“The World I Live In” by Helen Keller.
146 pages (E-book), 1904, Grades 9-12.
Most people use sight as their primary sense and hearing as their secondary. This allows people to experience the world through visual images and auditory encounters. These senses are great gifts that people often take for granted. We sometimes don’t give a second thought to a stunning sunset or beautiful music.
But what would happen if these same people were thrust into a world with no light and no sound? Would it not be similar to an infant struggling in a crib? How would we be able to recognize anything without the blessings of sight and sound? Yet many people do not have these gifts. What happens to them? Is their world a dark abyss of nothingness? Helen Keller (1880-1968) lost her sight and hearing at 19 months of age. Shortly thereafter, unable to hear sounds, she became mute. In the late 1800s, people like Helen were often shuttled off to an institution and neglected. Fortunately, this did not happen to the child. Her life story has been made into a feature film. In overcoming her obstacles, she leads a life of heroism, made all the more heroic because her selflessness and fortitude. But while the facts of her life are fairly well known, deeper questions need to be answered. How does Helen find herself? What is it like to live in a world of silent darkness? How does Helen find the beauty and purpose in her journey through life? To discover this, we need to read her compelling autobiography, “The World I Live In.”
This book is a work of poetry, religion and philosophy. Readers quickly learn that Helen Keller does not see herself as handicapped. She begins by describing the value of touch. When Helen holds someone by the hand, she learns much about their character. By touching other people’s hands, she can tell if they are agitated or happy. Through this highly developed sense of touch, she experiences the world and the personalities of people. Helen doesn’t need to see others to understand them. At this time, she learns to read by having the sign language alphabet spelled in her hand. This opens up the world of thought and enlightenment. Touch tells her as much as visual images do for those with sight.
In her dark world, Helen finds immense beauty and joy. Night comforts the girl. Darkness is not to be feared because it leads to life and understanding. Since she has no sight or hearing in her life, Helen continues to experience life through the touch of nature. She is stirred with joy when she senses a tree swaying in the wind and feels the tree bark undulating beneath her fingers. For Helen, this is like music. Though deaf, the physical world teaches her to hear.
Through the sense of smell, Helen experiences the beauties and problems of life. Some scents are lovely and some are not. But since she can’t see or hear, her sense of smell becomes sharpened. Helen can tell the names of each rose in a vase by their fragrance. This adds to her ability to understand the world.
“The World I Live In” is a book of great beauty. It can be found at most libraries and is available in the E-book format.
However, it is not a light read. When writing any book, authors must be allowed to use their own voice. This voice is their own experience, feelings and thoughts. Since so much of Helen Keller’s life is interior, much of the book speaks to her inner experiences. Action books, so popular with readers today, are the opposite of “The World I Live In.” But the great dignity of Helen Keller’s life makes this a revealing and powerful autobiography. Be patient with yourself while reading this book. We need to say, “be still my soul” to enter into her world of quiet and gain the riches of her dark night.
