Summary of Novel: The Story of My Life by Helen Keller, Class 10, English PDF Download

 Page 1


 
 
Chapter 1 
 
Helen’s apprehension before writing her autobiography 
 
Helen felt a kind of hesitation before she set on the task of penning down her 
autobiography and, thus, reveal the story of her life. In addition, the task itself 
was a difficult one for Helen: looking back, she could hardly distinguish 
between the facts and the fancies across the years. Furthermore, in the process 
of learning new things, she had forgotten many important incidents and 
experiences of her childhood. 
 
Birth of Helen  
Helen Adams Keller was born on a plantation called Ivy Green in Tuscumbia, 
Alabama, on June 27, 1880. She was the eldest daughter of Captain Arthur H. 
Keller, a former officer of the Confederate Army, and Kate Adams. Helen was 
named after her grandmother, Helen Everett. Even as an infant, she showed 
signs of eagerness and independence. By the age of six months, Helen attracted 
everyone’s attention piping out words like “How d’ye” and “tea”. 
 
Helen suffers an illness that leaves her deaf and blind 
 
In February, 1882, at the age of nineteen months, Helen fell ill with “an acute 
congestion of the stomach and brain”, which could possibly have been scarlet 
fever or meningitis. This illness left her deaf and blind. Later on, her spirit was 
liberated from the “world of silence and darkness” by her teacher, Anne 
Sullivan. 
 
Chapter 2 
 
Helen’s initial attempts to communicate 
 
After her sickness, Helen started using “crude signs” to communicate with 
others. A shake of the head meant “No” and a nod “Yes”, a pull meant “Come” 
and a push, “Go”. If she wanted anything, she would imitate the relevant action. 
Her mother encouraged her by involving her in the household activities. This 
made Helen more observant of the actions performed by the people around her. 
 
Observing herself as different from others 
 
Helen started to observe that unlike her, other people did not use signs for 
communication but talked with their mouths. She realized that she was different 
from others. She attempted to copy them but in vain. At times, she released her 
Page 2


 
 
Chapter 1 
 
Helen’s apprehension before writing her autobiography 
 
Helen felt a kind of hesitation before she set on the task of penning down her 
autobiography and, thus, reveal the story of her life. In addition, the task itself 
was a difficult one for Helen: looking back, she could hardly distinguish 
between the facts and the fancies across the years. Furthermore, in the process 
of learning new things, she had forgotten many important incidents and 
experiences of her childhood. 
 
Birth of Helen  
Helen Adams Keller was born on a plantation called Ivy Green in Tuscumbia, 
Alabama, on June 27, 1880. She was the eldest daughter of Captain Arthur H. 
Keller, a former officer of the Confederate Army, and Kate Adams. Helen was 
named after her grandmother, Helen Everett. Even as an infant, she showed 
signs of eagerness and independence. By the age of six months, Helen attracted 
everyone’s attention piping out words like “How d’ye” and “tea”. 
 
Helen suffers an illness that leaves her deaf and blind 
 
In February, 1882, at the age of nineteen months, Helen fell ill with “an acute 
congestion of the stomach and brain”, which could possibly have been scarlet 
fever or meningitis. This illness left her deaf and blind. Later on, her spirit was 
liberated from the “world of silence and darkness” by her teacher, Anne 
Sullivan. 
 
Chapter 2 
 
Helen’s initial attempts to communicate 
 
After her sickness, Helen started using “crude signs” to communicate with 
others. A shake of the head meant “No” and a nod “Yes”, a pull meant “Come” 
and a push, “Go”. If she wanted anything, she would imitate the relevant action. 
Her mother encouraged her by involving her in the household activities. This 
made Helen more observant of the actions performed by the people around her. 
 
Observing herself as different from others 
 
Helen started to observe that unlike her, other people did not use signs for 
communication but talked with their mouths. She realized that she was different 
from others. She attempted to copy them but in vain. At times, she released her 
 
 
frustration on her nurse, Elisa, by kicking and screaming at her until she felt 
exhausted. She regretted her misbehavior but did not try to change it. 
 
Companionship with Martha Washington and Belle 
 
Martha Washington was a little coloured girl who understood Helen’s signs. 
She was the cook’s daughter. Martha submissively obeyed Helen, who in turn 
enjoyed domineering over her. Both the girls spent a lot of time in the kitchen, 
kneading dough balls, grinding coffee, quarrelling over the cake bowl. 
 
