Category: English

The Story of My life- Novel for class 10- English CBSE

By Helen Keller

Chapter 21- Notes and Study Material

Short Summary of Chapter-21 The Story of My Life by Helen Keller in Simple Words-

In this chapter, Helen discusses her love for reading. She remembers reading a book at the age of               seven years. She used her fingertips to read as many books as she could find. She started by reading        the basic ‘readers’ which she read so many times that the embossed words got worn out. Sometimes        Miss Sullivan ‘read’ the stories by spelling onto her hand, but she preferred reading by herself. She            started reading in earnest during her visit to Boston at the Perkins Institution. She read the books            from the library, bringing down all the books which caught her fancy. In the beginning, she read            irrespective of whether she understood each word or not. As a result, she acquired a rich vocabulary, memorizing words and sentences, many of which she did not really understand. When she was an           eight year-old, she was found reading The Scarlet Letter by her teacher. The teacher had asked her if     she liked little Pearl and then she told her that she had a beautiful story about a little boy which she          was sure to like better than The Scarlet Letter. The name of the story was Little Lord Fauntleroy and      was the first book she understood and enjoyed. It was from this book that Helen dates the beginning of her true interest in books. Whenever Miss Sullivan stopped her ‘reading’ for a break, she would                  get upset because she was so absorbed in the story that even a short break made her feel deprived.         Later, Mr Anagnos got the story embossed and she read it till she learnt it by heart. She mentions a lot of books that helped her connect with the outside world. She did not enjoy the books which had morals, or where animals were given human traits. She did, however, enjoy reading the Greek classics. Her introduction to the Bible was not very memorable, but over time, she found the stories very absorbing and uplifting. She enjoyed Shakespeare’s plays and also liked books on history. She was fascinated by classic writers such as Homer and Virgil. She also talks of her appreciation for French and German literature. Literature thus became her Utopia.

Conclusion/ Chapter in short/ Analysis of Chapter 1/Understanding the Theme of Chapter 1

Helen writes about her love for reading books. She writes about her joy at reading classics like Iliad, Shakespeare’s plays. She also loved French and German literature. She found the stories in the Bible very uplifting.

Question.1-Why did Helen love books?

Answer- Helen loved books, not only because they gave her pleasure, but also because through them, she received knowledge of the world around her.

Question.2-Why was May 1887 an important month in Helen’s life?

Answer- May 1 887 was an important month for Helen because it was the month when she started reading her first connected story.

Question.3-Why did she not read too many books in the beginning?

Answer- Helen could not read too many books in the beginning because there were very few books in raised print for beginners.

Question.4-Why did Helen like reading to herself more than when Miss Sullivan read to her?

Answer-Helen liked reading herself because she could then read the stories she liked, over and over again. It offered her independence of choice.

Question.5-How did her first visit to the Institution in Boston fuel her love for reading?

Answer- At the Institution in Boston, Helen was allowed to spend a lot of time in the library, where she wandered from bookcase to bookcase, taking down whatever book her fingers lighted on. Thus, she was able to read whatever she wanted, which made her keen to read more.

Question.6-Which book did Helen read while sitting on the hammock with Miss Sullivan?

Answer- Helen read the book Little Lord Fauntleroy while sitting on the hammock with Miss Sullivan.

Question.7-Why did Helen feel impatient when Miss Sullivan tried to explain any part of the story?

Answer- Helen did not like the stories to be broken up with explanations because she thought they were unnecessary. She was content to hear the story without leaping into analysis or explanation of its events.

Question.8-Why did Helen not enjoy fables?

Answer- Helen did not like the fact that animals were made to talk and act like human beings. She also found it difficult to believe that animals like monkeys and foxes could teach humans the truths of life.

Question.9-What was her view about other books featuring animals?

Answer- Helen enjoyed reading books like The Jungle Book and Wild Animals I have Known because the animals featured in these books were not caricatures of human beings’ Moreover, the morals carried by these stories were subtle.

Question.10-What did Helen enjoy about Greek literature and history?

Answer- Helen had a special fascination for the Greek Gods and Goddesses. In fact, she loved them so much she almost worshipped them.

Question.11-Why does Helen recommend The Iliad?

Answer- Helen recommends The Iliad because of the enjoyment she got while reading it. She felt her soul being uplifted above the narrow circumstances of her life and it made her forget the physical limitations of her world.

Question.12-What was Helen’s view about the Bible?

Answer-At first, Helen did not find Bible interesting, but as she continued to read it, she found it very uplifting and inspiring. However, she found some parts in it objectionable.

Question.13-What were Helen’s views on Shakespeare?

Answer- Helen loved reading Shakespeare’s plays from childhood. Of all his plays, she was impressed by Macbeth the most. She was also deeply impacted by characters like King Lear and Shylock.

Question.14-What did Helen think of anti-heroes like Shylock and Judas?

Answer- Helen felt sorry for anti-heroes as she felt that they could not be good even if they wished to, because no one seemed willing to help them or to give them a fair chance.

Question.15-Why did Helen call literature her ‘Utopia’?

Answer- In the world of literature, Helen felt the happiest, as the books were her friends who spoke to her without any barriers or awkwardness. In spite of her blindness and deafness, she could interact with them through her fingers and they would reveal the world to her in a way that her senses could not.

