Helen Keller

by Andrea Hawkins
(North Carolina)

I remember watching The Miracle Worker with my mother when I was a child and it is still one of my favorite movies to this day. Helen Keller changed a lot for persons who were deaf especially at that time in society. To become the first deaf and blind person to graduate from college was a huge accomplishment especially with limited technology.

Anne Sullivan was a fantastic teacher, she taught Helen everything and what a struggle that was. In the movie Helen is very stubborn, I suppose it was those strong minded efforts that's made Helen such a great figure. To think she learned how to talk by feeling the vibrations through her teacher's throat--what a marvel. It helps you to appreciate the language more when you understand the struggle.

Over the years history has taught us the struggles of Slavery and the endurance African Americans had to go through. History has taught of the struggle and fight Indians had and even the injustice Mexican and Hispanic Cultures had to face. Yet we were not taught the cruelty that Deaf and Blind persons struggled with everyday. Imagine being a grown adult and not being able to marry, buy land or being labeled as a Non-person in the law of the very land you were born. How sad that must have been. So when a young woman proves to the world that not only can you live day to day but you CAN be educated and respected I am sure as we see today the world will listen.