Helen Keller

Helen Keller is an outstanding example of a person who did not allow her physical handicap to deter her from achieving great things in life. Helen Keller was born in Alabama, United States of America in 1880. She was just below two years old when she had a serious illness and she soon lost her sight and hearing. Due to this, she was unable to speak and was entirely shut off from the world. For almost five years, she grew up as she wished, because her parents were at a loss as to what to do. She threw tantrums, was unruly and totally indisciplined. All that came to an end when Anne Sullivan came into her life at the age of seven. Anne Sullivan was a remarkable person too. She was nearly blind during her childhood but after two surgeries her sight was partially restored. She was a teacher in an institution for the blind before she came to teach Helen Keller. She dedicated the rest of her life to Helen Keller and her work. Anne Sullivan taught Helen to write through the sense of touch. She used the letters of the alphabet to make Helen feel and identify them. Then, Anne Sullivan spelt out words on Helens hand. Gradually Helen could connect words with the objects. Once she understood this, her learning process was very rapid. It only took her three years to learn the alphabet as well as read and write in Braille. Helen only used sign language until she was ten years old. Although Helen was not dumb, she could not speak. This was because she was deaf and blind and this made it difficult for her to understand how sounds are made. However, Helen wanted to learn how to speak and so she took special lessons from the teacher of the deaf. By the age of sixteen, Helen could communicate so well that she completed her secondary school education and went on to a prestigious college. She was only twenty-four when she graduated with honours. All through her years in college Anne Sullivan was with her, helping her to listen to the lectures and class discussions. Helen Kellers way of listening was to put one finger on the speakers nose, one on the lips and the thumb on the larynx which is found in the throat. After college, Helen Keller became involved with organisations and institutions dealing with blind and deaf-blind people. She raised money to give proper education to those who had sight and hearing problems. She was continuously working to help people in need. Her work was not confined to the United States alone but all over the world especially in the developing nations. Her life story has inspired many people in all walks of life. She has proven that in spite of disabilities, we can lead a life of fulfillment. She has taught us that the most important thing in life is never to give up and to keep trying until we succeed. Helen Keller was 88 when she died in 1968. She will always be remembered for her courage and kindness.