the Miracle Worker

Page 1
ENG 087-003
Essay

The Miracle Worker Introduction The following paper explains about the life and the work of Helen Keller. It also focuses on her last silent film The Miracle Worker. I’ll be discussing the plot, characters and a few scenes that I found interesting from the beginning to the end, I’ll be discussing the life of Helen Keller on Screen and off screen.
The Miracle Worker is based on a remarkable true story of Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan, her efforts in working with a young sullen Helen Keller Hallie Kate Eisenberg. One night in 1882, at the Alabama home of Captain and Mrs. Keller, a doctor examines a baby in a crib while her parents stand anxiously by. At last he smiles, and tells them the crisis has passed, she will recover from the illness. Her parents respond with joy and relief. Captain Keller Victor Jory goes with the doctor to show him out, Mrs. Keller Inga Swenson stays with the baby, smiling, talking and gently tucking the covers around her. There was something about the baby's face catches her attention. She is at first puzzled, then frightened. She calls out for Captain Keller, who returns at a run. She blurts out her fears to him, he grabs up the lantern and waves it before the baby's eyes, and screams her name to get a reaction all without result. Baby Helen is now irrevocably blind and deaf. By 1887, Helen has grown into a healthy but extremely difficult child. Helen parents, her Great Aunt EV, her older half-brother James and the domestic help have all given up trying to communicate with her or control her. She is allowed to wander wherever she wants and do as she pleases. But after an incident in which she tips her new baby sister violently out of her cradle so she can use it for her doll, it is clear something must be done about her soon. Mrs. Keller can't bear to have her shut up in an asylum, so Captain Keller reluctantly agrees to find a teacher/companion for her Page 2 Annie Sullivan is a 20-year-old Irish-American girl, newly graduated from the Perkins Institute for the Blind in South Boston and is recommended for the position. She is still recovering from a series of operations that have only partially restored her own vision. She has a reputation for being stubborn and is haunted by a tragic past. But she has a plan and is greatly determined to make a place for herself in the world and a better world for her new student. At the Keller's home her first meeting with Helen is promising. She quickly recognizes Helen's intelligence and curiosity. She has brought a doll for the little girl and Helen is delighted with it. Annie seizes the opportunity to introduce Helen to the alphabet for the deaf by spelling the word doll against Helen's palm. Intrigued, Helen spells it back to her, imitating the letters perfectly. Pleased, Annie tries another word but Helen is more interested in the doll than the new finger game. Annie makes the mistake of trying to take the doll away from her, and Helen uses the doll to lambaste her in the mouth. While Annie is surveying the damage, Helen quickly locks her in the bedroom, takes the key and runs away. Annie is able to get her employers attention and alert them to her dilemma. In the uproar that follows Mrs. Keller searches Helen for the key but doesn't find it so Captain Keller decides the best way to affect a rescue is to put a ladder up to the bedroom window, climb it, and carry Annie back down. Despite Annie's protests that she can climb down herself, she makes the descent seated precariously on Captain Keller's shoulder. Crisis resolved, Captain Keller orders everyone back inside to sit down to lunch. Annie stays behind for a moment or two to watch Helen, who is sitting quietly by the water pump on the well cover holding her doll. After a moment she gets up and carefully feels around for anyone else who might still be present. At last satisfied that she's alone, she takes the key to Annie's bedroom door out of her mouth, and drops it into the well through a crack in the well cover. Annie observes this with mingled amusement and irritation and she promises Helen and herself that she won't be gotten rid of so easily. Next day at breakfast Annie watches in disgust as Helen wanders about the table, taking food from each person's plate with her hands, and cramming it into her mouth. The adults pay no attention to her obviously accustomed to this behavior. When Helen reaches for Annie's plate, Annie quietly fends off her hand. Helen is shocked at first, considers what has happened and reaches again, all the more determined to take something from this stranger's plate. A scuffle ensues Captain Keller intercedes, explaining to Annie that they found this to be the easiest course, and the only way they can have a relatively civilized meal. Annie decides it's high time to begin her student's lessons. She chases the family out of the room, and the battle is on. It's a long and violent process Helen is as determined as Annie, and both girls know this is more than just a fight about plates and napkins. After a struggle which lasts into the afternoon and leaves both girls battered and bruised, Annie emerges as the victor barely. Helen runs to her mother for comfort and Mrs. Keller angrily asks Annie what happened. She eat from her own plate says Annie, softly She ate with a spoon Herself. And she folded her napkin. Mrs. Keller receives this news in wonder, seeing some hope for Helen for the first time, she folded her napkin. Annie hits on a plan to get Helen to tolerate her she brings Percy in from the other room. Helen