1.How was Helen’s pleasure at writing a story turn into disgrace and bitterness?
At the age of 11, Helen wrote a story- ‘The Frost King’ and sent it to Mr. Anagnos at
Perkins Institute. He promptly published it in one of Perkins Instituition reports. It was
discovered that a similar story had appeared before Helen was born in a book called
‘Birdie and his Friends’ by Margaret Canby. The two stories were similar in thought
and language. It was evident that Miss Canby’s story had been read to Helen; hence
she was accused of plagiarism. Mr. Anagnos turned a deaf ear to the pleadings of
love and innocence by Helen because he thought he had been deceived. He
suspected that Miss Sullivan and Helen had deliberately stolen the bright thoughts of
another and imposed them on him to win his admiration. He put Helen before a court
of investigation that consisted of teachers and officers of the Institution. Miss Sullivan
was not allowed into the room. Helen was questioned and cross questioned. It
seemed to Helen as if the judges were determined to force her to acknowledge that
‘Miss Canby’s story had been read to her. In every question the judges asked, Helen
felt their doubt and suspicion. Helen was distressed and traumatized by the incident.
2. Miss Sullivan and Helen tried to investigate the truth behind the ‘The Frost King’ episode.
What did the investigations reveal?
Miss Sullivan did not remember reading the story – ‘The Frost Fairies’ to Helen and
Helen couldn’t remember hearing the story. Miss Sullivan’s investigations on the
plagiarism matter revealed that even though she had not read out the story to Helen,
Mrs. Sophia C Hopkins had read out the story – ‘Birdie and her Friends’ to Helen when
she had spent the summer in Brewster. Miss Sullivan had been on vacation at that
time. The stories had no meaning for Helen at that time but the strange words amused
her and left an indelible mark in her mind.
Helen read the story - ‘The Frost Fairies’ and found that she had used Miss Canby’s
ideas. She found Miss Canby’ ideas in letters that she wrote, specially in one letter to
Mr. Anagnos, which had words and sentiments exactly like those of the book. These
showed that her mind was saturated with the story. This habit of assimilating what
pleased her and giving it out again as her own appeared in much of her early correspondence and first attempts at writing.
3. Describe Helen’s experience at the World’s Fair.
Helen and Miss Sullivan visited the World’s Fair in Summer along with Dr. Alexander
Graham Bell where her thousand childish fancies became beautiful realities.
She was given permission to touch many of the exhibits by Mr. Higginbotham, President of the World’s Fair. Her visit to the Midway Plaisance reminded her of
Arabian Nights. She saw India with the curious bazaars and the various Gods, the
land of Pyramids and the lagoons of Venice. She went on board a Viking ship and saw
a model of Santa Maria. At the Cape of Good Hope exhibit she learnt about the
process of mining diamonds. Wherever possible she touched the machinery while it
was in motion.
Dr. Bell explained to her the scientific principles of technological exhibits. They also
visited the anthropological department and she learned more about the progress of
man than she had heard or read.
In the three weeks spent at the fair, she took a long leap from a little child of fairy tales
and toys to appreciation of the workday world.
4. Why was it easy for Helen to learn German faster than French at the Wright – Humason
School for the deaf in New York?
The Wright – Humason School for the deaf was chosen especially so that Helen would
get the best training in vocal culture and lip-reading. In addition to this, she studied
arithmetic, physical geography, French and German.
The German teacher could use the manual alphabet, and after I had acquired a small
vocabulary, we talked together in German whenever we had a chance, and in a few
months I could understand almost everything she said.
The French teacher did not know the manual alphabet, and was obliged to give
instructions orally. Helen could not read her lips easily; so her progress in French
was much slower than in German.
Helen’s progress in lip-reading and speech was not what her teacher and she had
hoped and expected Although they worked hard and faithfully, yet they did not quite reach their goal. Helen supposed they had aimed too high, and disappointment was
therefore inevitable.
At the age of 11, Helen wrote a story- ‘The Frost King’ and sent it to Mr. Anagnos at
Perkins Institute. He promptly published it in one of Perkins Instituition reports. It was
discovered that a similar story had appeared before Helen was born in a book called
‘Birdie and his Friends’ by Margaret Canby. The two stories were similar in thought
and language. It was evident that Miss Canby’s story had been read to Helen; hence
she was accused of plagiarism. Mr. Anagnos turned a deaf ear to the pleadings of
love and innocence by Helen because he thought he had been deceived. He
suspected that Miss Sullivan and Helen had deliberately stolen the bright thoughts of
another and imposed them on him to win his admiration. He put Helen before a court
of investigation that consisted of teachers and officers of the Institution. Miss Sullivan
was not allowed into the room. Helen was questioned and cross questioned. It
seemed to Helen as if the judges were determined to force her to acknowledge that
‘Miss Canby’s story had been read to her. In every question the judges asked, Helen
felt their doubt and suspicion. Helen was distressed and traumatized by the incident.
2. Miss Sullivan and Helen tried to investigate the truth behind the ‘The Frost King’ episode.
What did the investigations reveal?
Miss Sullivan did not remember reading the story – ‘The Frost Fairies’ to Helen and
Helen couldn’t remember hearing the story. Miss Sullivan’s investigations on the
plagiarism matter revealed that even though she had not read out the story to Helen,
Mrs. Sophia C Hopkins had read out the story – ‘Birdie and her Friends’ to Helen when
she had spent the summer in Brewster. Miss Sullivan had been on vacation at that
time. The stories had no meaning for Helen at that time but the strange words amused
her and left an indelible mark in her mind.
Helen read the story - ‘The Frost Fairies’ and found that she had used Miss Canby’s
ideas. She found Miss Canby’ ideas in letters that she wrote, specially in one letter to
Mr. Anagnos, which had words and sentiments exactly like those of the book. These
showed that her mind was saturated with the story. This habit of assimilating what
pleased her and giving it out again as her own appeared in much of her early correspondence and first attempts at writing.
3. Describe Helen’s experience at the World’s Fair.
Helen and Miss Sullivan visited the World’s Fair in Summer along with Dr. Alexander
Graham Bell where her thousand childish fancies became beautiful realities.
She was given permission to touch many of the exhibits by Mr. Higginbotham, President of the World’s Fair. Her visit to the Midway Plaisance reminded her of
Arabian Nights. She saw India with the curious bazaars and the various Gods, the
land of Pyramids and the lagoons of Venice. She went on board a Viking ship and saw
a model of Santa Maria. At the Cape of Good Hope exhibit she learnt about the
process of mining diamonds. Wherever possible she touched the machinery while it
was in motion.
Dr. Bell explained to her the scientific principles of technological exhibits. They also
visited the anthropological department and she learned more about the progress of
man than she had heard or read.
In the three weeks spent at the fair, she took a long leap from a little child of fairy tales
and toys to appreciation of the workday world.
4. Why was it easy for Helen to learn German faster than French at the Wright – Humason
School for the deaf in New York?
The Wright – Humason School for the deaf was chosen especially so that Helen would
get the best training in vocal culture and lip-reading. In addition to this, she studied
arithmetic, physical geography, French and German.
The German teacher could use the manual alphabet, and after I had acquired a small
vocabulary, we talked together in German whenever we had a chance, and in a few
months I could understand almost everything she said.
The French teacher did not know the manual alphabet, and was obliged to give
instructions orally. Helen could not read her lips easily; so her progress in French
was much slower than in German.
Helen’s progress in lip-reading and speech was not what her teacher and she had
hoped and expected Although they worked hard and faithfully, yet they did not quite reach their goal. Helen supposed they had aimed too high, and disappointment was
therefore inevitable.
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