Helen enjoyed feeding the hens and turkeys, and feeling them as they ate from 
her hands. She also loved to hunt for guinea-fowl eggs in the long grass. Even 
though Helen could not understand Christmas per se, she enjoyed the 
preparations leading to that occasion. 
 
One July afternoon, when Helen and Martha were bored of cutting paper dolls, 
they came up with the idea of cutting each other’s hair. Helen cut Martha’s hair 
and Martha cut off a curl of Helen’s. Martha would have cut them all if it 
weren’t for Helen’s mother’s timely intervention. 
 
Belle was a lazy old dog and a companion of Helen. Despite of her attempts, it 
was inattentive to her signs and gestures. As a result, Helen would get frustrated 
and go looking for Martha. 
 
Helen is saved by the nurse from getting burnt 
 
Once, while drying her wet apron in front of the hearth, Helen ended up going 
too close to the fire. Her clothes caught fire. Fortunately, she was saved by the 
nurse, Viny, who threw a blanket around her to extinguish the fire. Except for 
her hands and hair, she was not badly burnt. 
 
Discovering the use of a key: used as a tool for mischief 
 
About that time, Helen found out the use of a key. The mischievous Helen 
played a prank on her mother by locking her in the pantry. After Miss Sullivan 
arrived to teach her, she played the same prank on her. Helen locked her teacher 
in her room and refused to reveal the hidden key. Eventually, her father had to 
intervene and take Miss Sullivan out of the room through the window. 
 
When Helen was around five years old, the Keller family moved from the ‘little 
vine-covered house’ to a large new one. 
 
The loving relationship between Helen and her father 
Page 3


 
 
Chapter 1 
 
Helen’s apprehension before writing her autobiography 
 
Helen felt a kind of hesitation before she set on the task of penning down her 
autobiography and, thus, reveal the story of her life. In addition, the task itself 
was a difficult one for Helen: looking back, she could hardly distinguish 
between the facts and the fancies across the years. Furthermore, in the process 
of learning new things, she had forgotten many important incidents and 
experiences of her childhood. 
 
Birth of Helen  
Helen Adams Keller was born on a plantation called Ivy Green in Tuscumbia, 
Alabama, on June 27, 1880. She was the eldest daughter of Captain Arthur H. 
Keller, a former officer of the Confederate Army, and Kate Adams. Helen was 
named after her grandmother, Helen Everett. Even as an infant, she showed 
signs of eagerness and independence. By the age of six months, Helen attracted 
everyone’s attention piping out words like “How d’ye” and “tea”. 
 
Helen suffers an illness that leaves her deaf and blind 
 
In February, 1882, at the age of nineteen months, Helen fell ill with “an acute 
congestion of the stomach and brain”, which could possibly have been scarlet 
fever or meningitis. This illness left her deaf and blind. Later on, her spirit was 
liberated from the “world of silence and darkness” by her teacher, Anne 
Sullivan. 
 
Chapter 2 
 
Helen’s initial attempts to communicate 
 
After her sickness, Helen started using “crude signs” to communicate with 
others. A shake of the head meant “No” and a nod “Yes”, a pull meant “Come” 
and a push, “Go”. If she wanted anything, she would imitate the relevant action. 
Her mother encouraged her by involving her in the household activities. This 
made Helen more observant of the actions performed by the people around her. 
 
Observing herself as different from others 
 
Helen started to observe that unlike her, other people did not use signs for 
communication but talked with their mouths. She realized that she was different 
from others. She attempted to copy them but in vain. At times, she released her 
 
 
frustration on her nurse, Elisa, by kicking and screaming at her until she felt 
exhausted. She regretted her misbehavior but did not try to change it. 
 
Companionship with Martha Washington and Belle 
 
Martha Washington was a little coloured girl who understood Helen’s signs. 
She was the cook’s daughter. Martha submissively obeyed Helen, who in turn 
enjoyed domineering over her. Both the girls spent a lot of time in the kitchen, 
kneading dough balls, grinding coffee, quarrelling over the cake bowl. 
 
Helen enjoyed feeding the hens and turkeys, and feeling them as they ate from 
her hands. She also loved to hunt for guinea-fowl eggs in the long grass. Even 
though Helen could not understand Christmas per se, she enjoyed the 
preparations leading to that occasion. 
 