The Story of My life- Novel for class 10- English CBSE

By Helen Keller

Chapter 20- Notes and Study Material

Introduction of Chapter 20- the Story of My life by Helen Keller

Whenever Helen wanted she could enter Redcliffe, but to feel more prepared in Math’s she had to tutor another year with Mr. Keith. In the fall of 1900, she entered Redelife, thinking all would then be beauty and light in the ‘wonderland of the mind’. Soon Helen lost her romanticism about college. What she missed to the utmost was time to think and reflect. She could not concentrate on taking notes in class since her hands were busy listening. Rather, she made notes after the class. For the purpose, she used her Braille typewriter to do her work ,  so that the professors had no difficulty in making out how little she knew. At  times. Helen struggled with feelings of jealousy towards her peers who require less time to study.

Conclusion/ Chapter in short/ Analysis of Chapter 1/Understanding the Theme of Chapter 20

Helen writes about her entry to Radcliffe College and the challenges she faced while attending                      lectures and writing examinations.

Short Summary of Chapter-1 The Story of My Life by Helen Keller in Simple Words-

Helen qualified to enter Radcliffe College. However, she took another year before she finally joined            it. She began her studies with eagerness. But her romantic illusions about life in college slowly disappeared, as she realised its disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage was the lack of time to think        and ruminate over all the facts and figures she was exposed to during lectures. Attending lectures              became a challenge, and Miss Sullivan tried hard to pass on all the information to Helen. The lectures were spelt into her hand as rapidly as possible, but the personal style of the lecturer was lost in the      effort to keep up in the race. The words just rushed through her hand and there was no time for            her to commune her thoughts. The chapter also expresses Helen’s growing despondency with the typewriter. Very few books that were required for the various courses were printed for the blind              and she had no other option but to have them spelt out in her hand. Helen fondly remembers her instructor in English composition who brought literature before her in all its originality and power.        She worked hard to overcome the frustrating obstacles in the path of her attaining knowledge,              especially facing examinations which according to her were the chief bugbears of her college life.

Question.1–Why did Helen delay her admission to college?

Answer- Helen delayed her admission because everyone advised her to study for another year with Mr. Keith before joining college.

 

Question.2– How did Helen feel on entering Radcliffe?

Answer- At first, Helen was excited and happy to have realised her dream of studying at Radcliffe, but slowly she started feeling disillusioned and realised that there were many disadvantages of going to college.

Question.3– What was the biggest disadvantage of college, according to Helen?

Answer- Helen felt that the greatest disadvantage of college was the lack of time to think or reflect on what they were taught.

Question.4–What does Helen mean when she says that she prefers ‘present day joy to hoarding riches against a rainy day’?

Answer-Helen felt that college studies were so exhaustive that one hardly had enough time to understand and internalise all the available knowledge. Helen wished to learn at a slower pace and enjoy the present, than store all the knowledge to be understood sometime in the future.

Question.5-How did Helen understand the lectures given by her professors? What were the disadvantages of this method?

Answer-The lectures were spelled onto Helen’s hand as quickly as possible. The disadvantage of this method was that she had no time to pay any attention to the core of the subject or to understand the personality of the lecturers. She lost out on the flavour in a bid to know everything.

Question.6-How did Helen write her answers?

Answer-Helen wrote her answers on a typewriter. She used the Hammond typewriter, which had movable type shuttle. It could be fitted with different shuttles, each with a different set of characters: Greek, French, or mathematics, according to the subject she wanted to study.

Question.7-What were the other challenges that Helen faced?

Answer-Helen faced several problems. Very few of the books she needed were printed in Braille, which meant that all the information had to be spelt out on her hand. This made her learning quite time consuming.

Question.8-Why did Helen enjoy her composition classes?

Answer-The teacher, Mr Charles Townsend Copeland was a witty, vivacious man, whose lessons were always interesting. This made Helen enjoy her composition classes.

Question.9-What made Helen enjoy the second year of college?

Answer-Helen enjoyed the second year in college more, because she studied subjects like economics, Elizabethan literature, Shakespeare and philosophy, which made her feel happy.

Question.10-Why did Helen object to elaborate explanations of the lessons by her teachers?

Answer-Helen felt that too many explanations acted as a barrier to one’s appreciation of the text. She felt that one should be allowed to enjoy the texts on one’s own rather than have them dissected and analysed.

Question.11-What were Helen’s views on reading just to pass the examinations?

Answer-Helen felt that if one studied only to pass the exams, then it was like taxing ones brains without really understanding anything. Hence, the mind was unable to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of the texts one was reading.

Question.12-why did Helen call exams the /bugbear’ of her college life?

Answer-Helen called exams the ‘bugbear’ of college life because the thought of appearing for examinations made her very nervous. The day before the exam was spent memorising formulae and facts, until she was completely overwhelmed by them. Finally, in the exam  hall when she tried to recall the facts, she would feel like she had forgotten everything.

Question.13-What did Helen say she had learnt from her time spent in college?

Answer–Helen said that she had learnt the importance of patience and the fact that learning cannot be rushed. She also found that knowledge was power, because true knowledge equips one to differentiate true from false and lofty from mean. These thoughts helped her understand how man has progressed through the centuries, towards more and more elevated thought.

