View From The Empire State Seeing Helen Keller Summary

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Being visually impaired doesn’t do away with your ability to be open minded and “see” the world in a positive way. One can have vision, but no sight. This is showcased in “View From the Empire State Building”, a letter from Helen Keller. When she says “I am convinced that, until we have looked into darkness, we cannot know what a divine thing vision is” (Keller 739). Even though she can not see the view from the Empire state building , she is optimistic and “sees” the positive from her disability. Keller also states that “perhaps [she] beheld a brighter prospect than [her] companions with two good eyes” (Keller 739). With this statement she is saying even with a disability you are able to view things differently, she has a positive outlook on life. Even though her friends with two good eyes can physically see, they cannot imagine, or dream like she can. Helen Keller has vision but no sight. …show more content…

The interpretation of this is meaning, once she has lost her sight the soul is not gone with it. There is still an ability to “see”. Sight is not necessarily in the eyes, but within yourself. The meaning of vision when referring to loss of sight is what you are able to imagine and regain from your past. You may not be able to see what’s in front of you, but you can see yourself in the future, which is a gift people with two good eyes take for granted. Nijland also writes that “reading does not require eyes/ So much was certain” (lines 38-39). She has embraced her disability, and has realized that for one to see the world and “see” the pages of a book, eyes are not needed. Optimism is the best ability one can hold, and when sight is lost, optimism is gained. One can not have sight, but have vision

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