“The Affect Helen has on her Family”

634 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How did Helen Keller help to improve the lives of people with disabilities

Before Annie’s arrival, the Keller family gets affected by Helen’s disabilities in many ways. Helen’s disabilities and her stubborn behavior made her parents pity her. With this pity that was provided by her parents, made Helen a spoiled child. Helen’s inexorable behavior resulted in a lot of fights at her house. Captain Keller pities Helen. We can see that he pities Helen in his line: “Keller: Whatever it was. Deprived child, the least she can have are the little things she wants.” However, Captain does not realize that by offering these ‘little things’, it is making Helen spoilt. At the same time he gets very annoyed and irritated by her behavior. We can see that Captain gets irritated by her in the first scene. This is when Helen gropes the things that are on Captains table, she then pushes his papers to the floor. In the stage directions, it says, “Keller is exasperated” This shows how annoyed he is with Helen, and Kate. Since Captain is already frustrated, we can see that he removes most of his anger at the people at the house by getting annoyed by them. Kate’s first appearance at the very beginning illustrates how much she loves, pampers her disabled daughter. At the beginning of the play, when Helen is sick, Kate has a conversation with Helen: “Kate: Hush. Don’t you cry now, you’ve been trouble enough. Call it acute congestion, indeed, I don’t see what’s so cute about a congestion, just because it’s yours.” This concern shown by Kate towards Helen shows how much she cares for her. However, Kate is not aware that the way she is raising Helen is spoiling her. A great example to show that Kate lets Helen have her way would be in the scene where Helen is trying to hurt Martha. In this scene, Kat... ... middle of paper ... ...o. She’s right. (KELLER glares at the chair and him. JAMES takes a deep breath, then headlong.) She’s right, Kate’s right, I’m right, and you’re wrong. If you drive her away from here it will be over my dead—chair, has it never occurred to you that on one occasion you might be consummately wrong? ” He would not have done this if he ‘really hated’ In short, Helen’s condition left her frustrated within herself. By seeing this her parents, Captain and Kate pity her. Even though both the parents pity Helen, the show it in different ways. Captain shows it by letting her have her ‘little things’ but he often gets irritated by her. As for her mother, Kate shows her pity for Helen by coddling her. This makes Helen a spoilt child. As for James, he is not very pleased to see Helen not able to talk. However, he does not show in the beginning, that he cares for Helen.

Show More
Related

  • Cruelty In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

    614 Words  | 2 Pages

    At Lowood, she is thought of by many as a well behaved child, but she still occasionally resistances authority. This is the case when the nurse tells Jane that she may not visit Helen, even though Helen is very ill. Jane, believing that she needs to see Helen regardless of if she is allowed to or not sneaks off: “I dreaded being discovered and sent back; for I must see Helen- I must embrace her before she died- I must give her one last kiss, exchange with her one last word” (82). Jane’s behavior demonstrates her growth in independence. When she lived at Gateshead, she yielded to authority even when she believed it cruel; at Lowood, she defies the nurse’s authority because she knows her desire to see Helen again is greater than her fear of

    Read More

  • A Literary Analysis Of Kate The Great By Meg Cabot

    559 Words  | 2 Pages

    She knew that if she told the truth Mrs. Weinman would now think she is an untrustworthy person. Since Jenny had to call Mrs. Weinman due to the destruction Kate caused she feels as if Kate ruined her job chances of future

    Read More

  • Helen In Machinal Play

    1019 Words  | 3 Pages

    She allows her mother to control her and make decisions for her. During their conversation, she asks her mom if she should marry Mr. Jones even if she does not love him. Her mother does not seem to care until Helen mentions that he is Vice-President of the company. Her mother says that she should marry him whether she loves him or not because he will be able to take care of her and Helen. They continue to discuss how Helen can marry this man that she doesn’t like so she will never have to work again and he can support her mother, or she can say no at the risk of losing her job and not being able to support her mother anymore. Helen ties in how life is making her “feel like I’m stifling!” (591). Again, I feel this is another representation of Helen not being able to handle the pressures of society. Helen can’t talk about important decisions she has to make without feeling claustrophobic and blowing up by saying things like “I’ll kill you!” (592). I think she blows up because her mother is always nagging her and she can’t handle it in that moment anymore, especially since it is a conversation about

    Read More

  • Jane Eyre: Helen Burns Character Analysis

    577 Words  | 2 Pages

    Helen strives to live a Christian lifestyle despite the difficulties in her life. She is continually punished by her teacher, Miss Scatcherd. Helen is publicly insulted by her “Burns, you poke your chin most unpleasantly; draw it in” (Brontë 64) she continues to critique everything Helen does, from the way she stands to how she holds her head. Helen is physically punished for not washing properly when the water was frozen that morning. Helen continues to exemplify a Christian moral b...

    Read More

  • The Taming Of The Shrew: An Analysis of Kate

    769 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...is also helping herself gain power. Also, the speech lets you know that she is aware of the difference between public and private behavior and just because she is “giving in” to her husband, she knows that she will not always have to do so, especially in private. It also shows that Kate has grown in maturity and can handle things in an adult way, such as give and take, instead of having to use physical force. It shows that instead of a tamed shrew, she is a women that knows how to get what she wants but goes about it in a different way at the end of the play than at the beginning.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Love In The Novel Summer By Edith Wharton

    1209 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout her life, she only experience with a little love and no attention. She would come home from work, cook, dealing with Mr. Royall drunk behavior, and going to her room afterward. Charity has never think about herself, what she really wanted. In the other way, she would do what others say and follow their needs instead. Despite, Charity didn’t expected everything to happen all in one summer. Consequently going through with Harney engagement, finding out about her birth mother who doesn’t really care about her, pregnant with Harney’s child lead her to marry Mr. Royall. Without knowing what to do or someone who she can trust, being that she give up her life to someone who is like a father to

    Read More

  • The Search for Happiness in Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë

    729 Words  | 2 Pages

    Helen is Jane's best friend at Lowood. Helen is a religious role (angelic, and talks about God), in shaping her character. Helen believes everyone should love their enemies. Although Jane does not take to Helens good heart and good nature, with her wie word, Jane respects her for them and listens very passionately to what Helen has to say.

