If You Give Me Three Days of Light: The Best Collection of Helen Keller

Chapter 45 Anne Sullivan's Letters (2)
At the beginning, Helen kicked and screamed, and seemed extremely excited, as if she had entered a state of madness.When supper came she was very cheerful and ate with great relish.But she still refused to let me touch her.On the first night, she thought only of her doll, and when it was time to go to bed, she undressed quietly and went to bed.But when she found that I was also on the bed, she jumped down, no matter how I tried to persuade her, she would not come back.I was worried that she would catch a cold, so I insisted that she go back to bed.Then, as you can imagine, there was another fierce fight between the two of us.The struggle lasted almost two hours, and I have never seen such tenacious willpower in a small child.Fortunately, there is one thing to be thankful for, that is, I am stronger than her.And I am also very willpower, once I make up my mind, I will stick to it.Finally I won, got her onto the bed, and covered her with a blanket, while she continued to lie on the edge of the bed, curled up as far away from me as possible.

Early the next morning, she was more obedient than before, but she was obviously homesick and always ran to the door, hoping that someone would come.Also, she touches her face from time to time, which is a gesture representing her mother.Then she would shake her head sadly.She spends a lot of time with her dolls and just ignores me.Seeing Helen hugging the doll, you can only feel funny and pitiful.I don't think she developed any particular affection for dolls—I've never seen her caress a doll.But that day, she undressed and redressed the doll again and again, just like her mother and nanny babysitting her little sister.

This morning, her favorite doll, Nancy, seemed to be in some trouble. The doll was fed a large spoonful of milk by Helen, because the doll was "difficult to swallow", and Helen suddenly put down the glass and started patting the doll's back.At the same time, she turned the doll over and placed it on her lap, and while shaking her legs slightly, she patted the doll's body gently.This process lasted for several minutes. As the mood dissipated, Nancy was ruthlessly thrown to the ground by Helen.Another huge doll with a pink face and fluffy hair was favored by this "little mother" and fed with milk.

Now Helen has recognized several words, but she doesn't quite know that everything has a corresponding name, and she doesn't know how to use them.But anyway, I think she'll learn a lot soon.As I have said before, she moves like lightning, and is extremely intelligent and active.If you train carefully, you should improve quickly.

letter four

Nov. 1887, 3

You must be very pleased to see my work going well.I haven't had any trouble finding me these two days.Helen has already learned three new words, and when I give her an object she has learned she can spell without hesitation.Sadly though, she'll be happier once the course is over.

Helen and I had a little chase in the garden this morning.She was clever enough to know where she was as soon as she touched the boxwood hedge.Also, she makes a lot of gestures that I don't understand.But one thing is for sure, these gestures represent the different family members living in "Ivy Green".

Yes, I want to tell you that I heard a rather surprising thing not long ago.Mr. Ananos had received a letter from Captain Keller last summer, but it seemed that he had heard about Helen before that.Because there is a teacher named Wilson in Florence College, who is also a friend of the Keller family.He had been studying at Harvard until last summer, when Mr. Wilson went to the Perkins Institute for the Blind to see if he could do something for Helen.Later, he met Mr. Ananos and regarded him as the dean, so Wilson told Mr. Ananos about Helen.But Wilson later recalled that Mr Ananos had shown no particular interest in the matter when he said he would consider it.However, Mr. Ananos has never mentioned this meeting. Don’t you think it’s strange?

letter five

Nov. 1887, 3

I was so happy this morning that I couldn't help singing.Because a miracle happened!It seemed that the light of knowledge illuminated Helen's mind, and everything was different from before!

This little crazy girl who refused to be disciplined half a month ago has now become a docile little girl.Now she sits next to me, her expression peaceful and happy, and this week she learned how to knit, and this time she is crocheting red Scottish wool into long "chains".When she has successfully made a "chain," she pulls the ball of thread across the room.While patting her arm, she gently pressed the "work" in her hand to her face.Indeed, such achievements are enough to be proud of.

Now she has let me kiss her, and when she is in a particularly good mood, she will sit on my lap obediently for a minute or two, and she no longer feels disgusted with my caress.It was a huge step forward - and that's what it's worth - it made me realize that this path was possible.This "little savage" learned to obey for the first time, and she found that it was actually very easy to be obedient.Now, I can finally let go of my hands and feet, rediscover and shape the wisdom hidden in the inner world of children.This task is really enjoyable.