The Story of My life- Novel for class 10- English CBSE

By Helen Keller

Chapter 19- Notes and Study Material

Introduction of Chapter 19- the Story of My life by Helen Keller

Helen was studying at Gilman school for the preparation of Radcliffe. She had completed the first year successfully and entered the second year with hope and determination. Mr. Gilman had agreed that year she should study Mathematics principally. She, therefore. Took Algebra, Geometry, Physics, Astronomy. Greek and Latin for her study. In the beginning of the session, she had to face many difficulties. She did not have the embossed books Of Algebra and Geometry. It was. Therefore, very difficult for her to know the geometrical figures and solve the questions of Algebra. The class was very large and there was no special arrangement for her to grasp the intimations of her teachers. She could not know which geometrical figure. the teacher had drawn on the blackboard and how he solved questions. Miss Sullivan tried to make her understand the geometrical figures by making them on the cushion with the help of wires. But it appeared to Helen that probably it was not easy for Miss Sullivan to interpret to her the problems related to Geometry and Algebra. She was pained to know that Miss Sullivan  was blamed for her inability to learn the subject properly.                                                                                                                      In a few weeks, the embossed books of Geometry, Algebra and necessary apparatus were made available to her. This made her study easily and she overcame many of her difficulties. But just then an incident that troubled both Helen and Miss Sullivan, Mr. Gilman remonstrated with Miss Sullivan that she (Helen) was working too hard and it might affect her health aversely. Seeing her success in the first year it was decided that she could complete her preparation for Radcliffe in two years. But later, Mr. Gilman extended this period to three years. Helen wanted to enter Radcliffe with her class completing her cause in two years. Difference between Miss Sullivan and Mr. Gilman took such a turn as Helen’s mother had to withdraw her and Mildred from Gilman school. A qualified and experienced teacher was appointed to teach her at home. He would come to give her necessary instructions at her home. This made her work easy and she made steady progress in her studies. Helen had to face many difficulties in examination. The authorities of the college did not allow Miss Sullivan to read papers to her. Those who were appointed to discharge this duty, were strangers to her. They did not talk to her in the way as she could understand them. Besides, she had many other obstacles to overcome. But she successfully overcame them and completed her studies and got success in the examination.

Conclusion/ Chapter in short/ Analysis of Chapter 1/Understanding the Theme of Chapter 1

Helen writes about the problems faced in the second year at Cambridge School. Due to differences              between Mr. Gilman and Miss Sullivan, Helen and Mildred were removed from the school. She                    talks about the challenges she faced in geometry and algebra.

Short Summary of Chapter-19 The Story of My Life by Helen Keller in Simple Words-

In this chapter, Helen talks about the problems that she faced in the second year at the Cambridge            School. She terms these problems as unforeseen difficulties’. These included lack of embossed books,          important apparatus etc. She also records the disadvantages of being taught in a large class. She             felt sorry about the pressure on Miss Sullivan to act as a go-between and fill in the gaps in Helen’s            studies. In the meantime, Mr. Gilman suggested that Helen should complete the course over five                years instead of the three years taken by other students. However, Helen did not want to do so.                 This point led to differences between Mr. Gilman and Miss Sullivan, as a result of which both Helen           and Mildred were removed from school by their mother. Helen continued studies under Mr. Keith,             a mathematician at Wrentham. She received individual lessons and thrived on them. For the first               time in her life, she understood mathematics. She appeared for her examinations, writing in Braille.           Though Braille worked well enough in other branches of mathematics, but difficulties arose in                     geometry and algebra. She faced a great challenge while using symbols in geometry and algebra.

Extra Important Questions and Answers  

Question.1- What were the difficulties that Helen faced in the second year at the school?

Answer- Firstly, the books Helen needed were not embossed in time before her classes started. Secondly, the number of students in the class was very large and the instructors were unable to give her individual attention. Moreover, she found algebra and geometry difficult to follow and problems in physics difficult to solve till they brought in a Braille writer.

Question.2-. How did Helen deal with these problems? 

Answer- Helen’s problems became easier when her embossed books arrived. In addition, she started putting in greater effort to overcome her problems.

Question.3-‘I was beginning to overcome these difficulties when an event occurred which changed everything.’ What event is Helen referring to?

Answer- Helen, here, is referring to Mr. Gilman’s opinion that Helen was being forced to study too hard and that she should remain in his school for three more years. However, Helen, herself, was keen to pass with the other girls in her batch. The problem escalated into a major disagreement between Mr Gilmore and Miss Sullivan. Finally Helen and her sister Mildred left the school and started tuition under a private tutor, Mr Keith, from Cambridge.

Question.4- How did Helen learn algebra and geometry?

Answer- Mr. Keith taught Helen algebra and geometry twice a week, along with Greek and Latin. He was very patient and took lot of pains to teach her. He repeated his lessons till Helen was able to understand the concepts.

Question.5-Why were Helen and Mr. Keith distressed before the algebra exam?

Answer- Helen used Braille to write her exams; but there were different versions of Braille. She was comfortable with English Braille, whereas the papers that were sent to her for practice were in American Braille, which she realised two days before her exams. Even though she tried hard to understand the symbols used in the version, she found it very confusing. Moreover, she could not see what she was typing which made solving algebra sums very hard. She was used to solving the sums in her mind and she found   it hard to write in the exam papers.

The Story of My life- Novel for class 10- English CBSE

By Helen Keller

Chapter 18- Notes and Study Material

Introduction of Chapter 18- the Story of My life by Helen Keller

Helen went to the Cambridge School for the Young Ladies in order to complete the next phase of her formal education. This was her first experience of attending classes with girls who could hear and see. Not only was this new for Helen and the other girls, but even her teachers were not used to it. Sullivan spelled into Helen’s hand all  the instructions, as well as what was in the books. Helen’s sponsors in London and Philadelphia worked to have textbooks embossed in raised print so that Helen could react tor herself. Unfortunately, the books were not ready in time to do Helen any good. In order to give Ms. Sullivan a break, the principal and the German teacher learned to fingerspell. Of course, they were not as fluent as Miss Sullivan was. The Principal. Mr. Gilman, took over teaching Helen in English  Literature for the remaining part of the year.

