Conversation with a Gorila

Tam Truong

Writing 115

Aug 8, 2017

Reading Response #4: Conversation with a Gorilla

I have only one word to say about the video - “amazing”. Throughout the movie, Koko brought my surprises. Some of them I thought it never could happen. I saw an animal “talking” with people. Koko is the one who made it possible. She is a female gorilla. One special ability she has is communication with people via sign language.

She is very much like a kid. She learns sign language with her professor for many years, and she is able to understand and communicate fluently. She has enough words to express desires. I never saw any like this before. An animal talking with people. It sounds like a fairytale. Not just talking, she knows how to express her emotions. The moment that touched my heart is when her kitty died. She looked mostly like humans in that moment. She cries when her friend died. I saw many clips on the internet about an animal who cries when his best friend died, but none on the made me feel sad like this one. When Koko cries, I feel sad for her. That was not the only thing that surprised me, she is extra smart when she use compound words. Koko invented a sign for “brush” by compounding “scratch” and “comb”. She used “eye” and “hat” for “mask”; “finger” and “bracelet” for “ring”; “stuck” and “metal” for “magnet”. I thought Koko used sign language just about their basic needs and wants, but I was wrong. Both Koko and Michael not only communicated about their feelings. but also they showed that they are capable of extremely emotional depth, including empathy, and not just for each other, but also for their people. I feel so lucky that I have a chance to watch this movie. It is not about an animal. It is about amazing things around us.