the miracle worker a play by william gibson

He ends up being one of Annie’s strongest supporters, and he helps Annie prove to his father that she is indeed the right teacher for Helen. He usually displays his feelings in a sarcastic and frivolous way, which adds to the family tensions that already exist. With all of the attention focused on Helen and her baby sister, James (Arthur’s son from a previous marriage) is easily offended and suffers a great deal of inner turmoil. She is hesitant to allow Annie to have control of Helen, but after witnessing Annie’s success in only a couple of weeks, she learns that she needs to let go, and she wants her husband to be able to do the same.ĭue to Arthur’s stubbornness in getting Helen any help, Helen suffers a lack of restraint, which leaves her wandering around the world in which she lives without any focus or discipline.

She feels guilt for Helen’s condition that has spiraled out of control.

His powerful position makes it challenging for even Annie to win his acceptance in order to keep her job.Ĭontrastingly, Kate is a sweet and gentle woman who wants to do the best thing for her daughter. When Annie enters the household, he is not used to her candid personality, and he considers her to be rude and unladylike. Since he is the man of the household, his power makes it challenging for the women to have any say in decision-making. Throughout the play, Arthur displays the greatest doubt in Annie Sullivan’s ability to teach his daughter. Family relationships influence actions in The Miracle Worker. The The Miracle Worker opens with Captain Arthur Keller and his wife, Kate, discovering that their baby Helen is suffering “acute congestion of the stomach and the brain.” Soon following this scene, the audience witnesses the entire family, including Helen’s Aunt Evelyn and brother, James, debating about what the proper care for Helen might be. The Affect of Family Relationships and Dynamics Here are three themes that are important in William Gibson’s play of Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller, and the Keller family. Discovering and establishing certain core themes can lead to even more discovery on the part of the reader. Thematic discussions and explorations when analyzing a play like The Miracle Worker can also be helpful when attempting to connect a play’s characters, actions, and plot to an overall idea. In an earlier post on The Miracle Worker, we looked at the relationship between Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller.

The miracle worker a play by william gibson