ipl-logo

Self Redemption In William Gibson's The Miracle Worker

575 Words3 Pages

It is natural for humans to make simple mistakes in their everyday lives. What they do to atone for these mistakes is the important piece to look at, and the key word that describes this process is redemption. In William Gibson’s play The Miracle Worker, there are several characters that experience redemption, specifically self redemption. Two characters stand out as primary examples of self redemption. In this play, Annie Sullivan and James Keller end up redeeming themselves for their past mistakes. James Keller, a disrespectful, self centered teenager was the first to experience self redemption in this story. The first instance that James redeems himself is when he humbly asks his stepmother Kate to “be my friend.” (686) Throughout the play, …show more content…

For example, towards the end of the play, Annie felt like “There were no more voices.” (699) When Annie was a kid, she had a brother named Jimmy. Jimmy was a blind little boy that was put into an asylum because of his physical defect. Due to a sudden sickness, Jimmy passed away, and Helen felt like it was her fault. After his death, Annie started to hear voices in her head, and these voices continued to remind her that she didn’t work hard enough to save Jimmy. She felt like the only way to redeem herself was to make up for that loss by giving someone else the opportunity to live a long and healthy life. Giving Helen that opportunity would take away the guilt off her chest and would result in Annie finally discovering redemption. In addition, just as Annie was about to notify the Kellers that she was quitting the job, Kate tells Annie that “before you came we spoke of putting her in an asylum.”(675) This reminds Annie of how her brother was sent asylum, and she doesn’t want that to happen to Helen. Annie redeems herself by staying and helping Helen so that she doesn’t have to be sent to an asylum like her brother did. Annie Sullivan has experienced self redemption in this story by overcoming her haunting memories. Annie Sullivan and James Keller have made many mistakes in their lives, but ultimately they

Show More
Related

  • Annie Jean Esley Research Paper

    690 Words  | 3 Pages

    Annie had the support and encouragement that she needed from her mother to continue on to study at Xavier University, which at the time was an African-American

    Read More

  • Righteousness In The Crucible

    139 Words  | 1 Pages

    “A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall,”Aristotle. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, John Proctor, the main protagonist of the play faces several situations in which he struggles both internally and externally; all of the struggles that Proctor encounters throughout the story heavily affect those around him, but most importantly they impact the way that he perceives Salem and his own life. Truthfully, the troubles that Proctor experiences in life are the most impactful occurrences in The Crucible because they reflect the righteousness that is within him, even in times of corruption; it is ultimately Proctor’s ability to discover righteousness that allows him to be seen as an tragic hero. It can also be said

    Read More

  • John Proctor Strengths

    1070 Words  | 5 Pages

    There are many tragic heroes portrayed in the world around us. Cinderella, Wall-E, and Simba, whom all overcame obstacles, vindicated themselves and aided their world to eventually be a finer place. Naturally, all their difficulties in the end led to their success, But, one man who presented those exact qualities, was not as fortuitous. This man presented himself to the court and fought for what was moral acceptable, subjected himself to prison for his mistakes and justified himself and the good people of Salem. John Proctor shows the admirable qualities and weaknesses of a tragic hero in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller.

    Read More

  • Redemption In Shirley Ann Grau's Fences

    1023 Words  | 5 Pages

    The end scene of Fences and Keepers of the House both represent the possibility of redemption in the face of the sins of the fathers. In his play Fences, August Wilson shows to the reader how a person can redeem himself if he is able to embrace both the evil and good of the man and find forgiveness of the father’s sins. However, Shirley Ann Grau presents that a person cannot redeem itself once the sins happen and the characters are stuck in the cycle of vengeance due to their unyielding characteristics. Throughout his play Fences, August Wilson presents characters who are stuck in the cycle of the bitter relationship between father and son due to the past sins of the fathers.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis: Fall On Your Knee

    2023 Words  | 9 Pages

    Anne Marie MacDonalds novel Fall on your Knee’s raises a multitude of questions that are significant in the upbringing of a child. One key concept that is brought up is during the talk amongst the Taylor’s, after they give advice to a child. ““Good, I told him to ask you.” Adelaide believes that all children should have enough grown-ups around who love them so that one can tell them to fight, one can tell them not to and one can tell them not to worry so much.” This quote, holds great significance within the story given the times a child has required the moral, or educational guidance from an adult.

    Read More

  • How Does Hawthorne Use Cliches In The Scarlet Letter

    445 Words  | 2 Pages

    One action, a split second decision can undo all good deeds in a person 's life. This often occurs in novels such as The Crucible by Arthur Miller or The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne where characters make a life altering decision that causes them pain in the end. These character traits are used so often it becomes something of a stereotype, similar to the characters’ personalities in these iconic novels. The authors use cliches to express the idea that kind hearted people can become sinners despite their goodness.