One July afternoon, when Helen and Martha were bored of cutting paper dolls, 
they came up with the idea of cutting each other’s hair. Helen cut Martha’s hair 
and Martha cut off a curl of Helen’s. Martha would have cut them all if it 
weren’t for Helen’s mother’s timely intervention. 
 
Belle was a lazy old dog and a companion of Helen. Despite of her attempts, it 
was inattentive to her signs and gestures. As a result, Helen would get frustrated 
and go looking for Martha. 
 
Helen is saved by the nurse from getting burnt 
 
Once, while drying her wet apron in front of the hearth, Helen ended up going 
too close to the fire. Her clothes caught fire. Fortunately, she was saved by the 
nurse, Viny, who threw a blanket around her to extinguish the fire. Except for 
her hands and hair, she was not badly burnt. 
 
Discovering the use of a key: used as a tool for mischief 
 
About that time, Helen found out the use of a key. The mischievous Helen 
played a prank on her mother by locking her in the pantry. After Miss Sullivan 
arrived to teach her, she played the same prank on her. Helen locked her teacher 
in her room and refused to reveal the hidden key. Eventually, her father had to 
intervene and take Miss Sullivan out of the room through the window. 
 
When Helen was around five years old, the Keller family moved from the ‘little 
vine-covered house’ to a large new one. 
 
The loving relationship between Helen and her father 
 
 
 
Helen’s father was loving and indulgent. Helen was fond of the stories her 
father narrated to her by forming spellings on her hand. Her father in turn 
enjoyed Helen’s reiteration of these stories. Her father’s death in the summer of 
1896 was Helen’s “first great sorrow-- [her] first personal experience with 
death.” 
 
Helen’s relationship with her baby sister 
 
Initially, Helen viewed her younger sister, Mildred, as an intruder. She felt that 
her sister got all the attention from her mother. Helen vented her frustration and 
showed her affection on her doll, Nancy. Once Helen overturned Nancy’s cradle 
in which her sister was sleeping. Fortunately, their mother’s timely arrival saved 
Mildred. Later, however, the love between the hearts of the two sisters 
prospered despite the fact that neither of them understood the language of the 
other. 
 
 
Chapter 3 
 
The need for a better means of communication 
 
Gradually, the few signs that were used by Helen to communicate became 
inadequate. Failure to get across her thoughts led to fits of anger and frustration 
in Helen. She felt miserable. As a result, it became imperative for her parents to 
find a teacher or a school for Helen so that she could learn a better means of 
communication. 
 
Helen’s mother’s hope was aroused by an account she read in Dickens’s 
“American Notes” about the education of Laura Bridgeman, a deaf and blind 
student, by Dr. Howe. Unfortunately, his methods had possibly died with him. 
Besides, it would not be easy to find a teacher who would come to their distant 
town in Alabama to teach Helen. 
 
The train journey to Baltimore  
 
Helen was six when her father decided to consult an oculist in Baltimore for the 
treatment of Helen’s sight. Helen enjoyed the new experiences during her trip. 
She was happy to receive a box of shells from a lady and a doll made out of 
towels from her aunt during the journey. She also played with the “punching 
machine” of the conductor. In fact, she did not experience any fits of temper 
during her journey as there were so many things to keep her mind and hands 
busy. 
Page 4


 
 
Chapter 1 
 
Helen’s apprehension before writing her autobiography 
 
Helen felt a kind of hesitation before she set on the task of penning down her 
autobiography and, thus, reveal the story of her life. In addition, the task itself 
was a difficult one for Helen: looking back, she could hardly distinguish 
between the facts and the fancies across the years. Furthermore, in the process 
of learning new things, she had forgotten many important incidents and 
experiences of her childhood. 
 
Birth of Helen  
Helen Adams Keller was born on a plantation called Ivy Green in Tuscumbia, 
Alabama, on June 27, 1880. She was the eldest daughter of Captain Arthur H. 
Keller, a former officer of the Confederate Army, and Kate Adams. Helen was 
named after her grandmother, Helen Everett. Even as an infant, she showed 
signs of eagerness and independence. By the age of six months, Helen attracted 
everyone’s attention piping out words like “How d’ye” and “tea”. 
 
