Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille

The public perception of people who are blind as less capable and intelligent is evident during the braille demonstration at the school. The government official’s suspicion recalls the treatment which Braille received throughout his life, the way his teachers were shocked and awed by his intelligence. Partygoers listening to Braille play the piano marvel that he is “so clever for a blind man” (62). Braille is upset and insulted by their condescending comments; he doesn’t want people to view his blindness as a handicap.

Freedman draws attention to the unjust stereotypes experienced by people who are blind at this time. Instead of considering people who are blind as equally intelligent or capable of mastery—or, in fact, more capable, given the significant barriers to education which exist at this time—the public assumes that people who are blind are inferior. Braille’s invention illustrates that, with appropriate systems for learning in place, people who are blind can excel in education or in their chosen fields. Unlike in 19th-century France, this is now held as self-evident, in large part due to Braille’s invention.

Freedman portrays Braille’s strength of character. Braille fits the trope of an underdog. The deck seems stacked against him, from public opinion about blind individuals to the government’s reluctance to adopt braille to the school banning the system. In spite of these challenges, Braille perseveres. He also fits the trope of the hero, overcoming obstacles to achieve extraordinary success.

Freedman uses Braille’s story to illustrate the importance of persevering through discouraging setbacks. He represents Braille’s quiet determination as admirable and inspiring, and characterizes him as generous and kind. We see this when Braille pays for books to be copied into braille for friends and students. Braille doesn’t seek fame or gratitude, or want others to know of or celebrate his gifts and loans. He simply wants people who are blind to be brought “into the mainstream of life” and to enjoy the pleasures of reading and writing (76).

Freedman emphasizes the far-reaching impacts of Braille’s invention. He invites the reader to consider Braille’s exclusion from reading and writing as a young boy and to note that, because of him, “networks of braille libraries offer blind people a vast range of reading material from specialized technical works to popular magazines” (76). Freedman shows how one person can affect many and have an enormous impact. People who are blind around the world can read and write due to Braille’s ingenuity and determination.