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35th out of 450 books
—
512 voters
The Miracle Worker
NO ONE COULD REACH HERTwelve-year-old Helen Keller lived in a prison of silence and darkness. Born deaf, blind, and mute, with no way to express herself or comprehend those around her, she flew into primal rages against anyone who tried to help her, fighting tooth and nail with a strength born of furious, unknowing desperation.
Then Annie Sullivan came. Half-blind herself,...more
Then Annie Sullivan came. Half-blind herself,...more
Mass Market Paperback, 128 pages
Published
June 25th 2002
by Pocket Books
(first published 1956)
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One of my favorite plays... the story of Anne Sullivan breaking through the darkness and silence of Helen Keller's world to teach her the very concept of language. It reads incredibly well, but if you must see it in action, check out the classic film version with Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke and absolutely DO NOT WATCH THE REMAKE. It is craptacular to the extreme. I just finished a run at the Hale Center Theater in Orem playing Helen Keller's mother Kate and it positively changed my life forever...more
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Feb 08, 2009
Hong Deng
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
10th-grade-advisory,
plays
"The, more, I, think, the, more, certain, I, am, that, obedience, is, the, gateway, through, which, knowledge, enters, the, mind, of, the, child——" The story was about Annie Sullivan, a half blind young woman, who tries to teach a blind, deaf, and mute little girl how to behave and communicates with the normal world. The girl, Helen Keller, grows up in an environment in which her parents, a brother, and a servant are accustomed to let her do whatever she wants. No one has ever have the hope of t...more
As a student I was always taught that Helen Keller was a miracle, an intellectual, and an inspiration. I never put thought into how she overcame her disabilities. I assumed that she just independently became educated. After reading "The Miracle Worker" by William Gibson my eyes were opened to how difficult not only Helen's childhood was, but how difficult it was for the people around her to raise her. This book introduces us to possibly the most influential person in Helen's life, Anne Sulivan....more
THE MIRACLE WORKER
I’ve recently read the play The Miracle Worker by William Gibson. It creates many strong images and moments.
The Miracle Worker is about Helen Keller, a girl born both deaf and blind. The character Annie is hired to teach Helen. Annie teaches her a language by tapping symbols on each others hands. At first the chance that Helen will understand seems impossible and no one believes that Helen will do anything significant in her life. When she finally understands this new form of...more
The Miracle Worker was one of those plays intended to reach out to the readers' hearts. The story is of Helen Keller, one of the most iconic figures throughout the world, and her struggle with Annie Sullivan to gain understanding of the world around her.
It portrays a crude glimpse at what Helen's life, and the life of those around her, had in store. Crafted from historical fiction, The Miracle Worker shows how each relation to Helen was "broken" in some way, and how Helen seemed to be the center
...more
Jan 06, 2010
Rachael
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
upper-elem-middle-school
I would love to read this with my 8th graders but I fear it would be too hard for them. They might, however, be interested enough that they would put in the extra effort necessary to understand the challenging vocabulary. We could learn some sign language, tour the Andrew Heiskell Library, learn Braille, see some videos of Helen, learn about her many humanitarian contributions, find some Akitas to hug, and more!
I'm a little leery of the way African Americans are depicted in the play, and I'm lo...more
I'm a little leery of the way African Americans are depicted in the play, and I'm lo...more
William Gibson is a wonderful writer who is capable of turning history into a well-developed script with interesting characters. The reader is first introduced to the Keller family, including a young Helen. The conflict first begins with her parents' discovery of her disabilities. Annie Sullivan, Helen's mentor, is then introduced to the reader. Annie joins the Keller famiy to work as Helen's teacher. Her goal is to communicate with Helen despite the young girl's difficulties (blind, deaf, mute)...more
I thought that The Miracle Worker was an interesting book. It was about a blind and deaf girl named Helen Keller and a formerly blind Irish teacher named Annie Sullivan. Annie was assigned to Helen to teach her. Helens parents, Keller and Kate, in my opinion are totally different. Kate thinks that Helen is smart, but Keller thinks the opposite. Keller thinks that Annie coming is just a waste of time and that Helen will never learn. James is Helen's half brother. James kind of stays in the backro...more
I re-read this play while on a plane coming home from China...not sure why I was driven to do so, but it was in my bag and I read it at that point. They are producing it at the Little Theatre of Walla Walla and I thought I might audition for Annie. I always liked that character when I read it the two times it was required in my K-12 schooling. I was also struck by the mother in this reading. I don't think I gave her much thought before, but...that is also a good role. I also surprised my cynical...more
The Miracle Worker follows Annie Sullivan, an almost fully-blind young-woman, as she attempts to teach, Helen Keller, a deaf-mute how to communicate. This story is unbelievably entertaining, I read in awe as the Keller family allowed Helen to literally pump around, thrashing violently till she got what she wanted. Annie fights tooth and nail to break through to Helen, determined to communicate with her.