Conclusion/ Chapter in short/ Analysis of Chapter 18/Understanding the Theme of Chapter 18

Helen describes her entry into Cambridge School for Ladies where she faced the challenge of                        keeping up with normal students. She talks about the efforts of Miss Sullivan and Frau Gote to                    help her. Her success in the examinations encouraged her to study further.

Short Summary of Chapter-18 The Story of My Life by Helen Keller in Simple Words-

This chapter records Helen’s entry into the Cambridge School for Ladies, a school for children without disabilities, where she faced the challenge of having to keep up with normal students. Her instructors        had no experience in teaching special pupils like her and her only means of conversing with them                was by reading their lips. She faced the challenge bravely with the assistance of Miss Sullivan, who painstakingly decoded the lessons to her, through her fingers. She also received support from Frau            Gote, who was able to help her because of her knowledge of the finger alphabet. Another teacher,            Mr. Gilman, also helped her by simplifying the lessons for her. Apart from the problems associated        with learning with normal children, Helen quite enjoyed interacting with other girls of her age.                    She played games with them, went on long walks and even discussed studies with them. Her sister Mildred also joined the school, making Helen even happier. The chapter also records how Helen                  appeared for the exams, the challenges she faced and how she overcame them. Her success in the examinations gave her encouragement to carry on her studies further.

Extra Important Questions and Answers  

 

Question.1-Why did Helen not want to go to Wellesley?

Answer- Helen did not want to go to Well else as only girls studied there.

 

Question.2-What was the effect of her decision on the people in her life?

Answer- The people in Helen’s life, felt it was going to be difficult for her to study in college alongside people who could see and hear.

 

Question.3–How did Helen plan to overcome her handicap while studying in college?

Answer-To help Helen with the lectures, she planned to have Miss Sullivan attend the classes with her and interpret the instructions given to her.

 

Question.4-What were the advantages that Helen had over the other students?

Answer-Helen had a good command  over English and a good start in French, Latin and German.

 

Question.5-What were the drawbacks that Helen faced in college, and how did she overcome them?

Answer-The first problem Helen faced was that Miss Sullivan could not spell everything on her hand, and she required books. However, it was difficult to have all the textbooks embossed in a short while. Helen thus had to copy Latin into Braille. Moreover, it took the teachers a little time to understand her speech. They could then correct her mistakes. She then wrote all her compositions and translations on a typewriter.

 

Question.6-Who were Frau Gote and Mr. Gilman? How did they help Helen?

Answer-Frau Gote and Mr. Gilman were teachers at Cambridge School of Ladies. They were the only Answer- Two teachers in the school who learned the finger alphabet and were able to instruct Helen. Mr. Gilman read the lessons and explained various topics in a simplified manner. Similarly, Frau Gote spelled out her instructions in the special classes she gave Helen twice a week.

 

Question.7- How did Helen enjoy herself at the Cambridge School with the other girls?

Answer- For the first time in her life, Helen interacted with girls of her age. She enjoyed herself thoroughly, playing games like the blind man’s buff, playing in the snow, going on long walks and discussing studies with them.

 

Question.8-What made her stay in Cambridge an even happier experience after Christmas?

Answer- Helen’s sister Mildred joined the same school as Helen, and that made it one of the happiest times of her life.

 

Question.9-What method was used to examine Helen?

Answer- First of all, she was given a number by which she was identified. Then Mr Gilman read the papers to her sentence by sentence, while Helen repeated the words aloud to make sure that she had understood him perfectly. She then typed out her answers on a typewriter. Mr Gilman spelled out what she had written and Helen made changes as she thought necessary, while Mr Gilman inserted the changes. Finally, he sent her written work to the examiners, with a letter certifying that Helen, i.e., candidate had written the papers.

 

Question.10-What helped her with her Latin papers?

Answer- On the day of her Latin exam, Helen’s teacher informed her that she had passed her German exam satisfactorily: this had a very positive effect on her. She felt motivated to do well in the Latin paper as well

The Story of My life- Novel for class 10- English CBSE

By Helen Keller

Chapter 17- Notes and Study Material

Introduction of Chapter 17- the Story of My life by Helen Keller

For the next two years, Helen studied at the Wright-Humason School for the Deaf in New York. Ms. Sullivan attended as her interpreter. That school was chosen because it was the best for continuing the development of Helen’s speech and lip reading skills. She also studied French. German, Math and Geography. Helen was   disappointed and so were her teachers since she could not learn to speak more like other people, no matter how hard she worked at it. She did not have any liking for Math’s. M spite of these setbacks, her love for Geography and languages gave her fond memories of her time in New York. So far as the city is concerned, the only thing she liked was Central Park. She loved being engrossed in nature and her daily walks in Central Park were the closest she  Scold get to her former life in the country.

Conclusion/ Chapter in short/ Analysis of Chapter 1/Understanding the Theme of Chapter 1

Helen recounts the time spent at the Wright Humason School for deaf, in New York where she                    found the teachers very dedicated and sincere. She talks about the death of her friend Mr. Spaulding.