    Read More

  • John Proctor: A Tragic Hero

    747 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the town of Salem is afflicted with hysteria, intolerance, and accusations that lead to death. According to philosopher Aristotle, a tragic hero possesses a tragic flaw, excessive pride, and an inevitable downfall. Protagonist John Proctor illustrates a tragic hero because he is presented as happy, powerful, and privileged, which later leads him to suffer because of his own actions. First of all, John Proctor possesses a fatal flaw, pride, which is a characteristic of a tragic hero. Proctor’s fatal flaws includes honesty and pride.

    Read More

  • Abigail Williams And Elizabeth In The Crucible

    599 Words  | 3 Pages

    The way someone sees another may reflect upon themself more than anything; showing the hidden through judgements of peers. One’s own dilemmas within their lives can be shadowed by misguided hatred for others, thus creating unwanted problems for all parties involved. This can be seen in real life as well as in novels, but specifically between Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Proctor. In the play titled “The Crucible,” Abigail and Elizabeth illustrate that contrasting personalities can reveal who a person truly is; essentially removing the mask of perception.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Childhood In James Mcbride's The Color Of Water

    531 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Color of Water is a memoir of James McBride’s life. James tells us about his struggles of childhood. In The Color of Water he went through phases which ranged between good and bad. James began to hang around with the wrong crowds and that did not develop him in a good way. He found out how it would affect him in the long run and decided to change how he was living.

    Read More

  • The Crucible John Proctor Honesty Analysis

    847 Words  | 4 Pages

    The goodness and honesty of a person is revealed when he or she faces a crucible. In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, a strict Puritan town by the name of Salem is overpowered by the lies and deceit of supposed witchcraft. Everyone is subject to affiliation with the Devil and no one is safe from allegation. Two righteous men – John Proctor and Reverend Hale – compliment and contrast each other in their search to uncover the truth. As the play proceeds, Proctor and Hale find themselves and follow their own moral values.

    Read More

  • Hope In Rita Hayworth And The Shawshank Redemption

    1171 Words  | 5 Pages

    Life constantly bombards us with series of twists and turns which we inevitably have to battle. In these times of struggle, we often look up into the light for small glimmers of hope that helps motivates us to push forwards. While we struggle, hope has always been by our side. In Stephen King’s novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, and its film adaptation, directed by Frank Darabont, The Shawshank Redemption, the theme of hope is perpetuated through Red’s character. It tells a life story about Andy Dufresne, a life sentenced convict who proclaims his innocence, who is sent to Shawshank prison.

    Read More

  • Pride And Honor In The Crucible

    794 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Arthur Miller’s dramatic play The Crucible, John Proctor, the protagonist, symbolized truth and justice by displaying honor and pride in his name. The change in balance between those two attributes acted as a catalyst in defining moments of the play. In the beginning, Proctor equally reflected both pride and honor in separate events. However, when forced to make a decision, he chose honor over pride. Ultimately, both his honor and pride pushed him to commit the ultimate sacrifice.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Reputation In The Crucible

    1370 Words  | 6 Pages

    Our countless endeavors, whether wrong or right, tend to just how much someone values their self-worth. We humans are naturally built to muse upon how others think of us, and this is the basis for our self-conscious pursuit for our reputation and identity. No where is this more apparent in The Crucible. The play, The Crucible, is a homage to many themes, as it dives into the story of The Salem Witch Trial. Preserving one’s reputation is a theme exemplified heavily in the book, as almost every character struggles with their identity, which in turn, affects their decisions.

    Read More

  • Abigail Williams In The Crucible Analysis

    961 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play which contains a multitude of complex characters . In the play, the characters’ motivations and inner processes are explored. Because of the historical setting, the characters live in a society of judgement and extreme religious devotion. This is a factor that places any of the characters’ choices and morals in a public balance to be judged by others. Abigail Williams is the main character of the play and acts with an utter selfishness and obsession.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Glenn Gannon's Miracle Man

    1204 Words  | 5 Pages

    Raw, powerful, real, healing, and love are just a few terms that may be used to describe Glenn Gannon’s memoir Miracle Man: From Homeless to Hollywood. The memoir explores universal themes such as relationships, family, religion, power (abuse of), addiction, community, isolation, and triumph in the face of adversity. The themes that struck me not only as a person but as a studier of psychology and criminal justice were: power and abuse of it, addiction, community, and isolation. This essay will serve as a personal response to Glenn Gannon’s memoir.

    Read More

More about Self Redemption In William Gibson's The Miracle Worker

Open Document