What is the name of the autobiography written by Helen Keller?

Helen Keller, in full Helen Adams Keller, (born June 27, 1880, Tuscumbia, Alabama, U.S.—died June 1, 1968, Westport, Connecticut), American author and educator who was blind and deaf. Her education and training represent an extraordinary accomplishment in the education of persons with these disabilities.

Keller was afflicted at the age of 19 months with an illness (possibly scarlet fever) that left her blind and deaf. She was examined by Alexander Graham Bell at the age of 6. As a result, he sent to her a 20-year-old teacher, Anne Sullivan (Macy) from the Perkins Institution for the Blind in Boston, which Bell’s son-in-law directed. Sullivan, a remarkable teacher, remained with Keller from March 1887 until her own death in October 1936.

Within months Keller had learned to feel objects and associate them with words spelled out by finger signals on her palm, to read sentences by feeling raised words on cardboard, and to make her own sentences by arranging words in a frame. During 1888–90 she spent winters at the Perkins Institution learning Braille. Then she began a slow process of learning to speak under Sarah Fuller of the Horace Mann School for the Deaf, also in Boston. She also learned to lip-read by placing her fingers on the lips and throat of the speaker while the words were simultaneously spelled out for her. At age 14 she enrolled in the Wright-Humason School for the Deaf in New York City, and at 16 she entered the Cambridge School for Young Ladies in Massachusetts. She won admission to Radcliffe College in 1900 and graduated cum laude in 1904.

She wrote of her life in several books, including The Story of My Life (1903), Optimism (1903), The World I Live In (1908), Light in My Darkness and My Religion (1927), Helen Keller’s Journal (1938), and The Open Door (1957). In 1913 she began lecturing (with the aid of an interpreter), primarily on behalf of the American Foundation for the Blind, for which she later established a $2 million endowment fund, and her lecture tours took her several times around the world. She cofounded the American Civil Liberties Union with American civil rights activist Roger Nash Baldwin and others in 1920. Her efforts to improve treatment of the deaf and the blind were influential in removing the disabled from asylums. She also prompted the organization of commissions for the blind in 30 states by 1937.

Credit : Britannica 

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Which are the children’s favorite negative characters from their favourite books?

Darth Vader

My favourite negative character is Darth Vader. In fact, he is my favourite fictional character in general. Negative characters not only evoke fear but also make us think about what made them egregious. Darth Vader is one of the worst villains in the history of villains. His grisly villainy could be linked to his tragic past - he killed his beloved wife in the process of saving her, he had to battle with his master Obi-wan, he was left disfigured when he fell into the lava seas of Mustafar, and after this, he could not survive on flesh and thus he bore metal armor, becoming more of a machine than man. One more reason why I think he appeals to fans is his tall figure, with a raspy and cold voice. His appearance asserts dominance over the entire army he commands. Darth Vader, in the end, died a hero, but I always think of him as the merciless leader forging a gruesome war.

She who breaks stereotypes

Rather than my favourite negative character, a character I have always had a soft spot for is Bellatrix Lestrange. She is a character who breaks stereotypes. When people think of a ruthless villain, the image that comes to their mind is often that of a man. So is the case in most stories. Even when there are female villains, they are portrayed to be driven by greed and jealousy. Nor are they as powerful as their male counterparts.

Bellatrix Lestrange is the exact opposite of this. She's ruthless, atrocious, barbaric, cruel, heartless, she's everything we would imagine a true antagonist to be. She's extremely powerful, probably the most powerful Death Eater if you count out Snape (no one would count Snape, of course). And there's no need to mention she's an absolutely crazy psychopath. Dumbledore once mentioned that she has a habit of 'playing with her prey before actually eating it. She's an epitome of Death Eaters who are known to kill for fun.

This strange affection for her has definitely been built up partly because of the renowned actress Helena Bonham Carter, who had the role of Bellatrix in the films. I have watched and rewatched the films over many times and there is no better fit for that role than her. Anyway, back to our topic, Bellatrix Lestrange is so far my favourite negative character.

