Helen Keller

Helen’s acquisition of language is swift once she comprehends how American Sign Language functions. Not only is she eager and motivated to learn, but she also shows that she is intelligent and capable, increasing her vocabulary at an exponential rate in the weeks and months following the breakthrough at the water pump. A vital byproduct of Helen’s acquisition of language is that she regains her humanity, highlighting The Power of Education to change one’s life entirely for the better. Because of the impact of education, Helen is able to learn things that enrich her life—such as when she learns about the Christmas holiday and anticipates it just as any other child would. These developments in Helen are ones that are potentially taken for granted in other children but prove to be immensely appreciated by the Kellers.

Anne and Helen’s relationship consistently develops throughout the story, with Anne providing the underlying support Helen needs to succeed from childhood through adulthood. Thus, Helen’s achievements are in part a result of The Value of Mentorship, and the intertwined nature of the two individuals becomes a throughline in the rest of the story. The Kellers do not have the resources and education to provide Helen with the complex attention she needs as a child. Anne, subsequently, takes a job opportunity and turns it into a lifelong role and friendship. Anne’s job extends outside of the home and beyond what is asked of her numerous times. For example, the book suggests that Helen’s disabilities are not met with disdain as she goes out into the world for the first time. She is treated with kindness on outings and trips, which is in part because of Anne, who can inform and educate others about Helen’s disabilities in preparation for interacting with her. It is clear that Helen thrives from being challenged, and still, Anne wants to ensure that Helen is well equipped for those challenges.

Helen’s Dedication and Perseverance to achieve great things is made possible by Anne, who’s equally as committed to helping Helen thrive. In Helen’s youth, Anne serves as her instructor, teaching her not only language and writing but also other academic subjects and, just as importantly, how the world itself operates. Anne is Helen’s translator, spelling into her hands on outings and visits so that she can communicate with others who do not know American Sign Language. Anne constantly keeps Helen’s best interest in mind, gauging what she is capable of in regard to her disabilities. As Helen ages and enters her teen and adult years, Anne remains by her side. The pursuit of a college education proves just as much of an important commitment to Anne as it is to Helen, as Anne must attend all lectures with her, translate them by signing into her hands, and read her the textbook material. Anne does all of this while aging and with failing eyesight. Though the book references Anne’s past blindness, it does not reveal the cause of her difficulties: As a child, she contracted trachoma, an infection of the eye caused by bacteria, which left her with severe vision problems. She was able to undergo surgery to restore much of it, but her eyesight deteriorated as she aged (“Anne Sullivan.” Perkins School for the Blind). Even as Anne loses her own sight and nears the end of her life, she is still dedicated to helping Helen.

Throughout her life, Helen does not allow her disability to impede her from experiences such as encountering the ocean or flying in a plane. As she ages, Helen only craves such adventures more and more. Importantly, too, Helen is able to learn how to engage with other people and finds that, where she was once a child who was wary of strangers, she now welcomes social occasions and benefits from such interactions. It is for this reason that Helen learns to speak aloud in English. Though her use of American Sign Language aids her greatly, it limits Helen to being able to communicate only with those who are trained in the language—something that is rare in the time period during which she lives. By learning to speak, Helen further broadens the number of people with whom she is able to engage and finds additional happiness in her new connections and experiences.

Helen has a legacy of overcoming adversity in a time when substantially more barriers existed for women and individuals with disabilities. This work highlights her many achievements and uses personable stories to bring them to life, giving particular attention to Anne as a Herculean support system, while also revealing the plight of individuals with disabilities in a time period when resources dedicated to their support were scarce.