Miracle Worker Research Paper

“You will face your greatest opposition when you are closest to your biggest miracle,” was said by Shannon Alder to describe the nature of miracles. The play “The Miracle Worker” by William Gibson is the remarkable story of handicapped Helen Keller, and it has these phenomenal miracles with their struggles and obstacles in various forms. Out of the many miracles present in the play, the three most obvious were Annie teaching Helen the concept of a word, Annie changing the way the Kellers viewed Helen’s disabilities, and Annie’s capability of loving again.

One of the most apparent and anticipated miracle of the play is Annie teaching Helen. In the process of teaching Helen, Annie faced many obstacles. An excerpt from the play is “Miss Sullivan, you are here only as a paid teacher. Nothing more, and not to lecture--” (Ⅱ,Ⅱ). This was

said by Keller to Annie after she tries to discipline Helen, and it shows how the family’s attitude toward Annie’s role as a teacher makes it problematic to get through to Helen.

James also depicts skepticism when he says, “You won’t open her. Why can’t you let her be?” (Act 2, Scene 7). James not having faith in Helen to learn portrays how. Annie is persistent, and she finally teaches Helen that everything has a name. Annie’s ability to be courageous against all odds proves to be a primary reason that the miracle of Helen understanding occurs.

Another miracle that takes place in “The Miracle Worker” is Annie changing the way the Kellers thought about Helen’s disabilities. A text from the play “Deprived child, the least she can have are the little things she wants,” (Act 1, Scene 3) describes how the Kellers thought that Helen should be pitied for being handicapped. Due to this, Helen is defiant, disobedient, and spoiled. After Annie sees Helen’s behavior, she says “The whole house turns on her whims, is there anything she wants that

she doesn't get? I’ll tell you what I pity, that the sun won’t rise and set for her all her life, and every day you’re telling her it will, what good will your pity do her when you’re under the strawberries, Captain Keller?” (Act 2, Scene 2). This passage explains how Annie doesn’t believe that Helen should be given pity, and instead, she should be disciplined. In the two weeks given to Annie to teach Helen, Helen becomes obedient. Shortly after she is returned, Helen starts to misbehave. This causes Annie to say, “Let me keep her to what she’s learned and she’ll go on learning from me. Take her out of my hands and it all comes apart.” (Act 3, Scene 3) The excerpt shows that Annie believes that everything that has been taught to Helen in the two week will go in vain if the Kellers treat Helen in the same manner they always have. Kate understands the situation at hand and permits Annie to “take [Helen]” (Act 3, Scene 3). James depicts understanding when he stands up to Keller on the issue by saying that “[Annie’s] right, Kate’s right, I’m right, and you’re wrong… has it ever occurred to you that on one occasion you might be consummately wrong?” (Act 3, Scene 3). This excerpt portrays how James believes that Annie’s methods are correct. Keller comprehends after the miracle occurs. Due to the difficulty of erasing six years worth of pity, changing the way the Kellers thought was nothing short of a miracle.