The Story of My Life —Helen Keller

Class –X

English

Very Long Questions Based on theme and Plot Involving Interpretation and Inference (150-200 words & 10 marks each)

Q. 1. What were the qualities that attracted everyone towards Helen before she fell victim to her mysterious ill¬ness ? Give your views. 

Ans. Value Points:

•        bright and happy child

•        eager, self-asserting disposition

•        as the first baby, she came, she saw, she conquered

•        imitated everything others did-actions and words

•        attracted everyone’s attention (CBSE Marking Scheme, 2014)

Detailed Answer:

Helen was a very bright and happy child. She attracted everyone’s attention towards her with her mischiefs. In her childhood, she was an eager and self-asserting child. She imitated everyone and leamt walking as well as talking at an early age. She was the first baby in her family so she received the love and affection of everyone. She initiated every one and learnt talking at an early age. Everyone got attracted towards her due to these qualities.

Q. 2. Why did Helen call her pony ‘Black Beauty’ ?  Ans. Value Points:

•        had a black glossy coat and a white star on his forehead

•        had read the book of the same name

•        her pony resembled his name sake. (CBSE Marking Scheme, 2014) Detailed Answer:

Helen had her pony at Fern Quarry. She called him Black Beauty as she had read the book in which there was a black horse. Helen’s horse resembled his name-sake. He had a black glossy coat and a white star on his forehead. Helen spent many of her happiest hours on Black Beauty’s back. Sometimes, her teacher Miss Sullivan would let go of the horses’ rein and the pony used to stop at his sweet will to eat grass or nibble the leaves of the trees. Helen loved her pony very much.

story of my life

Character sketch of Dr. Alexander Graham Bell

Helen Keller's parents sought help from Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, who was famous for inventing the telephone.  He had family members who were deaf, so he had sympathy for Helen's plight.  In her autobiography, Helen described him as being full of "tenderness and sympathy" toward her.  When her parents took Helen to see him, she was a little girl.  She recalled sitting on his knee as he let her play with his watch.  Dr. Bell even "understood [her] signs, and [she] knew it and loved him at once."  Dr. Bell was patient and understanding with Helen in a time when not everyone was.

Helen's parents did not know what to do about their daughter.  They wanted her to be educated and helped.  Dr. Bell suggested that they contact Mr. Anagnos of the Perkins Institution, which was a Boston school for the blind.  It was through Mr. Anagnos that Helen's teacher, Annie Sullivan, came to help Helen learn to communicate.  Helen noted that at the time of their visit to Dr. Bell, she could not have "dream[ed] that that interview would be the door through which [she] should pass from darkness into light, from isolation to friendship, companionship, knowledge, love."   

When Helen was older, Dr. Bell showed her around the World's Fair. She also visited his home on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia.  He was a dear friend to Helen.  He was a man who "[made] every subject he touche[d] interesting."  Though he was an important and famous person, he made time for Helen and was sympathetic to her.  This showed that he was patient and understanding, as well as caring.  He was a loyal friend.