The author uses wonderful details to show, rather than tell, what Helen is feeling. To so viv...more
The author uses wonderful details to show, rather than tell, what Helen is feeling. To so viv...more
"The Miracle Worker" by William Gibson tells the heart wrenching story of a young Helen Keller, who was born blind, deaf, and mute, as well as her wonderful teacher, Annie Sullivan. In a time in which science and treatment were limited, Helen discovers life, love, and new relationship that no one ever imagined possible. Annie Sullivan takes Helen on a journey from complete oblivion to awareness, opening up the door to the world around her through touch and language. I enjoyed this book immensely...more
this book was..... pretty good. but not the gratest. You definetly got the story though of Helen Keller. The book is writen as a play but has some real charecter.
Oct 02, 2010
Slayermel
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone
Shelves:
own,
2010,
20th-century,
biography,
child-development,
inspirational,
made-into-film,
male-authors,
non-fiction,
parenting,
plays,
pre-2008,
re-read,
young-adult,
american
This is the story of Helen Keller who was born a healthy little girl, but after falling ill with a childhood ailment she becomes Blind, Deaf and Mute. I found the story very touching, especially as someone who works with children. The Keller family hires Annie Sullivan to come and help teach Helen, and they are surprised to find Annie herself suffered from Blindness and is only 20 years old. Annie had her work cut out for her as Helen had been so spoiled and lacked all forms of discipline as the...more
So I'm performing this play, and one day I just sat down and read this book cover to cover. WOW. It's such an elegant, witty, heart breaking show. So many interesting characters, every word of dialouge spoken in this play has a good reason behind it. One of the best plays ever written, although I haven't read many plays, so don't trust my judgement on the best plays ever. But I'm pretty sure that's what any playwrite would say it was one of the best American plays anyway. It's interesting readin...more
Sep 25, 2008
Patricia
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Patricia by:
probably a librarian
if annie sullivan and helen keller can do what they did.....well, stop complaining.
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It has been years since I read a play. Since high school - Gasp! I didn't know whether I would enjoy this, it has been so long since reading one and some of those in high school were not by choice but mandatory. I had bought this at Steve's Sundry, a favorite bookstore I frequent from time to time. I am guessing it has sat on my shelf for a year or longer.
Anyway, I guess plays have grown on me much the way certain foods have that I used to detest. I find myself saying "look what I have been mis...more
Anyway, I guess plays have grown on me much the way certain foods have that I used to detest. I find myself saying "look what I have been mis...more
Helen Keller was born in Alabama in 1880. At 19 months old, she contracted a serious illness and became blind and deaf. She did not learn to speak because of her deafness. She struggled through life until Annie Sullivan, half blind herself, came to the rescue. Through a "finger game", which is actually a type of sign language, Annie Sullivan taught Helen Keller that everything has a name, and that every name has a meaning. Although it took weeks of teaching, Helen Keller finally understood this...more
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The story of a 20 yr. old Annie Sullivan and the "miracle" of her ability to bring language and freedom into the life of a 6 yr. old blind/deaf/mute Hellen Keller... In today's world it might not seem like so much of a miracle, but in the 1800's, most like Hellen were institutionalized as insane.
I read this in high school... it was the first play I ever became involved with at my school. I've since seen it performed several times, and I've seen the movie a ton of times as well(The original b&w...more
I read this in high school... it was the first play I ever became involved with at my school. I've since seen it performed several times, and I've seen the movie a ton of times as well(The original b&w...more
Gibson's play tells Helen Keller's inspiring story as her teacher, Annie Sullivan, leads her to language. The end of the play is extremely moving and follows real life accounts of how Helen came to acquire language from her teacher Annie Sullivan. I highly recommend it for teachers and high school students as it explores the student-teacher relationship, often a love-hate relationship, in a fascinating way. The play is also a worthwhile read for parents who struggle to understand why teachers ar...more
Before reading this, I only knew the very basics about the story of Hellen Keller and her teacher. But this play made me want to learn a lot more. (Even if only to see which family relationships were exaggerated to create additional drama). I didn't realize the homestead Keller grew up in, nor the social differences between her family and her teacher (whose name escapes me right now).