Say 'no' to negativity

The most negative character in literature for me is the Curate in The War of the Worlds by H.G Wells. The Curate has the character of a gloomy and a killjoy person. While the hero tries to think positive, the Curate is always thinking negative. The Curate, though playing a small role in the narrators (hero's) life, shows that there are some people with whom we need to be wary about. By their behaviour we will also lose hope. The Curate had a negative behaviour and thought in his part of the story. Another thing I hate about the Curate is he did not believe he had a future. For example, he ate more than he ought to as he and his companion were trapped in a Martian house and believed that they were doomed. He did not believe that they could escape. The hero had put up with his ramblings and a day came when he murdered him. Though murder is a heinous crime, the narrator feels satisfied when he kills him. This just shows we have to cut off people who have a gloomy outlook on life and instead be with positive people. Of course, we should not be too positive or too gloomy, we should be balanced.

The villain without a nose

My favourite negative character is Voldemort from the Harry Potter series. At first, he was not a bad child. People's taunts is what made him choose to become the world's strongest wizard who everyone will fear. He is my favourite negative character because of his appearance. The funniest thing about Voldemort is he doesn't have a nose. According to the book, you are not allowed to tell his name. Voldemort is not just a bad guy: he is a very clever figure and a huge part of the whole series.

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Which are the children’s favourite books where they want to change the ending?

A more positive ending

If I could change the ending of one novel, I would like to change from the novel Peter Pan Written by J.M. Barrie. It is all about the boy who never wants to grow up. Peter Pan is a mischievous but innocent little boy who can fly. He has many experiences in the island of Neverland which is inhabited by fairies, mermaids and pirates. I would change the ending of the novel in such a way that his parents would come to him and take him with them.

Alice, a princess

If ever I have to change the ending of any one book, then it would be Alice in Wonderland. In that book at last when Alice meets three people and talks to them, she wakes up from her dream. Instead, I would have written that all her dreams come true and at last after talking to the three fools she moves on and reaches a temple where she drinks a juice and becomes a Princess and rules her own kingdom forever.

The healthy caterpillar

If I were to change the ending of a novel, it would be in the book. The Very Hungry Caterpillar authored by Eric Carle.

In the book, the caterpillar, as it is very hungry, eats from Monday to Friday. It eats six ice-creams before it feels full. Towards the end, the author calls the caterpillar fat.

To promote health and hygiene, I would change the story to say that though the caterpillar ate a lot, but it ensured the extra calories were burnt.

And would end it by saying, after the metamorphosis, there emerged a colourful and wonderful butterfly!

The Alien Skill

It hurts when your loyal pet dies in front of your own eyes. Ben Archer has watched his dog. Tyke, die in the end of book two of the Alien Skill series by Rae Knightly. However, what if Tyke didn't die? I want to change the ending because Tyke was a great companion to Ben and the closest of friends. While his mother was sick, Tyke kept Ben from becoming lonely. They had been through thick and thin together. It left a big hole in Ben's heart, losing someone he loved. Tyke had helped Ben to the end. He didn't deserve to die.

Don't kill Sirius

If I could change the ending of one of my favourite books, it would be Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

The book starts as Harry begins his fifth year at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and Wizardry along with his best friends Ron and Hermione. Dumbledore, who is everyone's favourite headmaster, suddenly disappears from the castle and professor Umbridge is appointed as the Headmaster.

After a series of events, Harry senses that Sirius is trapped and goes to Umbridge's fireplace to try talking with him. Harry is caught in the hands of Umbridge and along with Hermione, he takes Umbridge to the forbidden forest. There, in the end, Lord Voldemort kills Sirius, Harry's Godfather and Harry is startled.

I want to change the ending to Sirius just getting injured instead of killed as Sirius always supported Harry and was loyal to him. Sirius was an animagus and hence he used to secretly meet up with Harry. Sirius could help Harry in his future encounters with Lord Voldemort.

In the book, I felt that JK Rowling's ending might have been shocking for all Pottherheads as Sirius was always a part of Harry and treated him as his own son. This is why I want to change the ending of this otherwise interesting book.

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