# Alexander Graham Bell — The Story of My Life character guide

> Alexander Graham Bell in The Story of My Life by Helen Keller.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Dr. Bell, Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, Mr. Bell

**First appearance:** 0003-i-the-story-of-my-life

## Snapshot

The inventor who answered a desperate father's letter and set Helen Keller on the path to language, earning her lifelong devotion.

## Who they are

Bell enters Helen's story as the celebrated inventor of the telephone who also devoted himself to teaching the deaf to speak, and it is to him that her parents turn when their blind and mute daughter seems beyond reach. He examines Helen, then points the family toward the Perkins Institution and the young teacher who will change everything. Helen dedicates her autobiography to him, calling him the man who taught the deaf to speak and enabled the listening ear to hear speech from the Atlantic to the Rockies.

## Relationships

### [Helen Keller](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/characters/helen_keller)

_friendship_

Bell was a kind mentor and advocate who helped connect Helen with resources and education.

## In the story

### [Dedication](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/chapters/dedication)

The dedicatee of the book, honored for teaching the deaf to speak and enabling speech to be heard from the Atlantic to the Rockies.

### [The Story of My Life](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/chapters/i-the-story-of-my-life)

The inventor who advised Helen's father and helped connect them with the Perkins Institution.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/chapters/iii)

Examines Helen, understands her signs, and advises her father to contact Mr. Anagnos at the Perkins Institution.

### [The Frost King Incident](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/chapters/xiv)

Assisted Miss Sullivan in investigating the source of the plagiarism.

### [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/chapters/xv)

Accompanies Helen and Miss Sullivan to the World's Fair, describing exhibits and explaining inventions.

### [II: Letters (1887–1901)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/chapters/ii-letters-1887-1901)

Supporter and friend, visited by Helen.

### [III: Education](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/chapters/iii-education)

Dr. Bell requested Miss Sullivan to prepare a paper for a meeting on teaching speech to the deaf.

### [Literary Style](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/chapters/v-literary-style)

Quoted for his humorous comment that Anne Sullivan made Helen 'a little old woman' in maturity of thought.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/characters/alexander_graham_bell
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_my_life_se/characters