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The Miracle Worker Background
William Gibson created a “teleplay” a television play based on Helen Keller‟s autobiography The Story of My Life, and letters from Annie Sullivan.
He adapted the production for the stage which later became the famous 1962 Academy Award winning version with Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke.
Later in 2000, Disney did a remake starring Hallie Kate Eisenberg.
Author of The Miracle Worker William Gibson
Was born in the Bronx, New York, on November 13, 1914.
The Miracle Worker is his second Broadway production for which he is best known.
Gibson was fascinated with Annie Sullivan‟s triumph as Helen Keller‟s teacher, which led him to write about her accomplishments.
See more information on the handout.
Characters in The Miracle Worker
Helen Keller
Annie Sullivan
Captain Keller (Helen‟s Father)
Kate Keller (Helen‟s Mother)
James Keller (Helen‟s Step-brother)
Anagnos
Aunt Ev
Martha
Percy
Viney
Offstage Voices
Stage Direction mini-lesson
What is it?
Definition:
A playwright‟s instruction/directions to the
director and actors (written in the script)
Describes the position of the actors on the
Stage.
Basic Stage Vocabulary
Stage directions apply to the actor as he/she faces the audience
Stage Right -R- the actor‟s right
Stage Left –L- the actor‟s left
Downstage -D- nearest the audience
Upstage -U- away from the audience
C – Center Stage
Other Stage Vocabulary
Onstage – the acting area within the set, visible to the audience
Offstage – the parts of the stage not enclosed by the setting
Backstage – the area behind the setting
Wings – the offstage areas to the left and right of the acting area
House – the auditorium where the audience sits (also called „outfront‟)
Body Positions
Five basic positions:
One quarter
Full front
Profile
Three quarter
Full back
Act One (Pages 5-38)
Scene 1:
Setting= The Keller Household (Night time)
Inside the Keller Household:
Three adults surround a crib, in lamplight. They
have been through a long vigil, and it shows in
their tired bearing and disarranged clothing.
(Captain Keller, Kate Keller, and the Doctor)
Act One (Pages 5-38)
1. What was the doctor's diagnosis of the baby?
2. Explain how Helen is James's half sister.
3. Why was Helen searching for buttons?
4. What two presents did Annie receive for herself prior to her
departure from the Perkins Institute?
5. Why did Kate give Helen a peppermint drop?
6. What was Kate's first impression of Annie Sullivan?
7. What was the first word that Annie signed into Helen's hand?
8. State the philosophy behind Annie's first instructional lesson for
Helen.
What does this mean? A little background please!
She has the constitution of a goat
She isn‟t battle-scarred yet
I call it acute congestion of the stomach and brain
The slow tune of a distant belfry approaching in a crescendo and then fading
The family was talking, but in pantomime.
She is a woman steeled in grief.
Now that you‟re marshal, you‟ll have this Yankee money.
I‟m badgered enough here by females without your impudence.
I might as well try to work in a hen yard.
This house is at 6‟s and 7‟s.
It was not our affliction I meant you to write about.
Teach an iota of discipline
I‟ll thank you not to broach it again.
He paws his papers to the floor.
It was always an Irish battle.
The battle is dead and done with; why not let it stay buried?
She has the constitution of a goat.
constitution the physical makeup of the individual especially with respect to the health, strength, and appearance of the body.
Inference
She is very healthy.
Goats are sturdy animals that can eat garbage and still remain healthy.
She isn‟t battle-scarred yet.
battle-scarred
damaged or affected by fighting
Background Information
Mrs. Keller was Captain Keller‟s second wife. Helen was her first child.
Inference
Mrs. Keller isn‟t used to dealing with the trials of being a mother.
Acute congestion of heart and stomach
acute: bad or difficult,
experienced to a severe or intense degree
congestion: accumulation
of body fluids
Background
In the 1880‟s, doctors were unaware of many illnesses.
Helen probably had meningitis, a curable illness.
Inference
Helen had a sudden onset of illness that was severe. Today it would be treated with antibiotics.
The slow tune of a distant belfry approaching in a crescendo and then fading
belfry
a bell tower or steeple that holds bells
crescendo
a gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music
Inference
The chiming of bells from a tower begin loud and fade away.
The family was talking, but in pantomime.
pantomime
technique of showing emotions or actions by gestures without speech.
Background
passing of time can be expressed in a play with a pantomime scene or an audio, such as chiming bells.
Inference
The family is interacting with each other in one scene without speaking. This helps the audience understand that time has passed between this scene and the next. scene.
Now that you‟re marshal, you‟ll have this Yankee money.
Background
Mr. Keller was a Confederate captain in the Civil War. He was later appointed as marshal to North Alabama.
Inference
Captain Keller has some authority in his town because he is the marshal.
Now that you‟re marshal, you‟ll have this Yankee money.
Yankee
During the Civil War, people from the north were called Yankees.
Inference
Captain Keller will have money to spend to get Helen the help she needs.
I‟m badgered enough here by females without your impudence.
badgered
to be repeatedly annoyed by someone or something.
impudence
failing to show respect
Inference
Mr. Keller is constantly annoyed by the women in his family and doesn‟t want any male family members to disrespect him.
I might as well try to work in a
hen yard. Hen yard
Hens are noisy, messy creatures.
Inference
Hyperbole:
gross exaggeration
The working environment must be very noisy and unorganized.
This house is at 6‟s and 7‟s.
Background
an old English expression meaning a state of confusion, disarray.
It may have originated from a dice game called “Hazard”.
Inference
The Keller house must be very unorganized.
It was not our affliction I meant
you to write about.
affliction
a cause of mental or bodily pain.
Inference
I didn‟t mean for you to write about what is causing us pain, but what is causing someone else pain.
Teach an iota of discipline
iota
A very small amount
Inference
The Keller‟s want for Helen to learn at least a small amount of discipline because she has no discipline at all.
I‟ll thank you not to broach it
again. broach
to raise a sensitive or difficult subject for discussion.
Inference
Don‟t bring up that topic.
He paws his papers to the floor.
paw
to strike or scrape with a beating motion
Inference
He is forcefully throwing papers to the floor.
It was always an Irish battle.
Stereotype:
preconceived beliefs about someone based on nationality, race, sex, age, etc.
A stereotype is that Irish people have a temper.
Inference
It was always a battle because she became angry with little cause.
The battle is dead and done with; why not let it stay buried?
Symbolism
The battle is symbolic for an internal conflict.
Let it stay buried is symbolic for letting something go.
Inference
The struggle that you experienced is over with. Don‟t keep reliving it.