The Music Of Dolphins

Mila sometimes gets to watch television, although she does not understand that the people she sees on it are images instead of the “real thing.” She is upset by the idea that they are trapped inside this tiny boxed-in world. One day, Mila watches a recording of herself being “rescued” from the island and another of her meeting Dr. Beck and Sandy. She does not recognize the girl in the video as herself and becomes frantic at the thought that Dr. Beck and Sandy have been entrapped by the television. She tries to break it and then screams for help. She finds the doctors and Sandy in the observation room next door, and Sandy is crying. Dr. Troy comments that Mila did not recognize herself, but Mila does not understand what he means by this.

At night, Mila lies awake wondering what Dr. Troy meant. She reasons that she cannot be both in the television and in this world at the same time: Thus, the girl could not be her. When she looks in the mirror and sees the same skin and ears as the girl in the video, she realizes that it was nevertheless her. She begins to wonder how the doctors managed to take her memories and put them inside of the television. She starts to question what else they might have stolen from her and does not know whom to ask for help. She starts referring to her rescue as her “capture.”

Mila is rarely able to sleep. To entertain herself, she watches Mr. Aradondo, an older man who cleans the house every night. One night, she gets up and looks at him through the door in her window. When he stares back, she notices there is a deep sadness in his eyes. Suddenly, he falls backward over his mop bucket. Mila tries to open her door to help him but finds it locked. She starts to beat on the glass and the walls until her hands bleed, and Dr. Beck comes to find out what is going on. “What were you thinking?” (110), Dr. Beck asks Mila. In response to Dr. Beck’s lack of compassion, Mila begins to feel that she is “drowning in the net of humans” (110).

Dr. Beck lectures Mila. As she does so, Mila thinks about how imprisoned she feels by her current life, locked in her room. She wishes desperately to go back to her life of freedom with the dolphins. Dr. Beck is clearly disturbed Mila’s reaction to being kept at the house. Sandy looks distraught and asks Dr. Beck if they have made a mistake.

Mila asks Sandy why her door is kept locked. Sandy explains that they have had to keep Mila locked in her room ever since she ran away to the river. The government demanded this because it has invested heavily in Dr. Beck’s research and wants to protect its “investment.” The government hence sees Mila as more of a commodity than a person.

This revelation confirms what Mila has already begun to gradually sense. Sandy explains that many people want to use Mila, while others are simply afraid of her. She also says that Mila’s door will only be unlocked after the researchers are sure that Mila understands the rules about not running away. Mila thinks to herself that when her door is finally unlocked, she will run back to her home in the sea.

Mila decides to put her full effort into learning to be human, in the hopes that doing so will free her to return to her dolphin family. Resolving to be patient, she complies with Dr. Beck’s various instructions and demands.

Dr. Beck gets Mila an inflatable doll and tells her to take out her human feelings of aggression on the doll so that she does not hurt herself. Mila does not understand the purpose of this exercise. She reflects that she hit the walls and door because those were the things keeping her locked in her room. The inflatable doll is no threat to her, so she has no need to hit it. She asks Dr. Beck to take it back.

Mila creates a song on her recorder to express dolphin movements and plays it for everyone at the house. It moves them deeply. Mila wonders if she can help the janitor, Mr. Aradondo, to feel less afraid of her if she plays her song for him too. She tries doing so that night, but this only scares him. He disappears down the hallway.

Mila asks Sandy why she does not see Shay anymore. Sandy explains that Shay is in Dr. Troy’s care now. Unfortunately, Sandy continues, Shay seems to be retreating further and further into herself, barely responding to anything or anyone. Mila realizes that the same thing could have happened to her, had she let it.

The next day, Mila has her picture taken by the media. She remarks that the public views her as an object of curiosity, not as a person to be cared for.

Justin is becoming increasingly comfortable around Mila, as illustrated by the fact that he begins visiting her. His presence makes Mila happy. She likes being around him and watching him play, although she feels that she is “not human enough” to be his partner (127). Mila asks Justin to take her to a special hill where she can hear the sea if she puts her ear to the ground (in fact, what she actually hears is the rush of cars). Justin agrees to her request.

While sitting atop the hill, she and Justin begin to talk. He asks her about life in the ocean. Mila explains that it is impossible to completely explain what sea life is like but notes that no matter what happens, “[A]lways the dolphins are together” (128). Justin understands that Mila dislikes being kept inside, especially as she was used to such freedom. Mila can tell that Justin is searching for something he does not have. He asks whether she remembers her biological mother but instantly regrets having done so: He knows that the thought of her must upset Mila. Mila puts her ear to the ground, imagines the sea, and confesses that she longs to return home. She notices that Justin does not judge her or recoil when she is honest and tells him that she is worried she will be locked up forever. Justin admits that Dr. Beck is definitely capable of imprisoning a research subject in this way. Justin believes that this is because Dr. Beck wants to remain in total control of those around her and views research as a means of satisfying her unlimited curiosity. Moreover, Dr. Beck hopes that Mila will teach her how to communicate with dolphins too. She is frustrated by the fact that all Mila wants to do is escape. Justin tells Mila that she does not have to listen to Dr. Beck if she does not want to.

Inspired by her conversation with Justin, Mila stands up for herself and tells Dr. Beck that she does not want her door to remain locked. In response, Dr. Beck starts making excuses about the government’s rules, Mr. Aradondo’s fear of Mila, and Mila’s supposed fragile emotional state. Mila rejects these excuses. She states that she will neither eat nor comply with Dr. Beck’s lessons and activities until the doors are unlocked.

Mila makes good on her threat and refuses to eat for nine days. The researchers tie Mila to her bed and put her on a feeding tube. She does not remember much from this period, although she does recall that Mr. Aradondo finally comes into her room to visit her. She hears him comment on how sick she looks and how she needs to eat. He speaks to her in Spanish, and his words bring up vague memories of “a good man, who smelled like the earth” (138). Mila addresses him as abuelo, the Spanish term for “grandfather,” although the doctors have never taught her this word.