# The Story of My Life explained — The Story of My Life

> Chapter companion for The Story of My Life by Helen Keller.

## What happens

Helen Keller introduces her autobiography, reflecting on the early years of her life before and after the illness that left her deaf and blind. She describes her first attempts at communication through signs and her close bond with Martha Washington and Belle the dog, leading up to the arrival of Anne Sullivan.

## Themes in this chapter

### Language and Communication

Helen describes her early attempts to communicate through signs and gestures before formal language instruction began.

### Overcoming Adversity

Helen's struggle to make sense of a world without sight or sound, and her family's efforts to find help for her.

## Character check-ins

### Helen Keller

Narrator and subject of the autobiography, reflecting on her early childhood and the onset of her disabilities.

### Kate Adams Keller

Helen's mother, who first suspected Helen's sight and hearing were impaired and sought help for her.

### Captain Keller

Helen's father, who took her to see Dr. Alexander Graham Bell and later arranged for Miss Sullivan to come.

### Martha Washington

The cook's daughter and Helen's early playmate, who communicated with Helen through signs.

### Alexander Graham Bell

The inventor who advised Helen's father and helped connect them with the Perkins Institution.

## Key lines

> The little birdies are asleep up there in the tree.

Helen recalls her mother's gentle explanation that birds sleep in trees at night.

_Illustrates Helen's early understanding of nature through her mother's words._

> Thus I came up out of Egypt and stood before Sinai, and a power divine touched my spirit and gave it sight, so that I beheld many wonders.

Helen describes her awakening to language as a profound, almost religious transformation.

_Metaphor for the breakthrough in communication that changed her life._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/chapters/i-the-story-of-my-life
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/chapters