Skip to main content

In The Story of My Life, is Helen's childhood depicted as a happy one?

Helen’s early childhood was unhappy because after she lost her sight and hearing she could not communicate effectively. 


Helen had a hard time between the time she lost her sight and hearing as a toddler and the time she learned to communicate when Anne Sullivan taught her.  She knew that other people were able to communicate with words. Since she was a baby when she lost her hearing and knew few words, she could...

Helen’s early childhood was unhappy because after she lost her sight and hearing she could not communicate effectively. 


Helen had a hard time between the time she lost her sight and hearing as a toddler and the time she learned to communicate when Anne Sullivan taught her.  She knew that other people were able to communicate with words. Since she was a baby when she lost her hearing and knew few words, she could not.  This frustrated her. 



I had noticed that my mother and my friends did not use signs as I did when they wanted anything done, but talked with their mouths…. I could not understand, and was vexed. I moved my lips and gesticulated frantically without result. This made me so angry at times that I kicked and screamed until I was exhausted. (Ch. 2) 



Helen’s bad behavior as a child was a direct result of not understanding or being understood.  She was not a bad child.  She had an agile mind and enjoyed mischief.  She just could not express herself in ways that people understood. 


The other problem Helen had was that she suddenly had a little sister.  This would bother most young children, and when you do not understand everything that happens around you it causes additional friction.  That was Helen’s issue. 



For a long time I regarded my little sister as an intruder. I knew that I had ceased to be my mother's only darling, and the thought filled me with jealousy. She sat in my mother's lap constantly, where I used to sit, and seemed to take up all her care and time.  (Ch. 2)



Eventually Helen overcame having a little sister and Anne Sullivan came and taught her sign language.  However, the early days were days of darkness.  They were tough for little Helen Keller because she could not communicate.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...