The Miracle Worker

The Miracle Worker
In The Miracle Worker, William Gibson shows that with enough determination and perseverance, you can achieve what others perceive to be impossible. The story portrays the life of Annie Sullivan, a young Northerner, Helen Keller, a blind, deaf, stubborn child, and their progression of connecting by overcoming obstacles and understanding each other and the world around them. In the story, Annie succeeds in teaching Helen that all things have names and meanings, and over time those actions opened up many doors to Helen and Helen’s family.
For Helen, understanding that everything has a name and meaning, opened up many doors for her to live as much of a normal life as possible. One example of that was the door to communication with her family and the world around her. When Helen learned the meaning and names of specific objects, such as dinning utensils and food, it made it so that she could eat with proper etiquette and understand what the utensils she was using to eat were meant for and why. Another door that was opened to Helen was the door to communication. She was able to communicate with her family and understand who everyone was and their meaning to her. She did this by performing different hand signs. An overall door that was opened to Helen was the ability to learn. Overtime, she learned how to use certain objects like dinning utensils, how to dress herself on her own, and she learned a variety of activities such as knitting, crocheting, and beading. Lastly, she was able to go to school to learn and understand why she was different then everyone else and how she can help other people like her. Throughout Helen’s life, the challenges and obstacles she had to face everyday eventually became scarce after Annie Sullivan helped her understand the world around her, opening up doors to her so she could move on and live her life. Many doors were also opened up to Helen’s family. The door to communication between Helen and her parents was a very important door that was open, due to the miracle that Annie had created. Helen was able to treat her parents with respect by not throwing tantrums every time she didn’t get what she wanted, and she respected their space by not eating everything on their plates with her hands. Communication was a big part of Helen’s understanding because of the connection she made between certain things and their meanings. She was able to communicate the way she was feeling and the things she wanted or needed to her parents without them pitying her and her throwing tantrums. Over time within the story, James became more courageous in standing up to his father and he didn’t let him push him around anymore. In the dining room scene, James had shown courage and self respect by standing up to his father and telling him that “this time, maybe it’s not you who is right.” Not only did the miracle affect the life of Helen, but it affected the life of everyone around her, bringing the family closer together; it established a new and improved easier life for everyone.
Throughout the story, a miracle was created and Annie Sullivan had succeeded in teaching Helen that all things have names and meanings. Over time those actions opened up many doors to Helen and Helen’s family, creating a happier less stressful life for everyone who surrounded and loved Helen. The life of Helen Keller changed drastically into something that seemed to be impossible. Her life blossomed letting her graduate collage and even becoming a famous speaker and a woman’s right advocate, all because of the miracle Annie created and the doors that were finally opened up to her.