CHARACTERS

1. Miss Sullivan
Anne Sullivan was the lifelong teacher and companion of Helen Keller who played a pivotal role in Helen’s life.
She is famously acknowledged as ‘The Miracle Worker’ because of her role in Helen”s life. She was herself blind
once. Her arrival was the most important day for Helen and She proved strong crutches for Helen. Her constant
support and undying encouragement made Helen kiss success.
She was an exemplary teacher who empathized with Helen and led her from the darkness of ignorance and
disabilities to the bliss of knowledge and empowerment.She was an innovative teacher as well as she taught
science to Helen in small parts to make it interesting. Also she took examples from real life situations eg. She took
Helen to fields to teach her the art offarming.She adopted the modern method of teaching ie learning by doing.
She was the embodiment of love and patience. She was a pillar of support which instilled the passion to be
independent in Helen. She never nagged Helen. This way she proved to be a good teacher. She devoted her life to
educating the blind. She remained Helen’s teacher and life-long companion .Helen was aware of the fact that she
was an inseparable part of her life.
She was sympathetic and hard working woman . She understoodHelen’s pleasures and desires. She went with
Helen everywhere .At every school she spelled into her hand whatever the teacher taught. She interpreted
everything to her. It was not an easy task. Even at college she attended classes with Helen and spelled the lectures
into her hand as rapidly as possible. As very few book required in the various courses were printed for the blind,
she had to labour hard. Herhand would never tired.
She was a selfless supporter. She rarely went on leave and stood by Helen like a solid rock. When Helen was
charged with plagiarism, it was she who investigated the matter and told the world how Helen had committed a
mistake unknowingly.She always encouraged her to go ahead and achieve her dreams and inspired Helen to lead a
meaningful life. She taught her not only the language but also gave her an insight into the beauty of things. She
equipped Helen with the ways and means to become a good human being.
To conclude, beside being Helen Keller’s teacher,mentor,friend and role model Anne was a motherly figure
too.She nourished and tended the helpless and lonesome Helen to develop and mature into a sympathetic adult
and made her independent in all spheres of life. Moreover, sheinculcated in her the qualities of a good human
being.

2. Helen Keller
Helen Keller was born on June 27,1880in Tuscumbia in Alabama. Her father was a descendant of Caspar Keller,
a native of Switzerland, who later came to America and settled in Maryland. He was acaptain in the Confederated
Army. Her mother, Kate Adams, was his second wife and many years younger.
She was a lively,curious and assertive child. She felt at ease in the rose –bower of her house .She was just six
months old when she uttered the words ‘’how d’ye’’,and then surprised everyone by saying ‘’Tea, tea,
tea’’.Unfortunately,an illness rendered her blind and deaf when she was nineteen months old. It was a great shock
to her and her parents. But that did not diminish her vigour and zest for life and very soon she learnt to cope with
her deficiencies. She displayed a rare fighting spirit.
She was intelligent and had good grasping power.She learnt many small things like folding and putting away
the clean clothes coming from the laundry, greeting the guests, playing with Martha, a little coloured girl, and her
pet dog belle. She was always curious to learn new things and was very obedient as she followed her teacher’s
instruction willingly.

Helen was naughty and she indulged in pranks unmindful of their consequences.One day she locked her mother
in the pantry for three hours. Her mother kept pounding on the door and Helen laughed with glee. Then she
locked her teacher, Miss Sullivan in her room and hid the key under the wardrobe in the hall.

When MissSullivan came to her life, everything changed for her. She was amazingly quick to follow whatever
she taught her. She learnt individual word, and sentences, and learnt to read.

She was a lover of nature .This she developed throughMiss Sullivan as she had many of her lessons in the lap
of nature. She began to love every object and creature in the world of nature.
 She had natural love and affection for her parents and the highest of regards for her teacher and life –long
companion Miss Sullivan. She loved her sister Milred dearly. Although initially she had sibling rivalry yet later she
became a true well wisher of her.

She was friendly and nice companion of MarthaBoth Helen and Martha spent a great deal of time in the
kitchen, kneading dough balls, helping make ice-cream, grinding coffee, quarreling over the cake-bowl.

