Section 4: Helen Keller biography by Rebecca Deming Moore

comparing different representations of an event

continuing to compare the newspaper article, video, and moores biography, all representations discuss the process used to teach Helen to imitate speech background information is provided about helen and her condition in all three representations example of helens speaking are provided in the newspaper and video but are absent in moores biography of helen comparisons like these are important because different pieces of information in different representations of a subject provide a clearer and more cohesive account of the subject

when they were girls (contd.)

helen getting a teacher miss sullivan going to the perkins insitution for the blind, and hearing about a deaf girl who learned to speak are all significant events in her life miss sullivan is consitently represented in this and all mediums examined so far, as a strong support for Helen and the primary force in helens acquisition of communication skills helens difficulty in talking with people who did not know the deaf alphabet is emphasized

when they were girls

helen's family background (like the one in hitz book) is absent however the author does emphasize key events in helen's life miss sullivan is introduced as a teacher from the perkins insitiude who taught Helen the deaf alphabet (signed into her palm with the fingers) the "water" story is told briefly, and helens joy is emphasized as well as her ability to learn new words rapidly hitz quotes helen directly so this is the same as what is in her autobiography, moore gives a brief account, and the movie shows the scene slightly differently the primary differences in the movies are tht helens parents are present and miss sullivan is leaving, those events are absent from the biographies

(contd)

helens passion for learning is emphasized, as well as her determination to overcome obstacles miss sullivan is continued to be represented as helen's tireless supporter together the two are represented as a team working together to further helen's communication skills

When They Were Girls

small details differ the three accounts, for example in hitz book there is "someone pumping water" in the movie helen is at the well pumping water, and moore doesn't address who was pumping miss sullivan is represented her as helens faithful teacher, giving her "slips of cardboard on which words were printed in raised letters" which indicated braille helen is represented as happy, enjoying learning, and with a love for outdoor activities

When they were girls

the author emphasizes helens frustration at not being understood as well as key features of helens date and place of birth and the onset of her illness in this account of helen lifes, as in other representations you have examined, helens early years are a primary focus because that is the time of her illness and when her breakthrughs in communication occurred

Contd.)

this excerpt of how Helen learned to speak can be compared to other representations previously examined, in all three representations what prompted helen to want to learn to speak is mentioned: newspaper: helen has known for a long time that other people spoke and has been very eager to learn to talk herself video: she has observed that we did not use the hands when we were talking to each other moores biography: helen heard of a deaf girl who had been taught to speak and wanted to learn