Question

Describe the role of Mr. Keith in the life of Helen in ‘The Story of My Life’. 

Answer 1

Mr. Keith was Helen’s private tutor. Helen felt that she was not bright in math, but despite this Mr.  Keith “was always gentle and forbearing.” He was a teacher who “made math interesting” and “he  succeeded in whittling problems small enough to get through her brain.” Helen was withdrawn from  the Cambridge school because of the differences between Mr. Gilman and Miss. Sullivan. He  succeeded in whittling problems small enough to get through her brain. This improved her ability  nd she could solve the questions logically and systematically. He was very patient with her and took great pains to teach her until she gets it well. Mr Keith repeated the lesson till she was able to understands and this contributed to the intellectual enrichment. Helen had many obstacles in solving math problems, as she could not see the problem but Keith was very patient with her. She often had to construct geometrical figures on a cushion with curved wires, and she had to remember the lettering of the figures and other aspects of geometric proof in her head. Mr Keith also mad  mathematical work interesting to Keller and taught her how to reason her way through the problem. It was difficult for her to pass her Radcliffe examination in math, as she did not understand the braille corresponding to the mathematical symbols, but she applied herself to doing so and passed her exams. Mr Keith then tutored her for another year before she entered collage and he was an encouraging and patient teacher.