The Story of My Life · Chapter
Speech explained
This chapter details Helen Keller's journey to learn oral speech, beginning with her natural impulse to vocalize and her determination to speak like others.
What happens
This chapter details Helen Keller's journey to learn oral speech, beginning with her natural impulse to vocalize and her determination to speak like others. With the help of Miss Sarah Fuller, she learned to articulate sounds and words, and later practiced tirelessly to improve her speech. The chapter includes Miss Sullivan's account of the process, Helen's address at the Mt. Airy meeting advocating for oral education for the deaf, and reflections on the value of speech in her life.
Themes in this chapter
Language and Communication
Central theme: Helen's journey to acquire oral speech as a more natural and universal medium of communication, overcoming the limitations of the manual alphabet.
Overcoming Adversity
Helen's persistent efforts to learn to speak despite physical obstacles, her patience, and her determination to succeed against discouragements.
Love and Friendship
Speech brings Helen closer to her family and friends, enabling tender relationships and companionship.
Identity and Self-Expression
Helen's speech allows her to express her thoughts freely, asserting her identity and connecting with the world.
Characters to notice
- Helen Keller
Describes her determination to learn to speak, her joy in using speech, and her address at the Mt. Airy meeting.
- Anne Sullivan
Provides an account of Helen's speech lessons, her initial reluctance to teach speech, and her support for Helen's practice.
- Sarah Fuller
Taught Helen the English sounds and began her formal speech instruction.
- Ragnhild Kaata
Mentioned as a deaf and blind Norwegian child who learned to speak, inspiring Helen.
- Laura Bridgman
Referenced as another deaf-blind individual who showed a desire to produce sounds.
- Kate Adams Keller
Mentioned as Helen's mother, who rejoices in Helen's ability to speak and whom Helen hopes to please with her voice.
- Captain Keller
Mentioned as Helen's father, with whom she discusses political situations.
- Mildred Keller
Mentioned as Helen's little sister, who loves to hear Helen tell stories.
Key passages
“How do the blind girls know what to say with their mouths? Why do you not teach me to talk like them? Do deaf children ever learn to speak?”
Helen asked Miss Sullivan how blind girls learn to speak and why she wasn't taught to talk like them, wondering if deaf children could ever learn to speak.
This question marks the beginning of Helen's conscious desire to learn oral speech.
“One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.”
A person cannot be satisfied with crawling when they feel the urge to fly.
Helen expresses her refusal to settle for limited communication when she aspires to speak freely.
“Be of good cheer. Do not think of todays failures, but of the success that may come”
Stay encouraged and focus on future success rather than today's failures.
Helen's advice to those learning to speak and their teachers, emphasizing perseverance.