Short Summary of Chapter-1 The Story of My Life by Helen Keller in Simple Words-

Helen recounts the time spent at the Wright Humason School for the deaf, in New York City, in                  1894. She learnt vocal culture, lip reading, arithmetic, physical geography, French and German.                  She found French more difficult than German because her German teacher could use the manual                alphabet whereas her French teacher could not use it manually. She could not learn to speak as                  quickly as she wanted to, and hence was disappointed. She also found arithmetic difficult. Although            these disappointments caused her great depression, she pursued other studies with interest, especially physical geography. But for these drawbacks, she found the teachers at the school very dedicated              and looked back at the two years spent there with fondness. She remembers her walks to Central              Park and how she loved to have it described to her each time she went there. The chapter ends with Helen’s encounter with yet another death, that of her friend, Mr John Spaulding. His passing away            left an irreplaceable void in her life.

Extra Important Questions and Answers  

Question.1- Why was Helen sent to the Wright-Humason School in New York City?

Answer-Helen was sent to Wright-Humason School to be trained in vocal culture and lip reading.Along with that, she studied subjects like arithmetic, physical geography, French and German.

Question.2-Why did Helen find it easier to learn German?

Answer-The German teacher was able to use the manual alphabet and since Helen had already acquired some proficiency in it, they were able to talk in German easily. Soon, she was able to read the book Wilhelm Tell.

 

Question.3- What were the disappointments that Helen had to face at the Institute?

Answer-Helen’s skill in lip-reading and speech did not improve as quickly as everyone had expected. Hence there was a sense of disappointment for Helen.

 

Question.4-Which subject proved the most difficult for Helen? How did she deal with it?

Answer-Helen found it very difficult to do arithmetic. She tried to deal with it by guessing the answers or jumping at conclusions, but it only aggravated her difficulties.

 

Question.5-What did Helen remember of the teachers at Wright-Humason School?

Answer-Helen remembered her teachers at the School as very dedicated; they tried their best to give their students whatever advantage possible to lead them out of the confined lives they led.

 

Question.6-What does Helen mean by saying, ‘Before I left New York these bright days were darkened by the greatest sorrow?

Answer-Helen, here, refers to the death of Mr John P Spaulding of Boston, who had been a great friend of Helen and Miss Sullivan.

The Story of My life- Novel for class 10- English CBSE

By Helen Keller

Chapter 16- Notes and Study Material

Introduction of Chapter 16- the Story of My life by Helen Keller

By the time Helen reached the age of thirteen, she had learned to fingerspell, to read in raised print and in Braille. She could speak English and little French too. After that, in October 1893. Helen began her formal  schooling in preparation for college by taking Latin and Math lessons. Initially, she did not like Latin more than Math. but soon grew to love it. Until now, Helen’s learning had been based on her interests. Anne Sullivan’s  method with Helen was to follow her interests, teaching her what she asked to know and providing her with experiences. Helen, at this time, worked systematically at something that did not offer immediate gratification. She had a goal to achieve. Along the way, she started liking the study of Latin since she had a gift for various languages.

Conclusion/ Chapter in short/ Analysis of Chapter 1/Understanding the Theme of Chapter 1

Helen writes about her attempts to learn French and improve her speech. She also began to learn              Latin from Mr. Irons.

Short Summary of Chapter-1 The Story of My Life by Helen Keller in Simple Words-

This chapter recounts Helen’s attempts at learning French and improving her speech. She had                    already read the histories of Greece, Rome and the United States. In order to improve her speech,          she read aloud to Miss Sullivan and recited passages of her favourite poets. For the first time in her            life, she began to take fixed lessons at fixed times. She started learning Latin from Mr. Irons whom          she describes as a man of rare, sweet nature and of wide experience. She learnt critical appreciation        of literature and enjoyed her Latin lessons. Miss Sullivan helped her in her lessons by spelling into her hand whatever Mr. Irons said and looking up new words for her.

Extra Important Questions and Answers 

Question.1- What does Helen mean when she says that earlier she had studied various subjects in a ‘desultory manner‘?

Answer-Helen confessed that there had been no fixed pattern to her learning of the various subjects. She had learnt them in a haphazard manner.

 

Question.2-How do we know that Helen was determined to improve her speech?

Answer-Helen spent a considerable amount of time reading out aloud to Miss Sullivan and reciting passages from her favourite poems which she had memorised. This reflected her urge to improve her speech.

 

Question.3-What was the change that occurred from October 1893?

Answer-The change that occurred in October 1893 was that Helen’s lessons became more structured and she began to have lessons in special subjects at fixed hours.

 

Question.4-What did Mr. Irons teach Helen?

Answer-Mr. Irons was a Latin scholar. He taught Helen Latin grammar and arithmetic. He taught her critical appreciation of the texts that she read, and to recognise the writer’s style.