Helen suffers an illness that leaves her deaf and blind 
 
In February, 1882, at the age of nineteen months, Helen fell ill with “an acute 
congestion of the stomach and brain”, which could possibly have been scarlet 
fever or meningitis. This illness left her deaf and blind. Later on, her spirit was 
liberated from the “world of silence and darkness” by her teacher, Anne 
Sullivan. 
 
Chapter 2 
 
Helen’s initial attempts to communicate 
 
After her sickness, Helen started using “crude signs” to communicate with 
others. A shake of the head meant “No” and a nod “Yes”, a pull meant “Come” 
and a push, “Go”. If she wanted anything, she would imitate the relevant action. 
Her mother encouraged her by involving her in the household activities. This 
made Helen more observant of the actions performed by the people around her. 
 
Observing herself as different from others 
 
Helen started to observe that unlike her, other people did not use signs for 
communication but talked with their mouths. She realized that she was different 
from others. She attempted to copy them but in vain. At times, she released her 
 
 
frustration on her nurse, Elisa, by kicking and screaming at her until she felt 
exhausted. She regretted her misbehavior but did not try to change it. 
 
Companionship with Martha Washington and Belle 
 
Martha Washington was a little coloured girl who understood Helen’s signs. 
She was the cook’s daughter. Martha submissively obeyed Helen, who in turn 
enjoyed domineering over her. Both the girls spent a lot of time in the kitchen, 
kneading dough balls, grinding coffee, quarrelling over the cake bowl. 
 
Helen enjoyed feeding the hens and turkeys, and feeling them as they ate from 
her hands. She also loved to hunt for guinea-fowl eggs in the long grass. Even 
though Helen could not understand Christmas per se, she enjoyed the 
preparations leading to that occasion. 
 
One July afternoon, when Helen and Martha were bored of cutting paper dolls, 
they came up with the idea of cutting each other’s hair. Helen cut Martha’s hair 
and Martha cut off a curl of Helen’s. Martha would have cut them all if it 
weren’t for Helen’s mother’s timely intervention. 
 
Belle was a lazy old dog and a companion of Helen. Despite of her attempts, it 
was inattentive to her signs and gestures. As a result, Helen would get frustrated 
and go looking for Martha. 
 
Helen is saved by the nurse from getting burnt 
 
Once, while drying her wet apron in front of the hearth, Helen ended up going 
too close to the fire. Her clothes caught fire. Fortunately, she was saved by the 
nurse, Viny, who threw a blanket around her to extinguish the fire. Except for 
her hands and hair, she was not badly burnt. 
 
Discovering the use of a key: used as a tool for mischief 
 
About that time, Helen found out the use of a key. The mischievous Helen 
played a prank on her mother by locking her in the pantry. After Miss Sullivan 
arrived to teach her, she played the same prank on her. Helen locked her teacher 
in her room and refused to reveal the hidden key. Eventually, her father had to 
intervene and take Miss Sullivan out of the room through the window. 
 
When Helen was around five years old, the Keller family moved from the ‘little 
vine-covered house’ to a large new one. 
 
The loving relationship between Helen and her father 
 
 
 
Helen’s father was loving and indulgent. Helen was fond of the stories her 
father narrated to her by forming spellings on her hand. Her father in turn 
enjoyed Helen’s reiteration of these stories. Her father’s death in the summer of 
1896 was Helen’s “first great sorrow-- [her] first personal experience with 
death.” 
 
Helen’s relationship with her baby sister 
 
Initially, Helen viewed her younger sister, Mildred, as an intruder. She felt that 
her sister got all the attention from her mother. Helen vented her frustration and 
showed her affection on her doll, Nancy. Once Helen overturned Nancy’s cradle 
in which her sister was sleeping. Fortunately, their mother’s timely arrival saved 
Mildred. Later, however, the love between the hearts of the two sisters 
prospered despite the fact that neither of them understood the language of the 
other. 
 
 
Chapter 3 
 
The need for a better means of communication 
 
Gradually, the few signs that were used by Helen to communicate became 
inadequate. Failure to get across her thoughts led to fits of anger and frustration 
in Helen. She felt miserable. As a result, it became imperative for her parents to 
find a teacher or a school for Helen so that she could learn a better means of 
communication. 
 