In short, Helen’s life is exemplary for everyone. She showed us that nothing is impossible for a
determined soul and with strong will power one can overcome any impediment in life.

3. Arthur H. Keller

Helen's father, Arthur H. Keller, was the descendant of Caspar Keller, a native of Switzerland, who settled in
Maryland. He was a captain in the confederate Army. Later he became the editor of a newspaper. He was a quite
assertive. That is why, it was he who gave her a daughter the name of Helen Adams, ignoring the wish of her
mother.

As, father he was very loving and indulgent. He did his best to secure the best teacher for Helen's
education. He spared no pains in consulting doctors and specialists to cure Helen's disabilities, but, of course,
without any positive result. He took her to Baltimore to consult an oculist who could do nothing for her.

He was a good storyteller. He told many stories to amuse the children. After Helen had acquired
language he used to spell into her hand his cleverest anecdotes. He felt overjoyed when Helen was able to repeat
them at an opportune time.

He was a lover of nature. His special pride was his big garden where he raised the finest watermelons
tree to tree and vine to vine. His taste for gardening was one of the factors that developed in Helen a love for
nature. He had a liking for pet dogs and for his gun.His hospitality was well-known. He seldom came home
without bringing a guest.

When Helen was just sixteen years old, he died of a heart attack. It has a big blow for Helen as, Shefor
the first time experienced the loss of someone dear toher , It was very sad moment for Helen, as she was very
close to her father.

4. KATE ADAMS KELLER

Kate Adams Keller, Helen’s mother, was Arthur's second wife. She was beautiful, tall and fair-
complexioned with chiseled features and blue eyes. She was intelligent, widely read and possessed an excellent
memory. Helen was very close to her mother.

She loved reading and this very passion made her familiar with Laura Bridgeman who was deaf and
blind and was able to read and write. This gave her a ray of hope for her daughter Helen. She urged her husband
to look for a teacher for Helen. Helen was a wild child but Kate was sure of some change in Helen and she was
ready to go to any length to help her.

She was bold, courageous and patient. Showing courage she fought the adverse circumstances. Her
husband's death and paucity of funds created insurmountable hardships but she did not lose hope. She tried her
best to do anything and everything possible for Helen to stand on her own legs.

Helen was a tempestuous child before the arrival of Ms Sullivan but she was tolerant and
understanding and endeavored to help her temperamental daughter.
 She was all supportive and with her indomitable spirit she raised Helen. Her positive attitude always
made her see light at the end of the tunnel. She did everything for her child.It seems that Helen inherited the
strength of character and will from her mother.

5.MARTHA WASHINGTON

Helen was closest to Martha Washington, the daughter of their cook in her childhood. She was her
constant companion.She was intelligent and had good grasping power. She understood her sign- language. She
was submissive. It pleased Helen to dominate her and Martha generally submitted to her tyranny rather than risk
a hand to hand fight.

Both Helen and Martha spent a great deal of time in the kitchen, kneading dough balls, helping make
ice-cream, grinding coffee, quarreling over the cake-bowl.She was kind as she fed the hens and turkeys that
swarmed about the kitchen steps.She was friendly with Helen and liked adventures as both of them go egg
hunting in long grass.

She was also fearless and bold as she went to the shed where the corn was stored, the stable where
horses were kept and the yard where the cows were milked morning and evening. She was also mischievous as
she cut the curls of Helen. To conclude she was friendly and nice companion of Helen Keller.

5. MILDRED KELLER

Mildred was Helen’s younger sister. Initially Helen thought that she was an intruder who had divided
their mother’s love and hence, was not at all attached to her. Helen was very jealous of her and one day, out of
rage and jealousy, she overturned the cradle in which Mildred was sleeping.

Nevertheless, in due course, Helen’s attitude changed and she had a close relationship with her.
Mildred accompanied her everywhere, hand in hand. To give Helen’s company, she even went to the same
school as Helen.

She was a good-hearted person .She rejoiced at Helen’s success. Her joy knew no bounds when
Helenspoke with her for the first time after returning from the Horace Mann School.

In short Mildred was Helen’s sibling, playmate and companion and she never let Helen feel that she
was different from the others.