The Story of My life- Novel for class 10- English CBSE

By Helen Keller

Chapter 15- Notes and Study Material

Introduction of Chapter 15- the Story of My life by Helen Keller

The winter and summer following ‘The Frost King’, Helen spent with her family in Alabama. She was very happy. The Frost King was forgotten. In the autumn, she started to write a sketch of her life a year after she had written ‘The Frost King’. But she was frightened and took every precaution in expressing herself while writing, she slopped and reflected if she was not giving expression to someone else’s ideas that had appeared before her she would not write anything the whole day. Miss Sullivan motivated her to continue her work. It was her persuasion that she was writing the sketch of her life for youth’s companion. The chief incidents of the year 1893 which she describes in this chapter are her trip to Washington during the inauguration of President Cleveland and her visits to Niagara and the world’s fair. She says that it is difficult to describe her emotions produced in her heart while she stood near the Niagara Falls and ‘felt the air vibrated and the earth tremble’ she was accompanied by Miss Sullivan and Dr. Graham Bell. Whenever she described her visit to Niagara and its beauties, people would ask her in wonder ‘What did the beauties of Niagara mean to her when she could neither sec the waves rolling up the beach nor hear heir roar? In the world’s fair, Helen was introduced to the wonders of the world about which she read in her books. Now she was face to face with them. This visit to the world’s fair transported her from the fairy land of the childhood to the real world. There she saw the idols of Shiva and Ganesha, pyramids of Egypt, the lagoons of Italy,and many other things which are dragging to Mexico and the other parts of the world. She came to know of the process of the shining and cutting of diamonds. She visited the ships used by Columbus during his journey to America. She also visited the electrical building and examined telephones, auto phones, phonographs and many other scientific inventions. Dr. Graham Bell told her in detail about the functions of these devices. All these things were added to her vocabulary and knowledge. She felt how different the real world was from the world of the fairy tales that greatly fascinated her in her childhood. But in no sense the real world was less beautiful than the fairy world.

Conclusion/ Chapter in short/ Analysis of Chapter 15/Understanding the Theme of Chapter 15

Helen writes about the time spent in Alabama, her constant anxiety about the originality of her writing, her trip to the Niagara Falls and her visit to the World Fair.

Short Summary of Chapter-15 The Story of My Life by Helen Keller in Simple Words-

In this chapter, Helen writes about the time she spent in Alabama with her family, and how she                  returned to writing. She was plagued with insecurity about the originality of anything she wrote.                She checked and double-checked her writing to make sure that she had not copied from something            she had read, even accidentally. Miss Sullivan continued to encourage her and persuaded her to                  write a brief account of her life for the Youth’s Companion. Helen recounts her trip to Washington,              the Niagara Falls and World’s fair. The curious bazaar of India, the pyramids of Cairo, the lagoons              of Venice and her experience on board a Viking ship at the World’s fair, was a totally new and                     enriching experience for Helen. The World Fair proved to be a storehouse of information for Helen           who readily absorbed every bit that she came across. She confesses that all these experiences added        a great many new terms to her vocabulary.

Extra Important Questions and Answers  

Question.1– How did Helen resume writing?

Answer- Helen had serious doubts about her ability to write original work. She was anxious if she might be writing things that she had read somewhere else. She would check and double-check her work to make sure she was not inspired by other works. However, Miss Sullivan continued to encourage her and persuaded her to write for the Youth’s Companion, for which she wrote a brief account of her life.

 

Question.2-What surprised people about Helen’s appreciation of the Niagra Falls?

Answer- People could not understand how Helen could appreciate the Niagra Falls without being able to see or hear the loud roar generated by the fall, flowing down the steep mountainside.

 

Question.3-Why does Helen feel that her visit to the World Fair had helped to broaden her horizons and become mature?

Answer- The visit to the World fair with Miss Sullivan and Dr Alexander Graham Bell was an eye opener for Helen. For the first time in her life, she could ‘see’ all the marvels of invention, treasures of industry and skill and all the activities of human life. She was able to learn about India, Egypt, Mexico and other parts of the world through the statues and relics displayed in the Fair. This broadened her horizons and stirred her interest in the world around, rather than in fairy tales and make-believe.

The Story of My life- Novel for class 10- English CBSE

By Helen Keller

Chapter 14- Notes and Study Material

Chapter 14- Notes and Study Material

Introduction of Chapter 14- the Story of My life by Helen Keller

Helen wrote her first book, “The Frost King”, (initially titled “The Frost King”). She showed it to her teacher  and the story was read out to her family members at dinner. She sent it to her friend, Mr. Anagnos, who published it  in one of The Perkin Institution reports. But it was discovered that the story was similar to Miss. Margaret. T. Canby’s “The Frost Fairies” which had appeared in a book called “Birdie and His Friends”. Helen was accused of plagiarism, though she could not figure out how it had happened. When questioned later by a teacher, she admitted that Miss. Sullivan had talked to her about Jack Frost and his wonderful works. She was accused of plagiarism by Mr. Anagnos himself. She was questioned by a court of investigation and the judges forced her to acknowledge that she had listened to the story, “The Frost Fairies”, that was read to her. Stir felt humiliated, though nothing had been proved against her.

Now she became highly cautious while writing. It was Miss. Sullivan’s encouragement that drove away the psychological fear from her mind that she was a ‘thief of words’. Miss. Canby herself sent a bracing message  stating that she did not consider Helen guilty of any wrong and that she believed that Helen would grow up to become a famous writer. In fact, what Helen had done was not a deliberate or conscious attempt at copying another person’s idea. She had just reproduced the ideas that had become a part and parcel of her life, in her own words. But then, she had lost one of her dearest friends, Mr. Anagnos, because of the allegation of plagiarism.

Conclusion/ Chapter in short/ Analysis of Chapter 14 /Understanding the Theme of Chapter 14

Helen describes the writing of the story ‘The Frost King’. She sent the story to Mr Anagnos as                    a birthday gift. The story was published by him but a court of investigation found similarities between her story and another one and accused her of copying ideas. This incident had a deep impact on her life.

