Introduction:
The
present excerpt is taken from her autobiography, The Story of My Life (1903). It is an inspiring story of a person
who discovered the world through her fingertips with the help of a great and
dedicated teacher. The story reveals the true free spirit of an untamed, angry
child locked in a lonely void, virtually a prisoner due to lack of
communication. It throws light on a 49-year-long relationship with her teacher.
Anne
Sullivan came to her house on March 3, 1887, and helped her make tremendous
progress with her ability to communicate. The remarkable story of teacher Anne
Sullivan and her student Helen Keller has been told throughout generations. One
cannot mention one name without thinking of the other, since the two lived and
worked together interdependently for decades until Sullivan's death in 1936.
1. Author - Historical background
a) The Author Helen Adams Keller, the American
author, political activist and lecturer, was born on June 27th, 1880, in
Tuscumbia, Alabama, to Captain Arthur H. Keller and Kate Adams Keller.
b) In 1882, when she was 19 months old, an
illness that left her blind and deaf struck her.
c) In 1886, according to the advice of an ENT
specialist, her parents contacted Alexander Graham Bell, who was working with
deaf children. Bell advised them to contact the Perkins Institute for the
Blind. The director of the institute asked former student Anne Sullivan to
become Helen Keller's instructor.
d) Anne Sullivan came to her house on March 3rd,
1887, and helped her make tremendous progress with her ability to communicate.
That was the beginning of a 49-year-long relationship with her teacher.
e) In May 1888, Helen Keller attended the
Perkins Institute for the Blind.
f) In 1894, Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller moved
to New York to attend Humason School for the Deaf and Horace Mann School for
the Deaf.
g) In 1896, they returned to Massachusetts, and
Keller entered the Cambridge School for Young Ladies to prepare for Radcliffe
College.
h) She entered Radcliffe in 1900.
i) In 1903, the 22-year-old Keller got her
autobiography, The Story of My Life, published.
j) She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in
1904 at 24, becoming the first deaf-blind person to do so.
k) On September 14, 1964, President Lyndon B.
Johnson awarded Helen Keller the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the
United States' highest two civilian honours.
l) She died in her sleep on June 1, 1968, at her
home.
m) Her other published works include Optimism, The World I Live In (1908); The Song of the Stone Wall; Out
of the Dark (1913); My Religion (1927); Midstream—My Later Life; Peace at
Eventide; Helen Keller in Scotland; Helen Keller's Journal; Let Us Have Faith;
Teacher, Anne Sullivan Macy; and The
Open Door. She wrote 12 books and got them all published. In addition, she
was a frequent contributor to magazines and newspapers.
n) She was a friend of many famous figures,
including Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, Charlie Chaplin and Mark Twain.
o) Helen Keller became a world-famous speaker
and author. She is remembered as an advocate for people with disabilities and
many other causes. She was a suffragette, a pacifist, a radical socialist and a
birth control supporter.
2. Before the arrival of Anne
Sullivan
Helen lived in a dark, bleak
world in isolation. There was anger and bitterness inside her. The plea of the
soul for light. Helen Keller was an untamed,
angry child locked in a lonely void before Sullivan's arrival. An angry child
locked in a lonely void due to lack of communication.
3. Day of the arrival of Anne
Sullivan
Anne Mansfield Sullivan came to Helen Keller's life,
connecting the two lives which had vastly different contrasts. Helen Keller was
filled with wonder when considering these differences. On the third of March,
1887, a young child stood on the porch, expectant of something unusual. The
afternoon sun shone through the honeysuckle that covered the porch and fell on
the child's upturned face. Helen's fingers lingered almost unconsciously on
the familiar leaves and blossoms that had just come forth to greet the spring.
Unaware of what the future held, she had been through a period of anger
and bitterness before the eventful day. She had been like a ship at sea in a
dense fog, feeling as if tangible white darkness had shut her in. With no
compass or sounding line, she had no way of knowing how near the harbour was. The
desire for knowledge led him to cry out for light, and the light of love shone
on her in that very hour.
4. Post-Anne Sullivan’s arrival
Helen felt approaching footsteps and stretched out
her hand. She was caught up and held close in the arms of her teacher who had
come to reveal all things and love her. The teacher led the child into her room
and gave her a doll, which had been sent from the Perkins Institution and
dressed by Laura Bridgman.
5. The first instance of learning a
word
Helen Keller was introduced to the concept of language
through finger play. She was able to imitate the motions with her fingers and
was filled with pride when she succeeded in making the letters correctly. She
then ran to her mother and showed her the letters for the doll. She was unaware
of what she was doing as she was only imitating the motions like a monkey. In
the following weeks, she was able to learn to spell a great many words, among
them were pin, hat, cup and some verbs. Eventually, she was able to understand
that each item had its name.
6. Conflict with Anne Sullivan
One day, Helen Keller
was playing with her new doll, when her teacher, Miss Sullivan, put a rag doll
in her lap and attempted to explain that the same word, "doll",
applied to both. Earlier, they had disagreed with the words "mug" and
"water", and Miss Sullivan was trying to explain the difference.
Helen became frustrated and threw the doll onto the floor, finding satisfaction
in the fact that the cause of her discomfort was removed. Miss Sullivan swept
the fragments of the broken doll aside. Helen had no emotional attachment to
the doll, as in her dark world there was no room for sentiment or tenderness.
6. The illuminating episode of w-a-t-e-r
Helen Keller was taken outside by her teacher and was
delighted to feel the shining warmth of the sun. They walked down a path and
were attracted by the smell of honeysuckle near a well-house. Her teacher
placed her hand under the spout and spelt out the word 'water' as it ran over
her hand. She experienced a moment of clarity and realised that 'w-a-t-e-r'
referred to the cool liquid flowing over her hand. She was filled with joy at
her discovery and left the well-house eager to learn more. She realised that
everything had a name and each name brought her a new thought.
7. Looking towards a promising
future
Helen
Keller experienced a strange, new sight when she returned to the house one day.
Upon entering the door, she remembered breaking a doll and felt her way to the
hearth to pick up the pieces. This was the first time she experienced
repentance and sorrow for her actions. During the day, Helen Keller learned
many new words, including mother, father, sister, and teacher. These words made
the world blossom for her, similar to Aaron's rod with flowers. She was very
happy and excited about the joys the day had brought her. At the end of the
day, Helen Keller was content as she lay in her crib, eagerly awaiting a new
day to come. She had experienced a great transformation and was hopeful for the
future.
Helen Keller's primary purpose:
Helen Keller's primary purpose is to inform others about
what life is like for people with visual and/or hearing impairments. The author
intends to guide readers through the journey of her life, education and
eventual glimmers of hope as a whole world of communication dawns. To help
readers to identify with those with sensory disabilities. To show the fundamental
humanity of people with disabilities. To highlight the prejudice of society
against those with disabilities. The author's main purpose is to raise public
awareness and openness about an issue that was often neglected. The medical
profession began to investigate the issues and to carry out research which
shows the real persona behind the disability and not write off people with
disabilities.
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