historical study

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller is an autobiography illustrating her insistent desire in learning how to write and read and defeating her deafness and blindness at the same time. This book records her life back from when she was as young as 4. Due to the loss of sight and hearing at the age of 19 months, Helen lived her life in frustration and pain in her early life. She couldn't understand her family because she didn't yet learn how to communicate. To solve that, her parents hired Ms. Anne Sullivan who influenced her the most. Even througt special education with Ms. Sullivan, Helen coulsn't communicate with her family without Ms. Sullivan's translations. Yet, Helen didn't give up. Her passion for learning how to read and write overcame the obstacles. Her improvements on reading, writing, and arithmetic amazed her teachers and family. She has succeeded in many many areas which helped her to get in college. On her way, there were events that made her learn that deafness can be conquered, such as the blind institution, etc. The students in blind institution were one of Helen's inspiration in learning. Since they lived states away, Helen must contact her friends by mail. That motivated Helen's will to write more. The attached letters in the book shows how much she's improved since she first started to write. This book has taught us lessons that we would never learn in everyday life. Helen Keller defeated her disabilities and lived went to college as a result of her hardworks. Her courage and insistence should be admired. Teenagers nowadays worry much more on appearance or etc rather than their future. This book shows the lesson of working hard, and anything would be possible.

Helen Keller- The Story of My Life
By: Helen Keller
Reveiwed by: J. Yang
Period: P.4

In the first nineteen months of Helen Keller's life, she is a normal child like us. Suddenly, a high fever gets on Helen Keller and makes her deaf and blind. Forever, she is in a dark, silent world. Anne Sullivan is Helen's teacher. She teaches Helen how to communicate with signs and gestures. Helen Keller also learns to read and write.

What I liked about this book is that it is very deltailed. The story gives details on Helen's feelings, the enviroment, and whatever Helen Keller feels. "On the afternoon of that eventful day, I stood on the porch, dumb, expectant." You can actually feel how Helen Keller feels. When I read this book, I always feel how Helen feels. I guess the book is very descriptive!

Another thing I liked in this book was when Helen Keller was learning. Anne Sullivan is a great, loving teacher. Anne loved Helen. "Miss Sullivan put her arm gently round me and spelled into my hand, "I love Helen."" Helen asks about what was love, and Anne Sullivan said to her that love is in your heart. Anne is a very passionate person.

My favorite part of the book was when Helen went to the sea. She went with Anne Sullivan. Helen went into the sea for her first swim. All the waves were splashing on her. Helen Keller drank some of the water up and then she said, "Who put salt in the water?" Finally, Anne Sullivan carried Helen out of the water for a little rest.

Many had to read this book in school, along with other great and inspiritationl reads such as "The Diary of Anne Frank" or even great fiction like "To Kill a Mockingbird." And the reason I didn't have to read it is probably the one that causes me to like it so much. I came to this book while an adult, after reading something on the Internet about Keller. Fascinated, I delved into her life and all that was around it. Hence, my first foray into her past was "The Story of My Life." This is a remarkable little book regardless of who wrote it, but consider the source and it's absolutely amazing. The sheer precision and depth this book has is just astounding. Yes, it's inspiritational, but besides that, it's one heck of a well-put-together book!

Also, if you are interested in Helen Keller's life, please try two other great reads: The first is a bio by Herrmann which delves more into the minutae of Keller's life, and the second is a work of fiction which has quotes from "The Story of My Life" at the beginning of each of its chapters. This book is called "The Bark of the Dogwood," and while it's pretty shocking and steamy in places, it ultimately takes it's inspiration from Keller, along with a host of other southerners.