With Kate’s encouragement, however, he agrees to let Annie stay. Arthur is skeptical of Annie’s teaching methods, and at one point contemplates sending her back to Massachusetts. Annie is frustrated, but refuses to leave.Īs the days go on, Annie succeeds in getting Helen to cooperate with her, but she realizes that she’ll never get Helen to learn sign language unless she can exercise total control over her pupil, independent of Arthur and Kate. She hits Annie and, at one point, locks Annie in her room and hides the key. Helen is initially reluctant to cooperate with Annie. Most importantly, Annie begins by teaching Helen the sign language for things like “dog,” “doll,” and “cake.” It’s important for Helen to memorize these signs, Annie explains to a skeptical James, so that in the future she can understand that these signs symbolize real things. To the Kellers’ surprise, Annie uses a more hands-on, aggressive approach than any of her predecessors, getting down on the floor to interact with Helen and at times punishing Helen harshly for misbehaving. Although Annie has regained her sight, she often wears smoked glasses in order to protect her sensitive eyes from bright lights.Īnnie arrives at the Keller household, where she meets Helen. Her teacher at Perkins, Anagnos, taught her a great deal, and inspired her to become a teacher, too. There she underwent an operation to regain her sight. She believes that she broke her promise to her brother-to take care of him always-and vows never to break another promise to a child.Īnnie was virtually blind as a child, and she later attended the Perkins Institute for the Blind. When Annie was still young, James died, and Annie seems to blame herself for the tragedy. She and her beloved brother, James Sullivan, had a rough early life, and spent years in an almshouse. Annie Sullivan, the audience learns, grew up in Massachusetts. She reaches out to a young woman named Annie Sullivan.
#The miracle worker play summary how to#
Helen’s half-brother, James Keller (from Arthur’s first marriage) is cynical about Helen’s chances of ever learning how to read or write, and suggests that Arthur send Helen to an asylum.Įven though the Kellers have summoned dozens of doctors to teach Helen, Kate remains cautiously optimistic. Her family does very little to change her behavior-in fact, Kate sometimes rewards Helen with candy even when she’s been bad. She can’t communicate with anyone, and so she spends her days horsing around, misbehaving, and sometimes attacking other children. Soon after, they learn that Helen has lost her ability to see or hear.įive years pass, and Helen is now a little girl. Captain Arthur Keller and his second wife, Kate Keller, summon a doctor to treat Helen for a fever.
In Alabama in the 1880s, the wealthy Keller family has just given birth to a baby girl, Helen Keller.
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