Topic > Children of a Lesser God: Characters of James Leeds and Sarah Norman

IndexJames LeedsSarah NormanConclusionIn Mark Medoff's play and novel "Children of a Lesser God", the characters of James Leeds and Sarah Norman are central to the exploration of history of issues of communication, equality and power dynamics. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayJames LeedsJames Leeds is a teacher at a school for the deaf and is determined to teach one of his students, Sarah Norman, to speak and read lips. James is a complex character, with admirable and flawed qualities that are revealed throughout the story. One of the most important qualities of James' character is his passion for helping others. He is dedicated to his work as a teacher and is determined to empower Sarah by teaching her to speak. James sees this as a means to help her integrate into the hearing world and believes this will give her more opportunities in life. He is also shown to be patient and persistent in his efforts to teach Sarah, despite her initial resistance. However, James' passion for helping others can also be a weakness. He is often heavy-handed and lacks sensitivity towards Sarah's feelings and experiences. He is also shown to be somewhat condescending and dismissive of her feelings, which creates tension between them. James' lack of understanding of Sarah's point of view is a major flaw in his character, and it's something he must learn to overcome to truly connect with her. Another important aspect of James' character is his pride and self-confidence. He is very intelligent and is used to being in control of situations. He is also used to communicating effectively with others and is frustrated when he cannot do so with Sarah. This pride and self-confidence can also be seen in his approach to teaching Sarah, as he is often dismissive of her use of sign language and is convinced that speaking and lip-reading is the only way for her to be truly successful in the hearing world. .Moreover, James also struggles with his own biases and prejudices. He initially sees Sarah as a "lesser" person due to her deafness, and it takes him time to realize that deaf culture and language have their own value. He is also shown to be unaware of the power dynamic that exists between him and Sarah as a hearing and deaf person respectively. This further highlights his lack of understanding and empathy towards Sarah's point of view. However, James' character also undergoes a significant arc of growth and development throughout the story. He begins to understand and respect Sarah's point of view and begins to learn sign language. He also begins to understand the importance of communication and understand different perspectives, not only for Sarah but also for himself. He realizes that there is more than one way to communicate and that true communication is only possible when both parties are willing to listen and learn from each other. James Leeds is passionate and determined to help others, but he also has flaws such as lack of sensitivity, contempt and prejudice. However, his story arc demonstrates that he is capable of growth and development, learning to understand and respect different perspectives and ultimately becoming a better person. Sarah Norman Sarah Norman is a central character in Mark Medoff's novel "Children of a Lesser God." She is one of the main characters and is a deaf student of James Leeds, a teacher at a school for the deaf. Sarah is a complex and multidimensional character whose interactions with James.