The pivotal moment is amazingly written.
The pivotal moment is amazingly written.
i've read this more times than i'd have liked. not that it's a bad story, in fact it's very very good, it's just depressing. i moved around a lot as a kid, and each school i went to decided THIS would be the year they had the students read the book as part of the curriculum. it almost became a bad recurring joke. i think i wound up reading it four separate times. for anyone interested in reading this, just keep in mind if you've seen the movie, don't expect any difference. it's going to be prett...more
I read this for school, but I read the play. I've previously read the story which is much better than the play because you don't get interrupted with stage directions. Even though I'm still wondering why in the hell I had to read the play for school and not the straight up novel, I'll give my review on the overall story (novel and play combined). So, we all know the story of Helen Keller, and it really is a miraculous and ispirational story and I don't know what else to write because I'm still m...more
عجیب است که از این نمایش نامه نویس خوب نیویورکی، تنها یک نمایش نامه به فارسی برگردانده شده است. نام اصلی این نمایش نامه "معجزه گر" است که در فارسی به "معجزه در آلاباما" ترجمه شده. مترجمین حسینعلی طباطبایی و داوود رشیدی هستند و کتاب در اوایل دهه ی چهل شمسی (تاریخ ندارد) چاپ و منتشر شده است.
نمایش نامه نیز توسط داوود رشیدی کارگردانی شده و در تیاتر کسری روی صحنه آمده است. از میان فهرست بازیگران در انتهای کتاب، تنها یکی دو تن مانند پرویز بهرام و فخری خوروش را می شناسم. بقیه همه قدیمی هستند.
نمایش نامه نیز توسط داوود رشیدی کارگردانی شده و در تیاتر کسری روی صحنه آمده است. از میان فهرست بازیگران در انتهای کتاب، تنها یکی دو تن مانند پرویز بهرام و فخری خوروش را می شناسم. بقیه همه قدیمی هستند.
I have seen the movie version of this play, and the play wasn't that different. I always find it a little difficult to read plays, but I liked this one. My only problem is that it ends at Helen and Anne at the pump and how Helen learns that words have meaning. I would've liked it to be extended a little bit longer. I'd recommend the movie if you don't like reading plays.
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I had watched the film version shortly after its release in 2000, but I never realized that it was based on a play. Reading the play was like reading the script for the film! The story of Helen Keller is an amazing one and this version of it was well-worked. Gibson did a good job of giving each of the characters unique personalities, without making them seem one-dimensional
For whatever reason, I have never taken the time to read this play, even though I know the whole Helen Keller/Annie Sullivan story and love the old B&W movie. I found this little book to be very engaging. I wanted to just sit down and read the whole thing in an hour and I kept getting interrupted--which was extremely frustrating. A wonderful and uplifting read!
Anne Sullivan was really a miracle worker...and the work she did with Helen was truly a huge accomplishment, and allowed another human being to accomplish so much. Without Anne, Helen probably would have ended up locked in an asylum. This book is well written and every child and adult should read it... more than once.
You know how when you're young and in Elementray school "Hellen Keller" always pops out of every teachers mouth? Well, there is a reason for that--she was an amazing women with amazing family and friends who brought her far. This was a funny, yet serious book about a woman who's childhood is known by everyone out there.
So beautiful and dramatic! I was completely drawn into this wonderful play based on the real life struggle between teacher and child. What must have been like for Helen Keller to be born deaf and blind. There is no pity needed, though, because we all know that she turned into a magnificent, strong, and independent woman. Of course, her teacher, Anne Sullivan, is a big part of that. I admire her determination and patience. My goodness, what a little hellion the young Miss Keller was at first. The...more
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William Gibson was a Tony Award-winning American playwright and novelist. He graduated from the City College of New York in 1938.
Gibson's most famous play is The Miracle Worker (1959), the story of Helen Keller's childhood education, which won him the Tony Award for Best Pla...more
More about William Gibson...
William Gibson was a Tony Award-winning American playwright and novelist. He graduated from the City College of New York in 1938.
Gibson's most famous play is The Miracle Worker (1959), the story of Helen Keller's childhood education, which won him the Tony Award for Best Pla...more
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