The Miracle Worker by William Gibson

Marisa Caminos November 7, 2010

English 2-Honor Essay #1

In the book, The Miracle Worker by William Gibson a young girl, Helen Keller, who is blind and deaf; and a young woman, Annie Sullivan, who was blind, try to make a connection of emotions through the teaching of language. Helen has many emotional break downs and typically acts like a young child because of the lack of knowledge. Due to Helen's condition, Annie is hired in attempt to teach her how to become obedient. Since Annie and Helen have, or are suffering from blindness they both at some time had experienced isolation. During Annie's stay with Helen, Annie had discovered something that could possibly release Helen from the isolation she was experiencing. In addition, Helen had also helped Annie out of her isolation.

Throughout the book, The Miracle Worker by William Gibson, Helen Keller experiences isolation. Since Helen has to deal with this isolation, she acts immature for her age. Helen is isolated because she has the inability to hear or see; she also cannot express her feelings or emotions. Subsequently from the isolation, Helen acts strangely because she is handicapped from the realization of how the society acts and speaks. She also acts bizarrely because she has no means of expressing her feelings to others. Virtually she has no life without some form of language, "...what is she without words? (101)". Lack of communication with other people in her surroundings is the main cause of her isolation.

Towards the end of the book, The Miracle Worker Annie Sullivan, Helen's teacher, believes she has discovered a way to release Helen from her isolation. Annie believes that if Helen had a form of communication with others she would be released from the confinement she's caught in. Annie tells the Keller's that if she could just have one more week in the garden house with Helen she could teach her how to communicate with others. She also told them that obedience is essential to Helen's future, however, communication would be a large benefactor to her forthcoming success. Annie believes it is the key to Helen's awakening of life, "...words, why, you can see five thousand years back in a light of words, everything we feel, think, know-and share, in words, so not a soul is in darkness, or done with, even in the grave" (104). Annie thinks that language will help Helen by giving her a way of communicating with people in her surroundings.

Likewise, Annie had encountered isolation too. When Annie was little, she was separated from her parents and this separation initially caused feelings of isolation. Then, when Annie left her brother, Jimmie, in the asylum to get her eyesight fixed she felt guilt. Annie had felt this because she had earlier promised him that she would never leave his side. If this didn't seem like enough,