6. Michael Anagnos

Mr. Anagnos was the director of Perkins Institution for the blind in Boston. He had a keen eye for
talent and merit. He served as a mentor and friend to Miss Sullivan.

He was a very amiable and helpful person. When Helen’s father wrote to him seeking help for his
daughters sake, Mr. Anagnos was kind enough to reply promptly. This shows his concern for others and his
willingness to render help wherever possible. He even took the trouble to arrange resourceful teacher for little
Helen. His choice of Anne Sullivan as Helen’s teacher is also perfect .It is evident from the progress that Helen
makes in her learning process under her guidance.

Mr. Anagnos was empathetic, extremely fond of Helenand loved her tenderly. Helen also paid due
regards to him. Whenshe wrote the first story ‘’The Frost King’’ she dedicated it to Mr. Anagnos. He was very
delighted with the story and published it in one of the Perkins institution reports.
 He was impartial, just and unbiased. Though MrAnagnos loved Helen, he did not trust her when
Helen was charged with plagiarism, he was deeply troubled. Though he initially seemed to believe Helen, he later
investigated that Miss. Sullivan and Helen had deliberately copied the ideas of another and imposed them on him
to win his admiration. He felt cheated and hurt and did not care for Helen’s pleadings of love and innocence.
Nothing was proved against Helen and things began to be normal. Later on when reality revealed to him, he was
regretful.

8.Dr Alexander Graham Bell

Dr Graham Bell was an American inventor and innovator who is credited with inventing the first
telephone. When Helen’s Parents, along with the six year old Helen,it was he who suggested them to get in touch
with Perkins Institute for blind. They later followed his advice and thus got a ray of hope to educate their blind
and deaf child.Helen herself acknowledged that Dr. Bell was a door that opened the world for her.

He was proficient in many fields of science. He had the art of making every subject he touched
interesting. He could present even the most difficulttheories in a very simple and interesting way to arousethe
interest of a listener.

He was an inquisitive man and a remarkable person. Despite his high status he was extremely kind
and modest. He encouraged Miss Sullivan and Helen at every step. He showed and explained many of his
experiments to Helen at the world Fair.

He had a humorous and poetic side, too. He was very fond of children. He was never quite so happy
as when he had a little deaf child in his arms. He worked a lot for the deaf.His work for the deaf, according to
Helen, would live on and bless generation of children yet to come.

In short, he was really a great man who devoted to his field. But at the same time he was a great
human being who was very modest, polite and sympathetic. Helen pays a glowing tribute to him.

QUESTIONS

1.Q. Describe the family background of Helen Keller?

Ans. Helen Keller's father was a descendant of Caspar Keller, a native of Switzerland, who later came to America
and settled in Maryland. Her grandfather bought large tracts of land in Alabama and settled there. Her father,
Arthur H Keller, was acaptain in the Confederated Army. Her mother, Kate Adams, was his second wife and many
years younger. It was her father who gave her the name of Hellen Adams, ignoring the desire of her mother who
wanted to name her HellenEverell.

Helen lived in a small house until her illness that deprived her of her sight and hearing. The house consisted of a
large square room, and a room for servant. The house was completely covered with vines. There was a little rose-
bower near it, where Helen would often seek shelter in a fit of temper among the cool leaves and grass. there
were beautiful roses and other flower in the bower, which fascinated the child Helen.

CHAPTER 2

2.Ques –How was Helen able to cope with her disabilities?

Ans – There are vague memories in Helen’s mind about the times immediately after her illness. She recalls how
her hands would feel every object and observe every motion. In that way she learned to know many things.
Soon she wanted to communicate with others, for which she made her crude signs. A shake of the head meant
 “no “and a nod “yes”, a pull meant “come” and a push “go”. If she wanted bread, she would imitate the acts of
cutting the slices and buttering them. If she wanted ice-cream, she made the sign for working the freezer and
shivered, indicating cold. Her mother, too, helped her to understand a good deal. She always knew when she
wished her to bring her something. She understood a great deal of what was going on about her. She learnt to
fold and put away the clean clothes when they came from the laundry. She would know when her mother and
aunt were going out. She would insist on going with them. She would even greet the guests whose presence
she invariably felt from the goings-on in the house. Thus she learnt to lead an active life.