Short Summary of Chapter-14 The Story of My Life by Helen Keller in Simple Words-

In this chapter, Helen describes the writing of the story ‘The Frost King’ and the appreciation she              received from her family. Although she received great joy in composing the story, her joy was                    short-lived. She sent the story to Mr Anagnos as a birthday gift. Mr Anagnos was delighted with                the story and published it in one of his institution’s reports. However, this innocent gift backfired                as people found similarities between Helen’s story and another story titled the ‘Frost Fairies’.                      Mr Anagnos was annoyed and believed that she had copied the story and sent it to him under her              own name. He thought that Helen and Miss Sullivan had deliberately stolen the thoughts of others              and imposed them on him to win his admiration. He made Helen face a court of investigation                    composed of teachers and officers of the institution which passed a judgment implicating Helen of copying. Helen went into deep depression as a result and lost all confidence in herself. Mr Anagnos              cut off all relations with her. Helen ends this chapter by making clear that her intention in giving              an account of the event was neither to defend herself nor to put the blame on anyone but simply                because this particular incident was important in her life and education.

Extra Important Questions and Answers  

Question.1-Why does Helen say that the winter of 1892 was darkened by one cloud? What was this cloud?

Answer-In the winter of 1892, Helen’s story The Frost King was accused of being a copied.

Question.2-How did Helen write the story?

Answer-Helen wrote the story at home, immediately after she learnt to speak. One day, after her teacher had described the beauty of the foliage around Fern Quarry, Helen was motivated to write the story which seemed to flow out of her.

Question.3-How did her teacher, family and friends react to the story?

Answer-Helen’s teacher, family and friends were all very impressed with her story and complimented her on it.

Question.4-Why did Helen send the story to Mr Anagnos?

Answer-Helen sent her story to Mr Anagnos as a birthday gift.

Question.5-Why does Helen write, ‘ little dreamed how cruelly I should pay for that birthday gift’?

Answer-Mr. Anagnos published Helen’s story in one of the reports of the Perkins Institution. It was soon brought to his notice that the story was almost identical to another story called ‘The Frost Fairies’ by Miss Margaret T Canby. Thus, Helen was accused of deliberately copying the story and sending it as her own. Helen was deeply troubled by the accusation and regretted sending her story.

Question.6- What was Helen’s reaction to these allegations?

Answer-Helen was deeply distressed because she could not remember having read The Frost Fairies and could not understand how she came to write something so similar . She lost confidence herself and it was a long time before she started writing again.

Question.7-What does the behaviour of Mr Anagnos and the committee that examined her reveal about them?

Answer-The episode shows how the insensitive adults were quick to blame Helen without understanding the effect of their harsh behaviour on a little girl who was blind and deaf. In fact, Mr Anagnos cut off all relations with Helen, which hurt her deeply.

Question.8-What was the role played by the Perkins Institution in Helen’s life?

Answer-Perkins Institution for the Blind was the first place where Helen interacted with people outside of her family circle. It was the first place where she saw a library which she could peruse to her heart’s content. Here she learnt the basics of lip reading and reading with the help of Braille. Later, however, it was also the place that undermined her confidence and left a deep scar on her psyche, when she was criticised and unfairly condemned for supposedly copying a story and saying that it was written by her. This curbed her efforts at self-expression for a long time, and also made her far more cautious when she interacted with people and institutions in the future.

 

Question.9-Do you think Mr Anagnos’ behaviour towards Helen after the story was published was justified?

Answer-Mr. Anagnos’ behaviour towards Helen seems to have been very unfair. To begin with, he was very supportive of her, and when she sent him a story as his birthday gift, he was very pleased. He was the one who sent the story for publication. However, when it came to light that the story was very similar to another existing story, he changed his attitude almost overnight. He could have clarified the matter and explained that the story was not to be seen as a copied or inspired story, but as the triumph of their efforts in enabling a young blind girl to read and write. Instead, he refused to be associated with her, as though he was trying to distance himself and hide the fact that he had sent it for publication. Perhaps he did this out of consideration of his own position within the Institution, but it was certainly very unjust towards Helen. As a result of his harsh behaviour, she was made the victim, her confidence was shattered and it was a long time before she could bring herself to write again. Apart from stalling her growth, Mr Anagnos also exposed the hypocrisy of the Institute, which was supposed to help disabled people, but was completely insensitive to the pain and mental anguish that they caused a young child like Helen.

The Story of My life- Novel for class 10- English CBSE

By Helen Keller

Chapter 13- Notes and Study Material

The Story of My life- Novel for class 10- English CBSE

By Helen Keller

Chapter 13- Notes and Study Material

Introduction of Chapter 13- the Story of My life by Helen Keller

Helen had been trying desperately to speak, but she was not successful in her attempts. She did not lose heart The story of RagnhildKaata, a deaf and blind girl in Norway, who had been taught to speak was narrated to her in 1890. by Mrs. Lamson. This story inspired her to continue with her attempts. Miss. Sullivan took her to Miss sarah  Fuller, Principal of  Horace School, who agreed to teach Helen herself. Miss. Fuller’s simple but unique method made Helen speak her first connected sentence- “It is warm”. Thus with Miss. Sullivan’s tireless efforts and Helen’s strong determination, the latter was able to speak on her own. She discarded the manual alphabet as a medium of communication. Now Helen had a great sense of self-esteem. Even her thoughts seemed to flow more easily, when she expressed them. She could now explain the use of the manual alphabet, also called finger spelling. in fact, this phase can be considered as the second part of her life story.

