# Chapter XVIII explained — The Story of My Life

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

## What happens

Helen Keller enters the Cambridge School for Young Ladies in October 1896 to prepare for Radcliffe College. She describes the challenges of studying with seeing and hearing students, the support of Miss Sullivan and teachers like Mr. Gilman and Frau Gröte, her coursework in German, Latin, English literature, and history, and her successful preliminary examinations for Radcliffe in 1897.

## Themes in this chapter

### Education and Knowledge

Helen's rigorous academic preparation for Radcliffe, including studies in German, Latin, English literature, and history.

### Overcoming Adversity

Helen's determination to compete with seeing and hearing students despite the challenges of blindness and deafness.

### Language and Communication

Reliance on Miss Sullivan's finger spelling, lip reading, and typewriter for classroom participation and examinations.

## Character check-ins

### Helen Keller

Narrator and protagonist; enters Cambridge School to prepare for Radcliffe.

### Anne Sullivan

Accompanies Helen to classes, interprets instruction, and assists with studies.

### Arthur Gilman

Principal of Cambridge School; teaches English literature and reads examination papers to Helen.

### Kate Adams Keller

Visits Helen at Christmas with Mildred.

### Mildred Keller

Stays with Helen in Cambridge for six months, studying at the school.

### Frau Gröte

German teacher who learns the finger alphabet to instruct Helen.

## Key lines

> When I was a little girl, I visited Wellesley and surprised my friends by the announcement, 'Some day I shall go to college—but I shall go to Harvard!'

As a child, Helen declared her ambition to attend Harvard rather than Wellesley, surprising her companions.

_Highlights Helen's early determination to pursue a college education at a prestigious institution._

> Miss Sullivan could not spell out in my hand all that the books required, and it was very difficult to have textbooks embossed in time to be of use to me

Helen faced obstacles because Miss Sullivan could not manually spell every book passage, and braille textbooks were often delayed.

_Illustrates the practical difficulties of Helen's education despite supportive friends._

> I took my preliminary examinations for Radcliffe from the 29th of June to the 3rd of July in 1897. The subjects I offered were Elementary and Advanced German, French, Latin, English, and Greek and Roman history, making nine hours in all. I passed in everything, and received 'honours' in German and English.

Helen passed all her preliminary exams for Radcliffe in 1897, earning honors in German and English.

_Demonstrates Helen's academic success and the effectiveness of her preparation._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/chapters/xviii
- 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