Q3. Helen was naughty and she indulged in pranks unmindful of their consequences. Describe the incidents
when She locked up her mother and her teacher.

Ans. With the passage of time, Helen came to know many things and one of them was how to use a key. One day
she locked her mother in the pantry for three hours. Her mother kept pounding on the door and Helen laughed
with glee.

Once she locked her teacher, Miss Sullivan in her room and hid the key under the wardrobe in the hall. She was
implored to tell where the key was but she did not speak of it. Her father brought a ladder and took Miss Sullivan
out through the window and Helen enjoyed the reaction of the family members a lot. Months later she produced
the key. These were innocent pranks and Helen was learning the lessons of life through them.

Q4. The arrival of a new baby usually creates jealousy and insecurity in heart of the elder sibling. Elucidate.

Ans. The advent of Helen’s younger sister Mildred divided the attention of her mother. She sat in her mother’s
lap constantly, where Helen used to sit. Raw and innocent heart to Helen could not tolerate it. She held Mildred
responsible for this division of love, care and attention. This made her agitated and angry.

Helen used to put her doll, Nancy, in a cradle to sleep. Once she found Mildred sleeping in the cradle of her doll.
This made her furious. Out of anger and pent up emotions, she overturned the cradle. Mildred was about to fall
down on the floor when her mother her and saved her from being seriously injured.

This reaction on the part of Helen is natural. A child is all possessive and pines for full attention from mother and
father. Division of love and care had created loneliness and neglect in Helen’s life. Her psychological needs were
dented and she behaved in an objectionable manner just to apply some soothing balm on her hurt emotions.
Later on, she realized her mistake and with the passage of time she became friendly with her sister.

Q5. Describe Helen's journey to Baltimore?

Ans. Helen was taken to Baltimore in order to show her to an eminent oculist. The journey was very pleasant.
Helen made many friends on the train. One lady gave her a box of shells which kept her busy for a long time. The
conductor gave her his punch to play with. She amused herself for hours making funny little holes in bits of
cardboard.

Helen's aunt made her a big doll out of towels. It was a shapeless thing, The absence of eyes on it
struck her more than any other defect. Then suddenly she was found her aunt's cape and pulled two beads off.
These beads were sewn on the doll. Helen was overjoyed. So during the whole trip she did not have any fit of
temper. When they reached Baltimore, Dr Chrisholm received them kindly but could do nothing. He advised his
father to consult Dr Alexander Graham Bell of Washington who could arrange some teacher for Helen's
education.
 CHAPTER – 6

Q6- Describe Helen’s long process of learning?

Ans- At first Helen learnt to name every object she touched. At first she made little inquiry about a new
thing learnt. As her knowledge of things grew, she would return again and again to the same subject to
gather further information. Sometimes a new word revived an image that some earlier experience had
engraved on her mind. Once she brought some flowers for her teacher. Miss Sullivan spelled into her hand, “I love
Helen”. Helen asked “what is love?” for a long time she failed to understand what love really was.one day she was
making many mistakes in stringing beads of different sizes in symmetrical groups. For an instant she tried to think
how she should have arranged the beads. Miss Sullivan touched her forehead and spelled, “think”. In a flash she
learnt that the word was the name of the process that was going on in her head. Thus she learnt about an extract
idea. After brief showers, Miss Sullivan explained to Helen that one cannot touch the clouds but one feels the
rain. Similarly one cannot touch love but feel its sweetness. This truth about love then burst upon Helen’s mind.
Thus, her education, a long process, continued.
CHAPTER 8

Q7. What happened to the canary presented to Helen?

Ans. Miss Sullivan gifted a canary to Helen on Christmas as a present from Santa Claus. The pet gave immense joy
to her. The pet was so tame that it would hop on her finger and eat candied cherries out of her hand. She took its
proper care as instructed by her teacher, Miss Sullivan. A relationship was established between the two. She grew
very fond of the bird.

One day leaving the cage on the window-seat Helen went to bring water for the bath of that loving
bird. She came back and put her hand in the cage to feel the wings but found the cage empty. Earlier, she had felt
a big cat brush past her. Immediately she understood what had happened to the poor pet. The big cat made the
poor bird its prey. This incident left Helen very sad.

