The Miracle Worker Background

William Gibson created a “teleplay” a television play based on Helen Keller‟s autobiography The Story of My Life, and letters from Annie Sullivan.

He adapted the production for the stage which later became the famous 1962 Academy Award winning version with Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke.

Later in 2000, Disney did a remake starring Hallie Kate Eisenberg.

Author of The Miracle Worker William Gibson

Was born in the Bronx, New York, on November 13, 1914.

The Miracle Worker is his second Broadway production for which he is best known.

Gibson was fascinated with Annie Sullivan‟s triumph as Helen Keller‟s teacher, which led him to write about her accomplishments.

See more information on the handout.

Characters in The Miracle Worker

Helen Keller

Annie Sullivan

Captain Keller (Helen‟s Father)

Kate Keller (Helen‟s Mother)

James Keller (Helen‟s Step-brother)

Anagnos

Aunt Ev

Martha

Percy

Viney

Offstage Voices

Stage Direction mini-lesson

What is it?

Definition:

A playwright‟s instruction/directions to the

director and actors (written in the script)

Describes the position of the actors on the

Stage.

Basic Stage Vocabulary

Stage directions apply to the actor as he/she faces the audience

Stage Right -R- the actor‟s right

Stage Left –L- the actor‟s left

Downstage -D- nearest the audience

Upstage -U- away from the audience

C – Center Stage

Other Stage Vocabulary

Onstage – the acting area within the set, visible to the audience

Offstage – the parts of the stage not enclosed by the setting

Backstage – the area behind the setting

Wings – the offstage areas to the left and right of the acting area

House – the auditorium where the audience sits (also called „outfront‟)

Body Positions

Five basic positions:

One quarter

Full front

Profile

Three quarter

Full back

Act One (Pages 5-38)

Scene 1:

Setting= The Keller Household (Night time)

Inside the Keller Household:

Three adults surround a crib, in lamplight. They

have been through a long vigil, and it shows in

their tired bearing and disarranged clothing.

(Captain Keller, Kate Keller, and the Doctor)

Act One (Pages 5-38)

1. What was the doctor's diagnosis of the baby?

2. Explain how Helen is James's half sister.

3. Why was Helen searching for buttons?

4. What two presents did Annie receive for herself prior to her

departure from the Perkins Institute?

5. Why did Kate give Helen a peppermint drop?

6. What was Kate's first impression of Annie Sullivan?

7. What was the first word that Annie signed into Helen's hand?

8. State the philosophy behind Annie's first instructional lesson for

Helen.

What does this mean? A little background please!

She has the constitution of a goat

She isn‟t battle-scarred yet

I call it acute congestion of the stomach and brain

The slow tune of a distant belfry approaching in a crescendo and then fading

The family was talking, but in pantomime.

She is a woman steeled in grief.

Now that you‟re marshal, you‟ll have this Yankee money.

I‟m badgered enough here by females without your impudence.

I might as well try to work in a hen yard.

This house is at 6‟s and 7‟s.

It was not our affliction I meant you to write about.

Teach an iota of discipline

I‟ll thank you not to broach it again.

He paws his papers to the floor.

It was always an Irish battle.

The battle is dead and done with; why not let it stay buried?

She has the constitution of a goat.

constitution the physical makeup of the individual especially with respect to the health, strength, and appearance of the body.

Inference

She is very healthy.

Goats are sturdy animals that can eat garbage and still remain healthy.

She isn‟t battle-scarred yet.

battle-scarred

damaged or affected by fighting

Background Information

Mrs. Keller was Captain Keller‟s second wife. Helen was her first child.

Inference

Mrs. Keller isn‟t used to dealing with the trials of being a mother.

Acute congestion of heart and stomach

acute: bad or difficult,

experienced to a severe or intense degree

congestion: accumulation

of body fluids

Background

In the 1880‟s, doctors were unaware of many illnesses.

Helen probably had meningitis, a curable illness.

Inference

Helen had a sudden onset of illness that was severe. Today it would be treated with antibiotics.

The slow tune of a distant belfry approaching in a crescendo and then fading

belfry

a bell tower or steeple that holds bells

crescendo

a gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music

Inference

The chiming of bells from a tower begin loud and fade away.

The family was talking, but in pantomime.

pantomime

technique of showing emotions or actions by gestures without speech.

Background

passing of time can be expressed in a play with a pantomime scene or an audio, such as chiming bells.

Inference

The family is interacting with each other in one scene without speaking. This helps the audience understand that time has passed between this scene and the next. scene.

Now that you‟re marshal, you‟ll have this Yankee money.

Background

Mr. Keller was a Confederate captain in the Civil War. He was later appointed as marshal to North Alabama.

Inference

Captain Keller has some authority in his town because he is the marshal.

Now that you‟re marshal, you‟ll have this Yankee money.

Yankee

During the Civil War, people from the north were called Yankees.

Inference

Captain Keller will have money to spend to get Helen the help she needs.

I‟m badgered enough here by females without your impudence.

badgered

to be repeatedly annoyed by someone or something.

impudence

failing to show respect

Inference

Mr. Keller is constantly annoyed by the women in his family and doesn‟t want any male family members to disrespect him.

I might as well try to work in a

hen yard. Hen yard

Hens are noisy, messy creatures.

Inference

Hyperbole:

gross exaggeration

The working environment must be very noisy and unorganized.

This house is at 6‟s and 7‟s.

Background

an old English expression meaning a state of confusion, disarray.

It may have originated from a dice game called “Hazard”.

Inference

The Keller house must be very unorganized.

It was not our affliction I meant

you to write about.

affliction

a cause of mental or bodily pain.

Inference

I didn‟t mean for you to write about what is causing us pain, but what is causing someone else pain.

Teach an iota of discipline

iota

A very small amount

Inference

The Keller‟s want for Helen to learn at least a small amount of discipline because she has no discipline at all.

I‟ll thank you not to broach it

again. broach

to raise a sensitive or difficult subject for discussion.

Inference

Don‟t bring up that topic.

He paws his papers to the floor.

paw

to strike or scrape with a beating motion

Inference

He is forcefully throwing papers to the floor.

It was always an Irish battle.

Stereotype:

preconceived beliefs about someone based on nationality, race, sex, age, etc.

A stereotype is that Irish people have a temper.

Inference

It was always a battle because she became angry with little cause.

The battle is dead and done with; why not let it stay buried?

Symbolism

The battle is symbolic for an internal conflict.

Let it stay buried is symbolic for letting something go.

Inference

The struggle that you experienced is over with. Don‟t keep reliving it.