    Read More

  • Mary Wollstonecraft's The Wrongs Of Woman And The Natural Daughter

    1848 Words  | 4 Pages

    The marriage of Martha’s parents shows how cruel a man can be toward his wife concerning her opinion. Martha may have worked as a teacher for a short time, but was cast aside when her past as an actress was discovered. Martha tries to alleviate this disparity by becoming a published author. Through these endeavors, she is further treated poorly for being a woman. Martha is treated as little more than a beggar.

    Read More

  • Behavior in the Home in Invisible Inequality: Social Class and Childrearing in Black Families and White Families by Annette Lareau

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...parents were much more successful in the working world encouraged him to complete many daily activities such as choir and piano lessons. His parents engaged him in conversations that promoted reasoning and negotiation and they showed interest in his daily life. Harold’s mother joked around with the children, simply asking them questions about television, but never engaged them in conversations that drew them out. She wasn’t aware of Harold’s education habits and was oblivious to his dropping grades because of his missing assignments. Instead of telling one of the children to seek help for a bullying problem she told them to simply beat up the child that was bothering them until they stopped. Alex’s parents on the other hand were very involved in his schooling and in turn he scored very well in his classes. Like Lareau suspected, growing up

    Read More

  • Gender Quotes In Taming Of The Shrew

    1013 Words  | 3 Pages

    Her personality is strong and she is independent, unlike most women. This makes her unattractive to most suitors and gains her the label of shrew. She demonstrates her personality in the beginning of the play: "I pray you sir, is it your will to make a stale of me amongst these mates?" (1.1 57-58). Shakespeare uses the characterization of Kate to demonstrate the defiance against traditional gender roles and how Kate almost immediately speaks out for herself, unlike her sister Bianca. In addition, Kate describes her future husband as a "mate," unlike how most women would describe their lovers. Moreover, Kate is educated: "I 'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear: I wis it is not half way to her heart; But if it were, doubt not her care should be to comb your noodle with a three-legg 'd stool and paint your face and use you like a fool." (1.1 61-65). Shakespeare uses the characterization of Kate to demonstrate how she defies traditional gender roles by being the only person to speak in iambic pentameter. This demonstrates her intelligence unlike many women. In addition, Kate doesn 't enjoy receiving orders from others. When her father leaves with Bianca and tells Kate she may stay, she gets angry. "Why, and I trust I may go too, may I not? What, shall I be appointed hours; as though, belike, I knew not what to take and what to leave, ha? (1.1 103-105). Shakespeare uses the characterization of Kate to

    Read More

  • Interpersonal Communication In The Movie Bridesmaids

    1063 Words  | 3 Pages

    This scene really gives a visualization of Annie and Helen’s competitive relationship and with competition you are highly assertive and uncooperative. Having an entire relationship that is uncooperative but at the same time assertive is the definition of a really rough relationship and it definitely won’t last long. Relationships need balance and Annie’s relationship with Helen is solely negative with no positive to gain and when you are faced with that much negativity it will impact your self-concept as well as how you are views by

    Read More

  • Discuss Charlotte Bronte’s portrayal of childhood in Jane Eyre.

    1085 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although Jane respects Helen’s honesty and stoicism, she cannot. understand her beliefs and the way in which she accepts her constant chastisement so submissively; she herself ‘should wish the earth to. open and swallow me up.’ After talking to Helen, Jane comments that. her feelings were ‘better regulated’ and ‘thoughts more harmonious’. Finally, Mrs. Temple finds someone whom she can respect.

    Read More

  • Internal Struggles in The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

    772 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are multiple possible causes for the internal conflict the narrator faces. The first being nervous depression and the other is the fact that her life is being controlled by her husband. Her husband is in full control because in the beginning of the story, John, her husband, influences how she should act. He decides the actions that should be taken in regards to her health and sanctity. Although she finds herself disagreeing with his synopsis, she is confined and does not admit how she feels to him. This also brings about another a major conflict that occurred in the 19th century, men being dominant and woman being categorized as inferior. Evidence can be found when the narrator states, “If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband assures friends and relatives that there is nothing the matter with o...

    Read More

  • The Significance of Act 1 Scene 1 in A Taste of Honey in Establishing the Relationship Between the Main Characters and the Social Context of the Play

    993 Words  | 2 Pages

    At the very beginning of the play we find out what Helen does for a

    Read More

  • The Values Of Friendship In Jane Brontë's Jane Eyre

    1498 Words  | 3 Pages

    While at Lowood, a state - run orphanage and educational facility, Jane’s first friend, Helen Burns, teaches her the importance of friendship along with other skills that will help Jane grow and emotionally mature in the future. She serves as a role model for Jane. Helen’s intelligence, commitment to her studies, and social graces all lead Jane to discover desirable attributes in Helen. Helen is treated quite poorly, however, “her ability to remain graceful and calm even in the face of (what Jane believes to be) unwarranted punishment makes the greatest impression on the younger girl” (Dunnington). Brontë uses this character as a way to exemplify the type of love that Jane deserves. This relationship allows Jane to understand the importance of having a true friend. Given Jane’s history at Gateshead, finding someone like Helen is monumental in her development as a person. Helen gives through honest friendship, a love that is

    Read More

More about “The Affect Helen has on her Family”

Open Document