Q8. In what way was the first Christmas after Miss Sullivan's arrival significant for Helen ?

Ans. On the eve of the first Christmas after Miss Sullivan's arrival, Helen’s family prepared many surprise gifts for
Helen. Miss Sullivan and Helen also prepared surprises for everybody else. Helen was invited by the school
children of Tuscumbia. Helen was delighted to find a shimmering tree in the centre of the schoolroom. She
danced and capered round the tree. She was also delighted to receive gifts. That night she kept awake for long to
see what Santa Claus would do when he came. Next morning it was she who awoke the whole family with her
first "Merry Christmas !" She found surprises everywhere in her room. Miss Sullivan gave her the gift of a canary
called Tim. She taught her to take care of her new pet.Helen took care of Tim's needs. But one day she lost Tim to
a big cat because of her slight carelessness.

Chapter -9

Q9. What made Helen call Boston ‘The City of Kind Hearts’?
Ans. Heart and emotions go hand. Kind hearts cannot remain hidden as they come into the foreground
spontaneously and effortlessly. Boston gave Helen the feeling of a beautiful fairy tale. It took Helen no time to
make friends with the little blind children. Children there enjoyed talking to other children. In their company,
Helen lost all sense of pain, as if she were at home in that new environment. Other than this Helen found in Mr.
William Endicott and his daughter, kind and amicable souls. In addition to that even their pets showered their
mute love on her. Mr. Endicott was always a good friend to her. His kindness and love permeating the whole
environment made her call Boston ‘The City of kind Hearts’. Her initial feeling of being a foreigner melted away in
no time after arriving at Boston.
Q10. What was the unfortunate incident that happened with Nancy?
Ans. Nancy was a big doll that had attractive bead eyes. She was a darling of Helen. She (Helen) used to take her
in her arms like a mother and put her to sleep. She had a sad experience soon after her arrival in Boston. The doll
was covered with mud. The remains of mud pies Helen had compelled her to eat stuck to her mouth. The
laundress at the Perkins Institution secretly took her off to give her shapeless and she looked like a formless heap
of cotton. Helen found it difficult to recognize her two brilliant bead eyes established her entity. She was the
same Nancy. Helen felt that Nancy was looking at her reproachfully. This unfortunate incident that happened
with Nancy left Helen almost heart-broken. She felt as if she had lost one of her close friends.
Chapter 11 and 12
Q11 . Describe Helen’s summer cottage , Fern Quarry , situated on a mountain.
Ans. Helen spent the autumn month in her summer cottage situated on a mountain, about fourteen miles away
from Tuscumbia. It was called Fern Quarry because of its nearness to an limestone quarry. The mountain on
which it stood was thickly wooded. There were great oak and pine trees. Helen’s cottage was assort of rough
camp. The small rooms were arranged on each side of a long open hall. There was a wide piazza round the house.
Helen and others lived here most of the time. There they worked, ate and played. At the back door there was a
butternut tree, round which the steps had been built. In front the trees stood so close that Helen could touch
them and feel the wind shake their branches. Many visitors came to Fern Quarry. In the evening by the campfire,
the men played cards and passed their time in talk and sport. They told the stories of their wonderful feats. They
claimed to be good hunters.
Q12.What happened one day to Helen, Mildred and Miss Sullivan on the rail track on a trestle near Fern Quarry
?
Ans. At the foot of the mountain, on which stood their cottage, Fern Quarry, there was a rail road, and children
would watch the trains whiz by. About a mile distant there was a trestle spanning a deep gorge. It was not easy to
cross it. One day Mildred Miss Sullivan and Helen were lost in the woods. They wandered for hours without
finding the path. Suddenly Mildred pointed out to the trestle. As trestle was a shortcut home, they decided to
cross it. When they were over it, there came the sound of coming train. They had to climb down on the cross
braces. While the train rushed over their heads, Helen felt the hot breath of the engine on her face. The smoke
and ashes almost choked them. As the train passed , the trestle shook and swayed. With much difficulty they
regained the track. When they reached home, they found the cottage empty. The family were out in search for
them.
Q13. When and where did Helen have her first experience of snowfall? How did she enjoy it?
Ans. Helen had her first experience of snowfall in a new England village, near Boston, during winter. A day came
when the cold air indicated a snowstorm. The flakes began to drop. After a snowy night the landscape was totally