Helen's change has also aroused the concern of her family.Captain Keller would visit us twice, morning and night.He watches with satisfaction as Helen Keller strings beads or arranges the needles on the sewing board.Then he exclaimed, "Look at how quiet she is!" It was completely different from when she first moved in, when she behaved out of the ordinary, and you always felt that there was something weird and even strange about her.

It was only later that I noticed that she was eating less and less, which aroused her concern, Captain Keller, who said she must be homesick and wanted to take Helen home.But I didn't agree, but I have a hunch, I feel that we will soon leave our paradise.

This week Helen learned several more terms.And "mug" (cup) and "milk" (milk) were the two words that confuse her the most.When she spells "milk," she points to the water glass.And when she spells "mug," she gestures to pour and drink milk.Apparently, she got the two words mixed up.Plus, she still doesn't know that everything has a name of its own.

When I was teaching Helen yesterday, I called Percy, the little black boy, into the room.This fueled her ambition to surpass Percy, and Helen seemed delighted whenever Percy made a mistake.Then, she asked him to spell it several times.When Percy's spelling pleased her, she patted Percy's curly head excitedly.Percy is also a smart and kind child. He deliberately made some small mistakes in order to make Helen happy.

Also this week, one day Captain Keller brought a setter that he was very proud of, called Bella.Bella used to play with Helen all the time, and Captain Keller wanted to see if Helen could still recognize her old partner.Helen was bathing Nancy at the time, and at first she didn't notice the dog.Usually if someone approaches her, she will usually detect the slightest footstep, and she will extend her arms to detect the person's location.But Bella seems unwilling to attract Helen's attention. I think it may have left a psychological shadow because of the rough treatment it received from the little master.

But Bella hadn't been in the house for half a minute before Helen noticed it, and she started sniffing everywhere.She threw the doll into the washbasin, and then groped around the room.At last she came across Bella, the dog curled up on the floor by the window.Helen recognized the dog immediately, and squeezed and pinched her arms around Bella's neck.She then sat on the ground next to the dog and played with Bella's paws.We froze for a moment, not knowing what she was doing.But when we see her spell the word "doll" with her own fingers, we realize that this little guy is teaching Bella how to read.

letter six

Nov. 1887, 3

It's a shame they didn't let us stay another week, Helen and I went home yesterday.But I think that in the past two weeks, I have used every opportunity and tried my best.Also, I don't want any serious conflict with Helen in the future.Therefore, Helen's homesickness should still be met.The biggest obstacle on the way forward has been successfully broken by me.I think that the "no" and "yes" conveyed by my shaking my head or nodding, in Helen's eyes, have become the difference between pain and pleasure, or cold and hot, and she has accepted this concept.However, if her learning progress must be at the cost of pain and distress, then I would rather not have her growth, which is something I don't want to see.In short, I must stick to my principles and stand firm between Helen and her parents who tolerated and indulged her a lot.I have made it clear to Captain and Mrs. Keller that they must not interfere in any way with my work.

I tried my best to let them understand that if Helen's temperament is allowed to let go, it will not be of any benefit to Helen's growth. In fact, it is extremely unfair to her.I also pointed out that in the process of educating children, nothing can be left alone, because this will cause equal pain to children and teachers.In the end, they let me go and promised me to help as much as possible.I think it's because they saw the improvement in Helen, and they have confidence in me.

Of course, I understand that this is an extremely difficult choice for them.Parents will definitely feel distressed when they see their children being strictly disciplined and going through hardships.Just a few hours after Captain and Mrs. Keller had agreed to everything I asked, Helen lost her temper: she didn't want to use napkins at dinner.I think she is trying to test what the consequences will be.I wrapped the napkin around her neck several times, but every time she resisted, she tore off the napkin and threw it on the floor, kicking the table with her feet.I took her plate and led her out of the room.Captain Keller stopped me, saying that no reason should be taken away from a child's right to eat.

Helen did not come to my room after dinner, and I saw her again at breakfast the next day.When I went downstairs, she was already in her seat.This time, instead of pinning the napkin behind her neck, she put it on her chest, which was her usual habit.She called my attention to her new "plan," and when she saw that I hadn't objected, she patted herself with delight.When I left the restaurant after eating, she took my hand and patted it gently, probably to express "reconciliation" to me again.But I did not accept this settlement, but instead took the opportunity to reiterate the "belated rule".