recoils at first, then recognizes Percy and is overjoyed to have him there. Annie sits on the other side of Percy, takes his hand, and begins to show him how to spell using the finger signs. When Helen discovers what's going on she tries at first to keep Percy away from Annie, then curiosity overcomes her and she tries to eavesdrop on the new signs Annie is teaching. At last, consumed with jealousy, she pushes Percy out of the way, and holds up her own hand defiantly, to be taught the new signs herself. Annie signs the word milk against her palm, and she repeats it back to her. Annie gives her a glass of milk, and helps her into bed. Detente has been reached, and the work can begin. In the days that follow, Helen learns many new things how to wash and dress herself, how to feed and clean up after herself...how to climb a tree, how to wade in a creek how to play hide the thimble. She also learns many new words. But she still doesn't understand what she's doing, and in quiet moments it's clear she misses her mother and her old way of life. Mrs. Keller has been missing Helen, too. As previously agreed, she has come to the house each day to watch her without her knowledge, and to learn from Annie the alphabet Helen is learning. She is pleased with Helen's progress and shares Annie's hope that some spark of understanding will eventually ignite in Helen's brain. But the month Annie was given to teach Helen without family interference is drawing to a close and Mrs. Keller is not willing to persuade Captain Keller to extend it. On the last day when Mrs. Keller comes for her Annie must hand her over. Page 3 The next day they sit down, and grace and Annie hands Helen her napkin and watches as she drops it on the floor. She picks it up, and puts it on her lap Helen removes it, and drops it on the floor again. Annie rises to take Helen from the table, but she flees to her mother for comfort. Mrs. Keller tries to smooth things over, saying that it's only a napkin, nothing breakable. And everything I've taught her is retorts Annie. Mrs. Keller finally relents, handing Helen over to Annie. But Captain Keller intervenes, saying there is no need to discipline the child on her first night back. He sits Helen down and fills a plate for her, hands her a spoon, and goes back to his own place. Helen throws the spoon across the room, grabs a handful of food and tries to stuff it into her mouth. Annie grabs her and drags her away from the table. In the struggle that follows, the water pitcher is upset, and Annie grabs it, and drags Helen out to the pump to make her refill it. Captain Keller begins to follow, intent on intervening again, but his way is blocked by his son, James who finally finds the courage to tell him he is wrong that he must back down and allow this Yankee girl to teach Helen the discipline she needs so that she can go on learning. Outside, Annie makes Helen hold the pitcher under the pump, while she works the pump handle. As the cold water pours over the pitcher and Helen's hand, Annie automatically spells the word water against her free hand. W-A-T-E-R, water, she says aloud, a lesson she has repeated many times. It has a name, and the name stands for the thing she stops, noticing that Helen is standing transfixed, a look of profound realization dawning on her face. The pitcher drops from her hands and shatters. Something is coming to her out of the past. The water from the pump is dripping on her hands. "Wah.....Wah...." she says, with great difficulty...."Wah....Wah."The water has stopped flowing. Helen hits the faucett frantically, to indicate she wants it to flow again. Annie pumps, and the water flows over Helen's hands again. "Wah....Wah..." she says...and reaches for Annie's hand to spell the word against her palm. Annie puts Helen's hands on her face and nods to confirm that she is correct. Helen grabs the pump handle and pumps wildly herself, then holding Annie's hand under the stream of water, she spells the word against her palm again. With Helen's hands on her face, Annie nods again this is, indeed, water. She knows the connection has been made, the spark has ignited, and now Helen knows! And suddenly she realizes that this is only the start that there is much, much more for her to learn, and she wants to know it all, everything, all at once! In frenzy, she runs around, dragging Annie after her, touching things and then holding out her hand for Annie to spell their names. Annie follows, spelling to her as fast as she can, and she calls out for Mrs. Keller to come out. The whole family spills out of the house, and when Helen bumps against her mother and father, Annie spells each of their names to her in turn, and cries out to them jubilantly that Helen finally knows As they embrace her, Annie goes back to sit by the pump on the well cover, overcome with emotion. After a few moments, Helen pulls free from her sobbing parents, and finds her way over to Annie. Shyly, she points toward her she wants to know her name this wonderful stranger who has turned the light back on in her mind, and put the world into her hand. Annie spells the word Teacher against her palm. Helen goes back to her mother, reaches into her pocket for the door keys she cached there earlier. She spells Teacher against her mother's palm, and brings the keys back to Annie. Later that night, Annie sits alone in a rocker on the upper porch of the house. A door behind her opens, and Helen comes out to her. She kisses Annie and cuddles into her lap. Lost and found combatants and companion’s rescuer and rescued two turbulent souls at peace together at last.

Conclusion