Helen Keller

The power of education is one of the key themes in Helen Keller and is primarily explored through Helen’s relationship with Anne. After losing her sense of sight and hearing at just 18 months old, Helen struggles to communicate with and understand those around her. As a child, she throws tantrums and steals food from other people’s plates, having minimal sense of people’s boundaries and good and bad behavior. In a dark and silent world, young Helen functions in the only way she knows how. Anne’s introduction into Helen’s life gives Helen the opportunity to learn, an opportunity that allows her to reframe her understanding of the world while learning to respect others. It also encourages her to continue growing and learning outside of necessity. Not only does Anne’s guidance make it possible for Helen to functionally communicate, but it also helps her to thrive and live fully in a limitless world.

Helen first learns to communicate via sign language and to read using braille, and she comes to love learning even more. She reads voraciously and listens eagerly to the books that Anne reads to her by signing the words into Anne’s hands. When Helen decides to go to college, it appears to partially be a means to further challenge herself and to partially be out of a sheer love of learning.