changed. All the roads and landmarks were hidden. In the evening a wind began to blow. The flakes rushed here
and there frantically. They sat near the fire and told merry tales. During the night the fury of the wind increased.
The rafters creaked. The branches of the trees surrounding the house rattled. On the third day the snow ceases.
The sun broke through the clouds. One could see high mounds of snow and impenetrable drifts. Helen and others
came out. They found the trees motionless and white “ like figures in a marble freeze.” The lake was frozen.
Tobogganing became one of their amusements. They would plunge through drifts, and leaping hollows and
swooping down upon the lake, would reach the opposite bank. It was sheer madness and ecstasy for Helen.
CHAPTER-14
Q14) The world was rude to a budding a budding writer and gave her wounds for life in the name of
plagiarism?
ANS-1) Helen wrote a story titled “Autumn leaves” and as per an advice she changed the title to “The frost king”.
Writing a story and sending it to her friend made her very excited. Mr. Anagnos delightedly published it. This
publication placed Helen on the pinnacle of happiness but her happiness did not last long.
It was discovered that a story similar to “the frost king” called “The frost fairies” by Miss Canby had appeared in
book called-“Birdie and his friend”. The story is so much alike in language and thought that it was evident that
Canby’s story has been read to Helen. And so, her story was a clean case of plagiarism. All this made Helen
grieved and astonished. a bitterness gripped her. She ragged her brain and could recollect only a poem for
children-“The freaks of the frost”.
She was sure that she had not used that in her composition. But the suspicion of plagiarism took away her
happiness, her excitement and her piece of mind. Even Mr. Anagnos did not believe her. A court investigation
almost upheld the allegation.
The allegation of plagiarism crippled the enthusiasm of a budding writer. A psychological fear gripped Helen and
even writing a letter to her mother she feared that somebody would call it a piece of plagiarism.
Helen had never played with words again for the mere pleasure of the game. She felt tortured by the fear that
what he wrote was not her own. The damage had been done though she tried not to let the bitter memory of
“The frost king” be an impediment in the way of her effort to write and compose more. The sad experience made
her intelligent enough to tread on path of composition cautiously. The allegation inflicted on her a stigma though
she tried her best to ignore it.
Q15. Was Helen really guilty of plagiarism? How was it that her story came to be copy of another story,
unknown to her?
ANS- Helen and all her friends were shocked to learn that her story “The frost King “was a copy of Miss Canby’s
story “The frost Fairies”. They were certain that Helen could not do so, and that she was innocent in the matter.
Miss Sullivan was sure that she had not read story to Helen. She investigated the matter. She came to know that
during Helen’s stay at Brewster Mr. Hopkins might had read the story to her in the absence of Miss Sullivan. She
understood what must have happened. Helen was capable of assimilation all that pleased h, word for word. She
had the habit of using others’ ideas later as if they were her own. This is but natural with all budding writers.
Helen felt so humiliated that she lost her self confidence. She stopped writing anything creative. She realized that
she used other people’s ideas even in her letter. The thought that what she was writing might not be hers.
Continued to disturb her for long. It was on a lot of persuasion by her teacher that she agreed to write an account
of her life later.

Q16. How is the story of my life inspiring to the reader? Give your views?
Ans. The story of my life is a quite inspiring. Helen Keller's whole life is a lesson in patience, determination and
struggle to overcome all impediments in life. It shows that no disability or handicap can impede the flow of life or
diminish the zest for life. Helen went deaf and blind when she was nineteen months old. It was a great shock to
her and her parents. But very soon she learnt to cope with her deficiencies. She displayed a rare fighting spirit.
Even before the arrival of her teacher, she evolved her own signs to communicate with others\ . She learnt to fold
and place the new clothes brought from the laundry. She learnt to great the guests. Miss Sullivan came and
inspired Helen to lead a meaningful life. She taught her not only the language but also gave her an insight into the
beauty of things. She equipped Helen with the ways and means to become a good human being.
The ways Helen learnt about many different things clearly shows that nothing is impossible for a
determined soul. Helen's own life shows how one can overcome any impediment in life.