Before I went back to my room, I went to the dining room to get a napkin.When Helen came upstairs to class, I laid out a few things on the table as usual, except for the cake, which I used to give her when she spelled words quickly and accurately As a bonus.But now, the cake is gone.Helen quickly noticed the strangeness and gestured to me for a cake.So, while showing her the napkin, I wrapped it around her neck.Immediately afterwards, I tore off the napkin and threw it on the floor, shaking my head at the same time.I repeated this process several times until she understood exactly what I meant.

Then we started class as usual.I gave her one object and asked her to spell the name of that object, and it is worth mentioning that she now knows the names of twelve objects.But in the middle of spelling the words, she stopped suddenly, as if seized by an idea.She touched the napkin first, and then she wrapped the napkin around her neck and gestured for cake at the same time. You see how smart she is, this shouldn't have happened when she was spelling words.

But I didn't take it seriously, I took her action as a promise that if I gave her cake, she would be a good kid again.So I gave her a bigger cake than usual and she was so pleased with it that she patted herself and let out a giggle.

letter seven

Nov. 1887, 4

Everything around us is growing, blooming, competing for beauty, we are almost living in a garden.After breakfast, we will go outside to watch people work.Like other children, Helen loved digging and playing with mud.This morning, she "planted" the doll in the ground because she wanted it to grow as tall as me, and that's what she was telling me.You must think she is very clever, and she is, she has a lot of eyes.

Around ten o'clock in the morning, Helen and I would go back to the house and do our beading.Now, not only can she string many tricks, but she has also invented some new ways to play with beads and ropes.Afterwards I let her choose whether to knit or sew.She chose knitting herself, she is a fast learner and is currently knitting a scarf for her mom.Last week she knitted a beautiful apron for her doll.Though it's something any girl her age would do.But when the day's work is over, I'm still happy.

I personally don't like sewing or knitting, I'd rather hew stones and pave roads than lace a handkerchief, and I think they're probably the devil's invention.Every day at eleven o'clock, we have gymnastics class.She does all the moves and plays "Anvil Cantata" with dumbbells.Captain Keller said that he would set aside a place in the pump room for Helen to exercise.But in fact, both of us prefer to play freely, not to practice rigidly,

The time to learn new words was from twelve noon to one in the afternoon. Of course, this was not the only time I taught Helen to spell.In fact, from morning till night, I would spell everything in Helen's hands, and insisted on doing so, though she did not yet understand the meaning.I also firmly believe that Helen will make great progress in the long run.After lunch, I will rest for an hour.And Helen either ran to the yard to play with black children or with dolls.Before I came, these black children had been her playmates.Then I would join in, and we would run around from house to house.We also visit the horses and mules in the stables, feed the turkeys, and forage for eggs in the grass when we find time.If the weather is nice, we will go out for a ride between [-]pm and [-]pm, to various places, such as "Ivy Green", such as Helen's aunt's house, or we will sometimes visit her in the town cousin.Helen is a lively person by nature, she enjoys the feeling of being surrounded by her, and she herself likes to visit friends.I think it might be because they always have something for Helen that she likes to eat.After dinner, we will play in my room.At eight o'clock, I will help this little crazy girl take off her dress on time, and then put her to bed.She is willing to sleep with me now.

Mrs. Keller has always wanted to find a nanny for her, but I always tell her that I am the best nanny for Helen, and I am much better than those stupid and lazy black women who are randomly found.Because I can teach Helen everything she needs by hand.

As of March 3, Helen has recognized eighteen nouns and three verbs.And I found that it was much easier to teach her to read in odd hours than in regular hours.The following are the words she has mastered, among which the words marked with a small fork are those she volunteered to learn: doll (doll), mug (cup), pin (pin), key (key), bead (bead), cake (cake) ), baby (baby), mother (mother), sit (sit), stand (stand), walk (walk), dog (dog), bat (stick), cup (glass), box (box), water ( water), milk (milk), candy (candy), eye (eyes), finger (finger), toe (toe).On April 31 alone, she learned the seven nouns knife (knife), fork (dinner fork), spoon (spoon), saucer (saucer), tea (tea), papa (dad), and bed (bed). , and a verb run (to run).

letter eight

Nov. 1887, 4

I'm going to tell you something very important.That is Helen took another big step forward this morning, she has learned that everything has a corresponding name, she knows these things through the sign language alphabet.

do you remember?In my last letter I told you that the words "mug" and "milk" gave Helen great trouble.She confused the two nouns with the verb "drink," and she couldn't figure out what "drink" meant.Because, whenever she spells "mug" or "milk," I always do a "drinking show" to explain it to her.This morning, as she was washing her face, she wondered what the name of "water" was.

(End of this chapter)