The Story of My Life · Chapters

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Chapter companions for The Story of My Life by Helen Keller.

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Chapter 1
Dedication
Helen Keller dedicates her autobiography to Alexander Graham Bell, acknowledging his work in teaching the deaf to speak and enabling speech to be heard across America.
Chapter 2
Editor’s Preface
The editor introduces the three-part structure of the book, explaining that Helen Keller's own story and letters are supplemented by Anne Sullivan's reports and letters, as well as an editorial account of Helen's personality and achievements. He acknowledges contributions from various individuals and publications.
Chapter 3
The Story of My Life
Helen Keller recounts her early life, her illness that left her deaf and blind, and the arrival of her teacher Anne Sullivan, who brought light and language into her world through the breakthrough at the well-pump.
Chapter 4
The Story of My Life
Helen Keller introduces her autobiography, reflecting on the early years of her life before and after the illness that left her deaf and blind. She describes her first attempts at communication through signs and her close bond with Martha Washington and Belle the dog, leading up to the arrival of Anne Sullivan.
Chapter 5
I
Helen Keller begins her autobiography with a sense of trepidation, reflecting on the difficulty of separating fact from fancy in childhood memories. She describes her birth on June 27, 1880, in Tuscumbia, Alabama, and traces her family lineage on both sides, including her father's service as a Confederate captain and her mother's ancestry. She paints a vivid picture of her early home, 'Ivy Green,' and its garden, which was her paradise. She recounts her early development, including speaking a few words and walking at one year old. The chapter concludes with the illness in February that left her blind and deaf, and her gradual acceptance of the silence and darkness until her teacher arrived.

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Dedication

Editor’s Preface

The Story of My Life

The Story of My Life

I