Helen In The Miracle Worker

A lot of people say ¨think outside the box.¨ Most of the people who say it, can't explain it. The phrase means to think creatively and uniquely. Authors often have characters who have these traits. Helen, in The Miracle Worker by William Gibson, thinks outside the box. Gibson in The Miracle Worker also shows Annie as being able to think outside the box.The two characters use their talents in a creative manner. The two that think uniquely are Helen and Annie.

Annie thinks outside the box by asking Kate and Keller for the old garden house to be transformed into an old ¨school.¨ After receiving the garden house from Keller for two weeks, Annie says, ¨Two weeks, for only one miracle?¨(71) Annie is grateful that Keller even gave her the garden

Helen uses her disabilities, deafness, blindness and pity, creatively. “Guess one little tea-cake ain’t gonna ruin your appetite.”(21) Keller in particular here, gives Helen reward when she does not deserve it. My theory is that they feel bad for Helen. They have pity for her. Helen is smart. She acts hurt now just to get a reward. The only way they can control her is with rewards. Every time Helen throws a temper tantrum, they give her sweets so she will stop. Helen has been taught this her whole life, so she isn’t learning she doesn’t get everything she wants. Some day in her life when she doesn’t get what she wants, what will she do? Physically hurt someone or worse? Imagine what would happen if she was in an asylum later in her life. She would be treated terribly. They need to not listen to her or give her any attention when she does that so she knows that it is not ok to do that. Another way Helen got candy was when she purposely kicked Mr. Keller so many times, he just had to make her stop by giving her a reward to stop. Another way Helen uses her disability of her parents pity to her advantage was when Helen locked Annie in her room and hid the key in her mouth. “Kate with Helen at the pump, opening her hands looking for the key.”(37) Helen is smart because she knows that because she doesn’t use her mouth, no one will look for the key there. Kate looks everywhere except for her mouth since