Helen’s mother’s hope was aroused by an account she read in Dickens’s 
“American Notes” about the education of Laura Bridgeman, a deaf and blind 
student, by Dr. Howe. Unfortunately, his methods had possibly died with him. 
Besides, it would not be easy to find a teacher who would come to their distant 
town in Alabama to teach Helen. 
 
The train journey to Baltimore  
 
Helen was six when her father decided to consult an oculist in Baltimore for the 
treatment of Helen’s sight. Helen enjoyed the new experiences during her trip. 
She was happy to receive a box of shells from a lady and a doll made out of 
towels from her aunt during the journey. She also played with the “punching 
machine” of the conductor. In fact, she did not experience any fits of temper 
during her journey as there were so many things to keep her mind and hands 
busy. 
 
 
 
Exploring the possibilities of Helen’s education at Baltimore 
 
At Baltimore, Dr. Chisholm said that there was nothing he could do about 
Helen’s sight. However, he advised Helen’s father to consult Dr. Alexander 
Graham Bell of Washington, who would be able to guide them in regards to the 
education of Helen. 
 
Meeting Dr. Bell was a great experience for Helen. He understood Helen’s 
signs, which made her happy. This meeting was the beginning of a long 
friendship between Dr. Bell and Helen. Helen later recalled this interview as the 
foundation of her journey from darkness to light, “from isolation to friendship, 
companionship, knowledge and love.” 
 
Dr. Bell advised Mr. Keller to write to Dr. Anagnos, the director of the Perkins 
Institute in Boston. Her father wrote to him without any delay and got a reply in 
positive. Finally, in the March of 1887, Miss Sullivan arrived at the Keller 
house. 
 
Chapter 4 
 
The most important day of Helen’s life 
 
Miss Anne Mansfield Sullivan arrived at the house of the Keller family on the 
third of March, 1887. This was the day from which Helen’s life started to 
transform; the ailing spirit of Helen could only find solace by the knowledge 
delivered by Miss Sullivan. 
 
Beginning of the journey of knowledge with Miss Ann Sullivan 
 
Miss Sullivan gave Helen a doll, which was a present from the little blind 
students of the Perkins Institute and was dressed by Laura Bridgeman. Miss 
Sullivan spelled the word ‘D-O-L-L’ on Helen’s hands. Helen managed to 
imitate the movements of her fingers even though she was not aware of the fact 
that Miss Sullivan was trying to teach her the name of the thing. It took several 
weeks for Helen to realize that everything has a name. Miss Sullivan tried to 
teach the names of several other objects to Helen, such as “M-U-G” and “W-A-
T-E-R”, but Helen was annoyed at the repeated attempts of her teacher and she 
broke her doll on the floor. 
 
One day, when they were walking in the garden, Miss Sullivan put Helen’s 
hand under a spout of water. As the cool stream gushed over Helen’s hand, Miss 
Sullivan spelled the word “water” on the other. Then Helen realized that ‘water’ 
Page 5


 
 
Chapter 1 
 
Helen’s apprehension before writing her autobiography 
 
Helen felt a kind of hesitation before she set on the task of penning down her 
autobiography and, thus, reveal the story of her life. In addition, the task itself 
was a difficult one for Helen: looking back, she could hardly distinguish 
between the facts and the fancies across the years. Furthermore, in the process 
of learning new things, she had forgotten many important incidents and 
experiences of her childhood. 
 
Birth of Helen  
Helen Adams Keller was born on a plantation called Ivy Green in Tuscumbia, 
Alabama, on June 27, 1880. She was the eldest daughter of Captain Arthur H. 
Keller, a former officer of the Confederate Army, and Kate Adams. Helen was 
named after her grandmother, Helen Everett. Even as an infant, she showed 
signs of eagerness and independence. By the age of six months, Helen attracted 
everyone’s attention piping out words like “How d’ye” and “tea”. 
 
Helen suffers an illness that leaves her deaf and blind 
 
In February, 1882, at the age of nineteen months, Helen fell ill with “an acute 
congestion of the stomach and brain”, which could possibly have been scarlet 
fever or meningitis. This illness left her deaf and blind. Later on, her spirit was 
liberated from the “world of silence and darkness” by her teacher, Anne 
Sullivan. 
 
