The Miracle Worker Page #3

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her how to behave.

Well, I've not seen that you've taught

her anything yet, gice Sullivan.

Quite right, Captain.

Well observed.

I'll start right now if

you'll leave the room.

Leave the room?

Yes.

Please, Captain.

Right now, if you'll

leave the room.

Miss Sullivan...

If you're not

willing to stand up to

one tantrum, I cannot

teach her anything.

Mrs. Keller, you asked if

there was anything I needed.

Yes, but I..

I need to be alone with Helen.

Right now.

Miss Sullivan...

Captain.

James.

Captain, may I speak

with you outside?

Give us a moment, please.

Oh...

This is absurd.

Arthur, I'm sure that she is

only trying to do what is best.

I will not have my house

turned into a circus.

Unless there is a change in

attitude, gice Sullivan is dismissed.

Arthur, and then what

hope do we have for Helen?

No less than we had before,

and then perhaps we

can regain some quiet.

Ow!

Ow!

Shh. Shh.

Ohh!

Shh, shh, shh.

Helen.

Oh, God.

Good.

What you want me

to do, gice Kate?

It's noon time, and the breakfast

dishes ain't been cleared.

Hush, now.

Come on.

Shh.

Helen...

ate from her own plate

with a spoon

all by herself...

and she folded her napkin.

The room's a wreck,

but she folded her napkin.

I'll be in my

room, go Keller.

Shh, shh.

Oh, Helen.

Don't be long

now, gice Annie.

Lunch going to be

ready right away.

Mm-hmm.

My Helen folded her napkin.

What are you reading?

Dr. Howe's account of his

patient Laura Bridgman.

She was deaf. blind, and

mute from the age of 2.

Did he succeed with her?

He did.

Then it is possible.

With patience, I suppose...

something they did not give me

a certificate for at Perkins.

After this morning's lesson...

the Captain wants

me to dismiss you,

but I am going to

insist that you remain.

Thank you.

Where is your

family, gice Annie?

My brother Jimmie

was the last I had.

He died 12 years ago.

I'm sorry. I..

I tried to protect him.

I failed.

It's no use trying to protect

or speak for other people.

Not really.

The only hope

is to teach them to

do it for themselves.

That's what I'm trying

to do with Helen.

What you demand of her now

is all she'll ever be.

Step.

Captain.

And if what happened this

morning wasn't enough,

Helen can't stand

to be near her.

Things have gotten worse,

and I want you to

give her notice.

No.

Well, if you won't, I must.

Good evening,

Captain, go Keller.

Uh...

Miss Sullivan...

I find that I am not

satisfied with this...

That is, this arrangement...

Will you please take

off your glasses?

I find it very difficult to

speak to you with them on.

Well, of course.

If you must, keep them on.

Now, gice Sullivan...

Please tell me, Captain,

is the little house

in the grove of trees

being used for anything?

The garden house?

This is just what

I am talking about.

Miss Sullivan, if you

expect to stay on here,

there must be a

change in your manner.

And you must convince me that

there is the slightest hope

of teaching a child who flees

from you like the plague.

You could show some sympathy.

You're absolutely

right, Captain.

There is not the

slightest possibility

of teaching a child

who runs away from me.

It is hopeless here, and

the sooner we realize that,

the sooner we can

get to a solution.

It is not hopeless!

Helen could talk by the

time she was 10 months old.

Before this illness, she

was such a good child.

Yes, she was an

extraordinary child.

I believe that,

but she's not

that child anymore.

I've seen pets behave

better than she does

and it's your pity

that's the cause of it.

I beg your pardon!

I'm afraid your love for Helen

is a greater handicap to her than

her blindness or her deafness.

Annie, before you came, we spoke

of putting Helen in an asylum.

Please don't give up.

Obviously, gice Sullivan

thinks it's hopeless.

Here! It's hopeless here!

I'm only just beginning!

Please let me show you.

Please follow me.

God knows what this

has to do with anything.

This is ridiculous.

I believe I can only

make progress with Helen

If I have complete

charge of her.

But you already have that.

No. I mean day and night.

She must depend on me.

For what?

For everything! Her food, her

clothes her play time, her sweets.

All of these things are tools

that I can use to reach her.

And how do you propose to do

that when she runs away from you?

If she can run to

you, I have no hope.

Which is why I must live

with her somewhere else.

You can bring Helen here

after a long carriage ride.

She won't know where she is,

and you can still

see her every day,

provided she does

not know you're here.

How long would you keep her?

As long as it takes.

I know this is the way!

And, Captain, I

cannot be rude to you

if you're not around

to interfere with me.

Am I to understand that

if I say no to this,

you will abandon your

charge to an asylum?

An asylum is no place

for Helen, Captain.

Believe me, I know.

I grew up in an asylum...

in the state poorhouse,

my brother and I...

until it took his life.

Our playroom was the

dead house where they

kept the bodies until

they could dig the graves.

It made me strong,

but Helen is strong

enough already.

Please give me this chance.

Give her this chance

to save herself.

Miss Sullivan, do

you like this child?

Do you?

Captain...

with your permission.

I'll give you 2 weeks.

You have 2 weeks to get

the child to tolerate you.

Percy could stay here. He

could run errands for you.

2 weeks is not enough.

2 weeks is what I am offering.

I'll take it.

Where would you like your

suitcase, gice Sullivan?

Oh, anywhere is fine.

How do you expect to win

her over in this place?

You plan to tie

her to the chair?

How is it you have

no pity for Helen?

To have pity for someone

is a waste of energy.

Feeling sorry for

ourselves is even worse.

Well, I hope you

win, gice Sullivan.

Well, we rode in the

country for 2 hours.

For all she knows she

could be in another town.

Bring her inside, please.

Oh, she wants me.

She can have you

back in 2 weeks.

Miss Annie, please

take good care of her.

I will.

Aah! Hush, hush, hush.

Hush, hush.

Oh.

Percy!

Wake up. I need your help.

Ohh.

Try again.

Try again.

Good.

Let me go.

She gonna pinch me.

I think she's trying to talk.

She can talk, but she's

got to use her hands.

Here. Let me show you.

Aah!

She's mad at me now,

so she doesn't want

to play, but she

knows a lot of letters.

"C..."

"A..."

"K..."

"E."

Cake.

"C..."

"A..."

"K..."

"E."

She spells cake,

she gets cake.

She doesn't know what

the word means yet...

but she will.

Percy.

We don't need her.

How would you like to

learn one she doesn't know?

"M" is easy.

"I" is even easier...

Just the pinkie up.

"L."

" K."

" M." Why should I talk

to you? I'm teaching Percy.

M-I-L-K.

No.

I'm teaching Percy.

Ooh, you're jealous.

"M..."

"I..."

"L..."

"K."

At least I'm back to

where I can touch you.

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