The Story Of My LifeBy Helen Adams Keller

About The Author

Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968) was an American author, political activists, and lecturer. She was the first deaf, blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Her birthday on June 27 is commemorated as Helen Keller Day in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.A member of the Socialist Party of America and the Industrial Workers of the World, she campaigned for women's suffrage, labor rights, socialism, and other radical left causes. She was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 1971.  

About The Book

The Story of My Life, first published in 1903, is Helen Keller's autobiography detailing her early life, especially her experiences with Anne Sullivan. The book is dedicated to inventor Alexander Graham Bell. The dedication reads, "To ‘Alexander Graham Bell’ who has taught the deaf to speak and enabled the listening ear to hear speech from the Atlantic to the Rockies, I dedicate this Story of My Life."

A Look At The Cover

In The Words Of Keller

Major Characters Of The Book

Helen Adams Keller

Helen Adams Keller is the author of the story. “The Story Of My Life” is actually an autobiography of her life.

Arthur H. Keller

Helen’s father, Arthur Keller had been a captain in the Confederate army. He was a hospitable man who enjoyed bringing guests home to see his garden.

Kate Keller

Helen’s mother, Kate Keller was an early source of comfort for the troubled child. Kate learned the manual alphabet so that she could communicate effectively with her daughter.

Anne Mansfield Sullivan

When Anne went to teach Helen Keller, she was only twenty years old and a recent graduate of the Perkins Institution for the Blind. Throughout Helen’s life, Sullivan was dedicated to supporting her efforts in education and in social reform, which was uninterrupted even after Sullivan married Helen Keller’s editor, John Albert Macy. Unfortunately Sullivan died in 1936.

Dr. Alexander Graham BellDr. Alexander Graham Bell first met Helen when she was six years old and her parents brought her to him for advice on how to teach her. Dr. Bell remained a friend to Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan. “The Story of My Life “is dedicated to him.

Mr. Anagnos

The director of the Perkins Institution. He sent Anne Sullivan to the Helen Kellers’ home. He and Helen became good friends.

Minor Characters Of The Book

Martha Washington; - The child of the Keller’s cook and Helen’s childhood friend.

Mildred Keller; - Helen’s sister Miss Sarah Fuller; - The principal of

Horace Mann School, where Helen learned to speak.

Dr. Chisholm; - He was the oculist (eye doctor) who treated Helen and referred her to Dr. Alexander Graham Bell.

John P. Spaulding; - He was the dear friend of Helen Keller.

Mr. Arthur Gilman; - He was the principal

at Radcliffe College, where Helen

attained her degree.

Mr. Keith; - He was the Helen’s

mathematics instructor at the

Cambridge School for Young Ladies.

Mr. Irons; - A Latin scholar and a family

friend of Anne and Helen.

Miss Reamy; - Helen Keller’s German

teacher at the Wright-Humason School

for the Deaf.

John Greenleaf Whittier; - One of the

“many men of Genius” Keller met.

Oliver Wendell Holmes; - One of the

“many men of Genius” Keller knew.

Charles Townsend Copeland; - Copeland

taught Helen English composition class

at Radcliffe College.

Frau Grote; - Grote was Helen’s German

teacher at Radcliffe College.

Bishop Brooks; - One of the “many men

of Genius” Helen knew. He spoke

beautifully to her throughout her life on

matters of religion and spirituality.

Margaret T. Canby; - Canby was the

author of “The Frost Fairies”, on which

Helen’s “The Frost King” was

inadvertently based.

Two Major Events For

Helen In Her Life

When Miss Sullivan presented Helen with a canary, her cup of happiness overflowed. Little Tim was so tame that he would hop on Helen’s finger and eat candy cherries out of her hand.

Every morning after breakfast, Helen prepared his bath, made his cage clean and sweet, filled his cups with fresh seed and water from the well-house, and hung a spray of chickweed in his swing.

One morning Helen left the cage on the window-seat while she went to fetch water for his bath. When she returned she felt a big cat brush past me as she opened the door.

At first she did not realize what had happened; but when she put her hand in the cage and Tim's pretty wings did not meet her touch take hold of her finger, she knew that she should never see her sweet little singer again.

An other very important event in Helen’s life was when her only teacher who helped her to stand on her feet died, Miss Anne Mansfield Sullivan died on October 20, 1936, at her home in Forest Hills, New York. Her ashes were placed at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.—a distinct honor, as it is also the final resting place of President Woodrow Wilson and other distinguished individuals. At her funeral, Bishop James E. Freeman said, "Among the great teachers of all time she occupies a commanding and conspicuous place. . . . The touch of her hand did more than illuminate the pathway of a clouded mind; it literally emancipated a soul."

Some More Events1899 :- Mark Twain recognized her great intellect and discouraged spirit despite her blindness and deafness.

1903 :- Published her first book The Story of My Life.

 1904 :- First blind/deaf college graduate to graduate from Radcliffe College.

1908 :- Published The World I Live In

Facts about Helen

Loved Hot DogsWas an excellent typistLoved animals,especially dogsVisited 39 countries through out her lifeHad a lot of Famous Friends

Submitted By :-Faizan Ahmed RazaClass :- 9th CRoll No. :- 8