The Music Within

The Music Within

What was the impact of the Music Within on your understanding of people who live with disabilities?

The Music Within made me examine the way I interact with the disabled people I encounter in my work and personal life. It gave me some insight into how I react and interact with the disabled. I now understand that the disabled want to be seen as individuals separate from a wheelchair, a hearing deficit or other manifestations of their disability. I think I am guilty of two extremes of behavior when encountering the disabled, acting so nonchalant that it may be construed as ignoring them or perhaps overcompensating with unnecessary attention. I realize now that both reactions are not what disabled people are looking for.

How were people with disabilities portrayed in the movie?

The Music Within portrays people with disabilities as individuals yearning to be seen for who they are and what they can contribute rather than being obscured by their disability. Art is dismissed for being disturbing to “normal” people, Richard is told that his deafness will prevent him from graduating from college and holding a job while Mike is a considered a loose cannon. Almost all of the disabled characters display some level of anger and frustration with the non-disabled characters in the film. The bar owner, who resents the changes he must make to his establishment because of the ADA, sees the disabled as a burden.

How did your perception of Art Honeyman change throughout the movie?

When the character of Art Honeyman is first introduced in the movie he is angry and crude, somewhat difficult to like. When Richard first approaches him to open the soda can that Art is struggling with he is initially angry and sees Richard’s assistance as pity. As their relationship grows Art’s defenses come down. Richard’s disability allows him to understand Art’s speech right from the start, for the viewer that is not the case. I’m not sure if Art’s speech became...