Chapter 2 
 
Helen’s initial attempts to communicate 
 
After her sickness, Helen started using “crude signs” to communicate with 
others. A shake of the head meant “No” and a nod “Yes”, a pull meant “Come” 
and a push, “Go”. If she wanted anything, she would imitate the relevant action. 
Her mother encouraged her by involving her in the household activities. This 
made Helen more observant of the actions performed by the people around her. 
 
Observing herself as different from others 
 
Helen started to observe that unlike her, other people did not use signs for 
communication but talked with their mouths. She realized that she was different 
from others. She attempted to copy them but in vain. At times, she released her 
 
 
frustration on her nurse, Elisa, by kicking and screaming at her until she felt 
exhausted. She regretted her misbehavior but did not try to change it. 
 
Companionship with Martha Washington and Belle 
 
Martha Washington was a little coloured girl who understood Helen’s signs. 
She was the cook’s daughter. Martha submissively obeyed Helen, who in turn 
enjoyed domineering over her. Both the girls spent a lot of time in the kitchen, 
kneading dough balls, grinding coffee, quarrelling over the cake bowl. 
 
Helen enjoyed feeding the hens and turkeys, and feeling them as they ate from 
her hands. She also loved to hunt for guinea-fowl eggs in the long grass. Even 
though Helen could not understand Christmas per se, she enjoyed the 
preparations leading to that occasion. 
 
One July afternoon, when Helen and Martha were bored of cutting paper dolls, 
they came up with the idea of cutting each other’s hair. Helen cut Martha’s hair 
and Martha cut off a curl of Helen’s. Martha would have cut them all if it 
weren’t for Helen’s mother’s timely intervention. 
 
Belle was a lazy old dog and a companion of Helen. Despite of her attempts, it 
was inattentive to her signs and gestures. As a result, Helen would get frustrated 
and go looking for Martha. 
 
Helen is saved by the nurse from getting burnt 
 
Once, while drying her wet apron in front of the hearth, Helen ended up going 
too close to the fire. Her clothes caught fire. Fortunately, she was saved by the 
nurse, Viny, who threw a blanket around her to extinguish the fire. Except for 
her hands and hair, she was not badly burnt. 
 
Discovering the use of a key: used as a tool for mischief 
 
About that time, Helen found out the use of a key. The mischievous Helen 
played a prank on her mother by locking her in the pantry. After Miss Sullivan 
arrived to teach her, she played the same prank on her. Helen locked her teacher 
in her room and refused to reveal the hidden key. Eventually, her father had to 
intervene and take Miss Sullivan out of the room through the window. 
 
When Helen was around five years old, the Keller family moved from the ‘little 
vine-covered house’ to a large new one. 
 
The loving relationship between Helen and her father 
 
 
 
Helen’s father was loving and indulgent. Helen was fond of the stories her 
father narrated to her by forming spellings on her hand. Her father in turn 
enjoyed Helen’s reiteration of these stories. Her father’s death in the summer of 
1896 was Helen’s “first great sorrow-- [her] first personal experience with 
death.” 
 
Helen’s relationship with her baby sister 
 
Initially, Helen viewed her younger sister, Mildred, as an intruder. She felt that 
her sister got all the attention from her mother. Helen vented her frustration and 
showed her affection on her doll, Nancy. Once Helen overturned Nancy’s cradle 
in which her sister was sleeping. Fortunately, their mother’s timely arrival saved 
Mildred. Later, however, the love between the hearts of the two sisters 
prospered despite the fact that neither of them understood the language of the 
other. 
 
 
Chapter 3 
 
The need for a better means of communication 
 
Gradually, the few signs that were used by Helen to communicate became 
inadequate. Failure to get across her thoughts led to fits of anger and frustration 
in Helen. She felt miserable. As a result, it became imperative for her parents to 
find a teacher or a school for Helen so that she could learn a better means of 
communication. 
 
Helen’s mother’s hope was aroused by an account she read in Dickens’s 
“American Notes” about the education of Laura Bridgeman, a deaf and blind 
student, by Dr. Howe. Unfortunately, his methods had possibly died with him. 
Besides, it would not be easy to find a teacher who would come to their distant 
town in Alabama to teach Helen. 
 
The train journey to Baltimore  
 
Helen was six when her father decided to consult an oculist in Baltimore for the 
treatment of Helen’s sight. Helen enjoyed the new experiences during her trip. 
She was happy to receive a box of shells from a lady and a doll made out of 
towels from her aunt during the journey. She also played with the “punching 
machine” of the conductor. In fact, she did not experience any fits of temper 
during her journey as there were so many things to keep her mind and hands 
busy. 
 
