Skip to main content

How does "I came, I saw, I conquered," from The Story of My Life, prove true in Helen Keller's case?

In chapter one of The Story of My Life Helen Keller talks about her life before she was left blind and deaf after a terrible illness as a baby. When she says "I came, I saw, I conquered" she is speaking about how she impressed her parents and captured their hearts "as the first baby in the family always does." Every parent is overawed by his or her children as babies, especially as they reach milestones sometimes sooner than expected, and Helen's parents are no exception.

After her illness things change and life for Helen becomes very difficult. However, her parents support her and do whatever they can for her. This book and the very successful and fulfilling life that Helen goes on to have are testament to her perseverance, patience and level of intelligence. Helen could not have known how prophetic those words would be. 


Once Anne Sullivan comes into Helen's life, in chapter two, Helen finds escape from her "silent, aimless dayless life." In chapter four she acknowledges that "the most important day I remember in all my life" is the day Anne arrives. From that day forward "everything that could hum, or buzz, or sing, or bloom had a part in my education" (chapter seven). Helen's incredible ability to "learn from life itself" is what ensures her success. 


Helen faces each challenge and makes it a learning opportunity. She is in a tree when lightning strikes, she is washed underwater by a wave, and she and her sister get lost, yet Helen refuses to let any of these events stop her. Rather she insists they contribute to her education. Helen graduates from college, which is impressive for any woman from that era, and uses her own situation as a possible learning experience for others by writing this book. She will go on to be a motivational speaker and to write several other books.   


The main goal of this book is to help others who may experience tough times and to help them find their way through the difficulties in spite of obstacles. Helen wants others to understand that if she can do it then anyone can. 

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

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...
Post a Comment
Read more