“CODA” is an emotional film that follows Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones), a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) who is the only hearing member of her family and who is a CODA herself. Ruby, a budding singer, is given the opportunity to attend the Berklee College of Music, despite the fact that the family’s fishing business is jeopardised. After having served as a conduit between her family and the hearing world for the majority of her existence, the young protagonist finds herself in a predicament that is portrayed in depth throughout the film’s various complexities.
It is through the lens of director Sian Heder that audiences are given an intimate look at the dynamics of the family, Ruby’s place within it, and how they fit into the greater community. The film has a strong sense of authenticity, thanks to the use of American Sign Language for extended stretches of its conversation (ASL). Some ASL discussions aren’t even labelled, as you may have seen, perhaps because words may not be sufficient to convey the emotion being expressed. If you’re curious about the significance of the sign Ruby makes towards the conclusion of ‘CODA,’ we’re here to explain everything to you. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Sign at the End of CODA Has a Special Meaning
Ruby graduates from Berklee and moves out of the house she has shared with her family for her whole life at the conclusion of ‘CODA.’ The scene is moving for a variety of reasons, including the fact that the Rossi family is saying goodbye to their youngest member, who has also served as their link to the hearing world, as well as Ruby’s exciting new beginning at Berklee College of Music. Ruby leans out of the car after one final hug and waves to her family as they recede into the distance as she drives away.
One of the most distinguishing characteristics of ‘CODA’ is the genuine usage of sign language throughout the film. In reality, the script for the film was reportedly rewritten into American Sign Language (ASL), which is a language with its own grammar and subtleties. Consequently, the film’s various deaf cast members each contribute their own natural way of communicating in American Sign Language (ASL), and dialogue even includes idioms and phrases peculiar to ASL for the sake of accuracy and realism.
Even the captions in the film’s ASL scenes are largely translations rather than accurate, word-for-word renderings of what the characters are saying to each other in the scenes. It is critical to remember that sign language is not merely a “hand signal” version of verbal discourse, but rather a whole other language (which differs from place to place, like any other language).
In order to communicate with her music teacher about how she feels when she sings, Ruby resorts to utilising sign language because English words don’t seem to be adequate enough for the task. Because she comes from a deaf family, it is only logical that her first language, and the one in which she is most expressive, is American Sign Language (ASL).
This is illustrated poignantly by the phrase that Ruby signs at the conclusion of the film, which demonstrates how language may have variants and can be customised by those who speak it. It consists of a three-letter phrase that is represented by the thumb, forefinger, and little finger, which stand for “I Love You.” Her sign is composed of the letters I, L, and Y, which stand for “I Love You.”
Through the use of her index finger and middle finger, Ruby incorporates the letter R into the statement, which becomes I, R, L, Y, which stands for “I Really Love You.” While the first three letters of the phrase are extremely popular, Ruby appears to have added her own twist to it in order to fully emphasise how important her family is to her.
Since Ruby’s name is seemingly depicted in the film using the signed letter R, it appears that the inclusion of the letter R also lends a second meaning to the film’s ending (ASL) conversation. As with the film’s title, which is also a play on words with two meanings, the film’s ending sentence is a passionate message that is both subtle and playfully authentic, much like the film itself.
Also Read: CODA Title: What Does It Mean?