 
 
Exploring the possibilities of Helen’s education at Baltimore 
 
At Baltimore, Dr. Chisholm said that there was nothing he could do about 
Helen’s sight. However, he advised Helen’s father to consult Dr. Alexander 
Graham Bell of Washington, who would be able to guide them in regards to the 
education of Helen. 
 
Meeting Dr. Bell was a great experience for Helen. He understood Helen’s 
signs, which made her happy. This meeting was the beginning of a long 
friendship between Dr. Bell and Helen. Helen later recalled this interview as the 
foundation of her journey from darkness to light, “from isolation to friendship, 
companionship, knowledge and love.” 
 
Dr. Bell advised Mr. Keller to write to Dr. Anagnos, the director of the Perkins 
Institute in Boston. Her father wrote to him without any delay and got a reply in 
positive. Finally, in the March of 1887, Miss Sullivan arrived at the Keller 
house. 
 
Chapter 4 
 
The most important day of Helen’s life 
 
Miss Anne Mansfield Sullivan arrived at the house of the Keller family on the 
third of March, 1887. This was the day from which Helen’s life started to 
transform; the ailing spirit of Helen could only find solace by the knowledge 
delivered by Miss Sullivan. 
 
Beginning of the journey of knowledge with Miss Ann Sullivan 
 
Miss Sullivan gave Helen a doll, which was a present from the little blind 
students of the Perkins Institute and was dressed by Laura Bridgeman. Miss 
Sullivan spelled the word ‘D-O-L-L’ on Helen’s hands. Helen managed to 
imitate the movements of her fingers even though she was not aware of the fact 
that Miss Sullivan was trying to teach her the name of the thing. It took several 
weeks for Helen to realize that everything has a name. Miss Sullivan tried to 
teach the names of several other objects to Helen, such as “M-U-G” and “W-A-
T-E-R”, but Helen was annoyed at the repeated attempts of her teacher and she 
broke her doll on the floor. 
 
One day, when they were walking in the garden, Miss Sullivan put Helen’s 
hand under a spout of water. As the cool stream gushed over Helen’s hand, Miss 
Sullivan spelled the word “water” on the other. Then Helen realized that ‘water’ 
 
 
meant that “cool something that was flowing over [her] hand”. She experienced 
the joy of gaining knowledge. When she returned to the house, she was eager to 
learn since “every name gave birth to a new thought”. 
 
That day Helen learnt several new words, including “father”, “mother” and 
“teacher”. This eventful day left her very happy and excited. She waited eagerly 
for the upcoming new day. 
 
 
Chapter 5 
 
Helen could experience new joy as she learned the names of the objects and 
their uses. This made her more confident and familiar with the outside world. 
 
Learning lessons in the lap of nature 
 
Helen had many new experiences during her summer trip to the banks of the 
Tennessee River with Miss Sullivan. There, sitting on the warm grass, Helen 
learned lessons from her teacher. She got to know how birds make their nests; 
how trees grow with the help of the sun and the rain; how animals find food for 
themselves, etc. She became more sensitive to nature and rejoiced the company 
of the world about which she was now more informed. 
 
Helen learns that nature is not always kind 
 
One day Miss Sullivan helped Helen to climb up a tree. It was a pleasant sunny 
afternoon and they decided to have their luncheon there. Miss Sullivan left to 
fetch the food, with Helen sitting on a tree alone. Suddenly the weather became 
dark and stormy. Helen was terrified and felt alienated from the world. Helen 
longed for the return of her teacher and above all to get down from the tree. Too 
scared to jump, she “crouched down in the fork of the tree”. Just as she thought 
she would fall along with the tree, her teacher rescued her. Helen felt relieved to 
reach the ground safely. This experience taught her that nature is not always 
kind, that nature “wages open war against her children…” 
 
Rejoicing independence and a new bond with nature 
 
Helen continued to be terrified of climbing a tree for a long time. One day, 
however, she was lured to climb a ‘Mimosa tree’ by its beautiful fragrance. She 
did experience some difficulty in holding on to the large branches but the 
pleasure of attempting something new and wonderful kept her going. Finally, 
she sat down on a “little seat” and felt like a “fairy sitting on a rose cloud”.