CBSE Class 10 Answered

Anne Sullivan is best known as Helen Keller’s teacher and companion who connected her with the outside world. Miss Sullivan was not only successful in bringing Helen out of darkness and uncertainty, but also was instrumental in making her think and thereby helping her make a connection between the abstract and the physical world.

Miss Sullivan and Helen Keller were together for forty-nine years. During this period, Miss Sullivan strived hard to mentor Helen in all possible ways.  Whether it was reading books indoors or exploring the world outside, Miss Sullivan was Helen’s constant companion.

Although Miss Sullivan followed a strict schedule while teaching Helen, she carefully employed ideas that Helen would willingly accept while learning new things. She spelled each word on Helen’s palm and made her feel everything that Helen wanted to explore and know about. Miss. Sullivan even helped Helen in getting her degree from Radcliffe College despite great difficulties.

Miss. Sullivan’s lifelong companionship with Helen Keller is indeed awe-inspiring and helps people understand how a teacher through her perseverance and devotion can miraculously change a student’s life. 

Helen Keller, the writer of The Story of my Life, is also the central character and the narrator of her autobiography, which describes the story of her life up to age 21. 

Helen Keller was not born disabled. However, a serious illness in her infancy damaged her sense of hearing as well as sight. She suffered a great deal of misery and frustration in trying to communicate with others till the age of six. Helen’s life completely changed when Anne Sullivan was appointed as her teacher. With the help of a wonderful teacher and her own determination, Helen Keller not only learnt to read and write, but also acquired the skill of communicating with the outside world by her brilliant use of words and ideas.

Helen Keller graduated from Radcliffe at the age of twenty-four, becoming the first deaf blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.  She also travelled many countries with Miss Sullivan and was a strong advocate for people with disabilities. She learned to speak about her love of wanting to communicate with others, and is remembered as a world-famous speaker and author even today. 

Helen Keller is an inspiration for millions who are struggling to overcome extreme hardships in life and want to evolve their miseries into an inspiration.