The Miracle Worker

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The Miracle Worker

• Elements

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Setting

• A comfortable home on a homestead in Tuscumbia,
  Alabama
• After the Civil War (ended 1865) 1880s
• (Helen was born June 27, 1880)
• Live-in servants
• Blended family

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Characters you can relate to

• -- James is fighting to find his identity and
  voice bitter and hurt, he lashes out at others
  he wants acceptance, love, and respect from his
  father
• Kate is a mother figure who loves her children to
  a fault eternally hopefully, she wants the best
  for Helen, Mildred, and stepson James she is an
  idealist and sees love as an essential
• Keller is a strong, judgmental, father-figure who
  has more bark than bite he wants to protect Kate
  and his children practical and realistic
• Helen is a spoiled, bright girl who is limited by
  her disabilities, lack of discipline, and
  willfulness
• Annie is the outsider who declares war on Helens
  disability with discipline, determination, and
  empathy

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ConflictWill Annie be able to teach Helen?

• Major battles
• Annie vs. Helen (lack of discipline, will, set
  patterns of poor behavior)
• Annie vs. Keller (lack of trust and faith guilt
  over negative feelings about Helen)
• Annie vs. Kate (doesnt want Helen to suffer
  doesnt want to lose Helen)
• Annie vs. James (wants to undermine Kate doesnt
  like what Helen represents)
• Annie vs. Self (physical limitations, self-doubt,
  guilt)

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Subplot conflictwill James and his father be
able to love each other?

• James vs. Keller (lack of respect for each other
  little acceptance and understanding of the other
  preoccupied with own problems)

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Climax

• Helens realization that everything has a
  namelanguage unlocks her from
• Isolation
• Uncivilized behavior
• Ignorance

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Symbols

• Dollsblank face second one with eyes
• Dog
• Water pump, water
• Key

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Themes

• Disabilities
• Love
• Discipline
• Language

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What does it take to be a miracle worker?

• What type of personality is needed?
• How much time and energy would have to be given?
• What kind of problem would it have to be to
  commit to solving it?
• Would it ever be okay to give up? Under what
  circumstances?
• Would you be up to this type of challenge?
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