A Sign for Home is told in two perspectives. The first is Cyril Brewster, Arlo’s new interpreter. His sections are told entirely in first person and focus on the experience of a sighted-hearing person who works with the Deaf and DeafBlind. Since Arlo lives a very sheltered life by his guardian’s design, Cyril represents the outside world that Arlo needs to experience to move on. Cyril also gives a different perspective on rights of the Deaf and DeafBlind, helping both Arlo and the reader understand the complexities and necessity of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This, in turn, makes his conference with Tabitha more meaningful, as readers see her experience as a success that others, like Arlo, should get to experience.

The second perspective is Arlo, whose thoughts are told entirely in the second-person point-of-view. Compared to Cyril’s sections, where the audience...