Speech Sounds

Communication and miscommunication are running themes throughout the story. These themes initiate the very first scene: “Two young men were involved in a disagreement of some kind, or, more likely, a misunderstanding” (Paragraph 2). This disagreement quickly turns into a fight. Miscommunication and communication precipitate both the conflicts and the progression of the plot. Because Obsidian and Rye are “less impaired,” they understand each other better, which leads to their brief journey together. However, miscommunication ultimately leads to Obsidian’s death. Rye thinks the man who murdered Obsidian may have been angry because of the children’s speaking ability. Further, he might have been so eager to kill Obsidian because he could sense his “attitude of superiority” as a “less impaired” person pretending to be an authority (in his police uniform). The man cannot communicate his resentment in any way other than murder. Finally, when Rye learns that the children can speak, this communication sets her on a new journey to raise and teach the children.

The world of “Speech Sounds” poses a provocative question: How do you communicate without verbal language? Another writer might have taken this as an opportunity to explore a world of mostly sign language speakers, but Butler implies that the “intellectual impairment” caused by the illness is too severe for people to learn or remember any form of language.