Helen Keller – an Inspirational Woman

Helen Keller is one of the most memorable women in history. She was truly an exceptional and courageous person with inner strength. She was certainly a hero. Helen Keller was blind and deaf, and although that left her and her family devastated, she did not let this major obstacle ruin her good spirits or her life.

Despite being blind as well as deaf, she learned to communicate and lived a life devoted to helping others. Her faith, determination, and spirit helped her to accomplish far more than many people expected. In fact, she won the admiration of numerous famous figures such as Mark Twain, Alexander Graham Bell and William James.

In June of 1880, Helen Keller was born in the city of Tuscumbia, Alabama. She was born as a perfectly healthy baby. When Helen was nineteen months old, she developed an illness that resulted in both blindness and deafness. It has thought that the sickness was either meningitis or scarlet fever. She communicated with her family by making signs and body language. As Helen grew older, she became very stressful with herself for she was unable to communicate with other people. She had a very bad tantrum, which no one can help her. They consulted with Alexander Graham Bell, who worked with the deaf, and he suggested they hire Anne Sullivan as Helen’s teacher. This decision would change Helen’s life forever.

Anne Sullivan was a determined, young teacher who had lived with blindness herself until undergoing successful surgery. Anne would be teaching her student proper behavior in everyday situations along with academic lessons. After establishing what would become a lifelong relationship, Anne began to teach Helen the alphabet by finger spelling the sign language letters into the palm of Helen’s hand. Soon, Helen recognized the letter combinations that Anne finger spelled to her. Helen had an unrelenting desire to learn. Anne continued to work with her eager student on finger spelling. Helen soon learned how to read Braille, write, and even started trying to speak. Together with the help of her beloved teacher Anne Sullivan, who was also partially blind, Helen was able to achieve many goals in life.

Helen Keller had aspirations of going to college. She was a person who did not allow her physical challenges to deter her dreams. In 1904, Helen Keller was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree from Radcliffe College.

After graduating, Helen Keller spent the rest of her life working on behalf of blind and deaf people all over the world. With Anne at her side, she went on speaking tours and wrote articles on the significant role these individuals have in our society. Her far-reaching work won her high honors such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Among her other written works, The Story of My Life, serves as an inspirational book for individuals both blind and sighted.

Helen Keller is a figure of inspiration to many. Despite having disabilities, she overcame those and strived for knowledge. No obstacle in her life stopped her from achieving her dream. Her continuous struggle and optimistic attitude led her to the level she is and will be on forever. Helen Keller indeed dedicated her life to helping others. She was a writer, speaker, and advocate with a spirit of determination known throughout the world. Her incredible life of eighty-seven years will be celebrated for centuries to come.

Works Cited

1. Berger, E. (1998). Helen Keller: A Life. Penguin Books.
2. Herrmann, D. (1998). Helen Keller: A Photographic Story of a Life. DK Children.
3. Larsen, D. (2019). Helen Keller: A Biography. Routledge.
4. Keller, H. (1903). The Story of My Life. Doubleday, Page & Co.
5. Swift, H. G. (2008). The Life and Times of Helen Keller. Read Books.
6. Keller, H. (2003). The World I Live In. Dover Publications.
7. Herrmann, D. (2003). Helen Keller: Selected Writings. NYU Press.
8. Helen Keller International. (n.d.). About Helen Keller. Retrieved from https://www.hki.org/about-hki/helen-keller
9. National Women's History Museum. (n.d.). Helen Keller. Retrieved from https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/helen-keller
10. American Foundation for the Blind. (n.d.). Helen Keller: AFB and Helen Keller. Retrieved from https://www.afb.org/about-afb/history/helen-keller