Conclusion/ Chapter in short/ Analysis of Chapter 13/Understanding the Theme of Chapter 13

Helen talks about her attempts to speak. She was inspired by Ragnhild Kaata, a deaf and blind                    girl in Norway who had been taught to speak.

 

Short Summary of Chapter-13 The Story of My Life by Helen Keller in Simple Words-

This chapter records Helen’s attempts at learning to speak. There was a strong impulse to utter                   audible sounds within her and she was inordinately pleased with anything that made a noise. She               was inspired by the story of Ragnhild Kaata, a deaf and blind girl in Norway who had actually                      been taught to speak. Helen learnt the elements of speech from Miss Sarah Fuller and uttered her first words with her help. Helen felt as if her soul had come out of bondage. She showed a strong determination and eagerness to show off her new skills to her family. Her joy knew no bounds                    when she felt people responding to her speech. She practised harder even when discouragement                and weariness cast her down, but what spurred her on was the thought of revealing her new                        ability to her loved ones. Helen also describes the delighted surprise of her family at her new achievement.

Extra Important Questions and Answers  

Question.1- How did Helen learn to ‘hear with her fingers’?

Answer-Helen would place her fingers lightly on the lips of the speaker and copy the movement. She would feel the purring of the cat and the barking of the dog with her fingers.

Question.2-Why did Helen make sounds and try to copy others?

Answer- Helen tried to copy the sounds of others around her because she felt a deep need to exercise her vocal chords.

Question.3-Why was Helen filled with eagerness after hearing the story of Ragnhild Kaata?

Answer-Ragnhild Kaata was a deaf and blind girl in Norway who had been taught to speak. On hearing about her, Helen resolved not to rest till she too learnt to speak.

Question.4-Why is the 26 March 1890 a date Helen would never forget?

Answer- 26 March 1890 held deep significance for Helen as she started learning how to speak at the Horace Mann School from the principal, Miss Sarah Fuller.

Question.5-How did Miss Fuller teach Helen?

Answer-Miss Fuller passed Helen’s hand lightly over her face and make her feel the position of her tongue and lips as she made a sound. Helen imitated every motion and in an hour learnt six elements of speech.

Question.6-What did her efforts to learn to speak reveal about Helen’s character?

Answer-Helen’s tryst with learning to speak reveals her determination as she put in all her effort to overcome her disability.

Question.7-How did Helen motivate herself to learn?

Answer-Helen motivated herself by thinking about her sister’s delight at her achievement and by repeating to herself the statement, `I am not dumb now’.

Question.8-Why was Helen’s father quiet when he came to receive her at the station?

Answer-Helen’s father’s joy at hearing her speak was so great that he could not speak himself. He expressed his delight through silence.

The Story of My life- Novel for class 10- English CBSE

By Helen Keller

Chapter 12- Notes and Study Material

The Story of My life- Novel for class 10- English CBSE

By Helen Keller

Chapter 12- Notes and Study Material

Introduction of Chapter 12- the Story of My life by Helen Keller

Once Helen went on a visit to a village in New England, the entire village was covered with snow. Then came  a snowstorm and tiny flakes of ice were falling around. The loneliness that Helen and others felt was forgotten for a while, when they were sitting round the fire. During the night the wind became furious. At last when the sun appeared, Helen and others slid over snow, sitting in a toboggan.

 

Conclusion/ Chapter in short/ Analysis of Chapter 12 /Understanding the Theme of Chapter 12

Helen describes a winter spent in a New England village and her first experiences of a snow storm.

 

Short Summary of Chapter-12 The Story of My Life by Helen Keller in Simple Words-

This chapter describes a winter spent in a New England village and Helen’s first experiences of a                snow storm. New England’s frozen lakes and vast snow fields were a new experience for her and she describes her pleasure in entering the treasures of the snow. She describes the landscape following             the snow storm as a waste of snow with trees rising out of it. She spent the days sitting around the            great fire, along with her family members and shared merry tales. Helen describes how she felt the dazzling sunlight after three days of snow. She also describes the fun she had tobogganing and                   describes the experience as ‘divine’.

Extra Important Questions and Answers  

Question.1- What surprised Helen about the trees in winter?

Answer- Helen was surprised to discover that the trees and branches were bare of leaves in winter: there were no birds on them and their nests were all empty.

Question.2-Why did Helen rush out of doors even though there were signs of an impending snowstorm?

Answer- Helen rushed out to feel the tiny snowflakes as they fell from the sky, in spite of dangers of an impending snowstorm.

 

Question.3-How did the family spend their time during the snowstorm?

Answer- During the snowstorm, Helen and her family sat around a fire and enjoyed themselves, sharing merry stories with one another.

Question.4-Why does Helen say that the pine trees outside had no smell?

Answer-Helen described the pine trees Outside her home to be bereft of any smell because they were covered with snow.

Question.5-How was Helen able to feel the light in spite of her blindness?

Answer-The sunrays on the snow-covered trees and branches shone dazzlingly bright, and blindness. everything sparkled like diamonds. Helen could feel the brightness in spite of her blindness.

Question.6-What does Helen mean when she says that she could not feel the earth under her feet?

Answer-The snow was so thick, that Helen could not feel the ground beneath it.

Question.7-What did Helen enjoy about tobogganing?

Answer-Helen enjoyed being shoved off a slope and plunging through drifts, swooping down upon the lake as if she were flying.