The Miracle Worker

The relationship between James and Captain Keller in The Miracle Worker is strained and conflict-ridden. James feels overshadowed and ignored by his authoritative father, Captain Keller, who...

Annie's brother, Jimmie, was sent with her to a harsh state asylum in Massachusetts after their mother died and their father abandoned them. Suffering from a tubercular hip, Jimmie was terrified of...

The Miracle Worker uses several symbols to enhance its themes. The water pump symbolizes communication and breakthrough, as Helen Keller's understanding of language begins there. The locked doors...

Annie's conversation with Anagnos in The Miracle Worker reveals her resilience and determination. It highlights her difficult past, including time spent in an asylum and her brother's death, which...

In The Miracle Worker, Mrs. Keller is portrayed as a loving but overly permissive mother to Helen, allowing her to act without discipline due to pity for her disabilities. This approach, however,...

Doctor Howe is not a character in "The Miracle Worker" but is referenced as Annie Sullivan's mentor. His influence is significant as he trained Annie at the Perkins Institute for the Blind, which...

When Annie Sullivan leaves the Perkins Institute for the Blind, she receives several gifts. Anagnos, an administrator, gives her a small loan for travel and a garnet ring. Additionally, the children...

In The Miracle Worker, James and Annie share a sense of inadequacy and struggle for acceptance. In Act 1, James is portrayed as cynical and neglected, feeling overshadowed by Helen's needs and...

In The Miracle Worker, Annie Sullivan identifies three key advantages as she begins her job with the Keller family. Despite her youth and lack of experience, Annie emphasizes her energy, crucial for...

Helen dropping the key into the well at the end of Act One symbolizes her initial resistance and isolation, while foreshadowing the breakthrough in Act Three. The key represents Annie's role in...

Helen demonstrates that the doll needs eyes by pulling buttons off Aunt Ev's dress and holding them to the doll's face, illustrating her intelligence and problem-solving skills despite her inability...

Annie demonstrates hope through her patience, determination, and belief in Helen's potential. Despite Helen's initial resistance and wild behavior, Annie's resolve never wavers, as shown when she...

The first argument between Annie and Helen in "The Miracle Worker" occurs over Annie's suitcase before entering the house. Helen explores Annie's hands and tries to open the suitcase. Annie uses sign...

Aunt Ev urges Captain Keller to contact Dr. Chisholm, a renowned oculist in Baltimore, to seek help for Helen. Despite Captain Keller's skepticism due to previous unsuccessful consultations with...

Percy describes Helen's way of communication as an attempt to talk by touching her fingertips to her lips and mimicking the lip movements of others without producing sound. He observes this behavior...

The irony in Helen's reaction when Aunt Ev gives her a doll lies in dramatic irony. Although Helen insists the doll have eyes, reflecting her own blindness, the real irony is that the audience...

Helen's mother, Kate, discovers Helen's blindness and deafness after Helen recovers from a severe illness. As the doctor assures them of a full recovery, Kate notices Helen's lack of response to her...

Challenging study questions for "The Miracle Worker" by William Gibson include examining the extended metaphor of war throughout the play, speculating on modern medical responses to Helen's...