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The Story of My Life

by Helen Keller

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Discussion Topic

Character sketches in The Story of My Life

Summary:

In The Story of My Life, Helen Keller provides character sketches of several influential figures. Anne Sullivan, her dedicated teacher, is portrayed as patient and innovative. Keller's parents are depicted as supportive and determined. Alexander Graham Bell, who connected Keller with Sullivan, is shown as compassionate and instrumental in her education. These sketches highlight the significant roles these individuals played in Keller's life and development.

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Can you provide character sketches from chapter 18 of The Story of My Life?

In chapter 18, Helen Keller goes to the Cambridge School so that she can be prepared to attend Radcliffe College, which was at that time the women's counterpart to Harvard, which only admitted men.

The two people she writes most about are her German teacher, Frau Gröte, and Mr. Gilman, the principal. Both are portrayed as kindhearted people who go out of their way to try to be helpful to Keller. They are the only teachers in the school who learn finger writing in order to help her succeed.

Miss Sullivan also appears as an important character in this chapter. She comes with Helen to the school and is tireless in helping her. She attends classes with her and finger writes the lectures into Helen's hand. She also reads notes and books that are unavailable to Helen in raised print. Helen says,

The tedium of that work is hard to conceive.

Helen shows that she is appreciative of the extra efforts these three individuals made for her.

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Can you provide character sketches from chapter 18 of The Story of My Life?

Chapter Eighteen of The Story of My Life is about Helen's first year at the Cambridge School for Young Ladies.  Helen attended the school to prepare for college.  She met many new people at the school, including two teachers:

Frau Gröte was Helen's German teacher at the school.  Determined to help Helen as much as possible, she "learned the finger alphabet."  Despite this great amount of effort on the part of Frau Gröte, Helen found her finger spelling to be "slow and inadequate."  Helen still found her teacher to be kind and she recognized the "the goodness of her heart [as] she laboriously spelled out her instructions... in special lessons."  

Mr. Gilman was the principal of the school.  He was the only other person there to learn how to use the finger alphabet in order to assist Helen.  He also "instructed [her] part of the year in English literature."  He allowed Helen's sister, Mildred, to enter the school.  He also patiently finger spelled all the content on Helen's exams into her palm for many hours.

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Can you provide character sketches for all characters in The Story of My Life?

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller is a true life story written by Helen which details the first twenty-one years of her life. There are many characters who are instrumental in her development. One of the most important of those is her mother, whose "loving wisdom" (ch 2) Helen cherishes and who allows Helen some measure of independence. Helen recalls the time she cuts Martha Washington's hair and the time she tries to tip her baby sister out of a cot that Helen has reserved for her doll Nancy. Each time her mother is on hand. Helen's father is a man who is "most loving and indulgent," and between them her parents arrange for the meeting in Baltimore with a doctor who will refer them to Dr. Alexander Graham Bell. Helen knows how important he is in her life and mentions that the first interview with him (in chapter 3) was "the door through which I should pass from darkness into light."

Annie Sullivan is responsible for Helen's "soul's sudden awakening" (ch 5) and, having encouraged Helen to "think," she helps Helen reach her full potential. Helen admits that "My teacher is so near to me that I scarcely think of myself apart from her" (ch 7). Helen admits that it is Annie who "turns drudgery into pleasure" (ch 18) and it is Annie's patience and understanding of Helen's situation that ensures that Helen remains motivated through the most difficult times.

William Endicott and his daughter evoke fond memories in Helen and their kindness encourages Helen to call Boston "the city of kind hearts." Miss Fuller helps Helen learn the elements of speech which allow her to repeat her first sentence, "It is warm" (ch 13). Mr. Anagnos of the Perkins' Institute sends Annie to Helen and becomes a firm friend and "loves me tenderly" (ch 14), although their relationship will be irreparably damaged after "The Frost King affair." Helen has a special friendship with Mr. John P. Spaulding of Boston who makes "everyone happy in a beautiful, unobtrusive way" (ch 17).

Helen knows that all the people she comes into contact with make a contribution to her life and she "learns from life itself." 

You will find more useful information relating to the characters here http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/character-sketch-story-life-helen-keller-480212 and at the links below and in the Homework Help section of eNotes. 

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