Helen Keller And Anne Sullivan Struggling To Break Through Limitations

Helen Keller over Anne Sullivan (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Helen Keller, an educator and humanitarian figure in the world was born on June 27, 1880. Keller was born healthy, able to walk at the age of one year. But at 19 months of age, Keller developed a disease called "brain fever." Some experts estimate it could be dengue fever or meningitis.

The fever caused Helen Keller to lose her sight and hearing. Surely Keller is like living in silence, unable to hear and see what is in his environment. Keller was wild and unruly. He kicks and screams when he is angry and laughs uncontrollably when he is happy.

Without realizing it, Keller often tortured Martha Washington, daughter of the cook of his family and often threw tantrums at his parents. But Martha and Helen Keller created a kind of sign language and have more than 60 signs to communicate with each other. Because of Helen Keller's situation, many family relatives felt that she should receive special care.

The arrival of Anne Sullivan, the teacher

Launching Biography, Saturday, June 27, Anne Sullivan wants Keller to communicate by connecting words and things. But of course the job is not easy. He had to teach the stubborn and spoiled little Helen Keller.

In addition, the Keller family often protested the learning methods applied. Finally Sullivan isolated Keller from his family to educate him better. Sullivan also began teaching Keller how to communicate with the outside world.

In one lesson, Sullivan spelled the word 'water' in one of Keller's hands as he threw water on Keller's hand. Keller eventually made his first major breakthrough, connecting the concept of sign language with the objects around him.

Thanks to Sullivan's instruction, Keller learned nearly 600 words. Keller also learned other lessons such as the multiplication table and how to read Braille. News of Sullivan and Keller's success spread.

Keller met people like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and Mark Twain. Keller continued with Sullivan for 49 years, from 1887 until Sullivan died in 1936.

Thanks to Sullivan's teachings and Keller's hard work, he managed to go to college and become a teacher. She has also written books, and is able to deal with social and political issues, including women's suffrage, birth control, and socialism.

Keller died in his sleep on June 1, 1968, a few weeks before his 88th birthday. Keller suffered from various illnesses in 1961 and spent the rest of his life at his home in Connecticut.

During his extraordinary life, Keller was a powerful example of how determination, hard work, and imagination can enable a person to triumph over adversity. By overcoming difficult conditions with great persistence, he grew to become a world-renowned and respected activist working for the advancement of others.