The Story of My Life: Chapter 5 (Simplified Summary)

 The Story of My Life: Chapter 5 (Simplified Summary)

In the chapter 4, Helen Keller’s teacher, Miss Sullivan,  had succeeded in making her understand the difference between ‘water’ and ‘mug’. After that, she came to know that everything had some name.

 The Year 1887

Now, we come to understand chapter 5 and in the very beginning o this chapter, Helen Keller recalls several incidents of 1887, which brought about a change in her soul She became curious to know the name of the things she touched. It made her feel joyous and confident more and more. It also built up her ‘kinship’ with the rest of the world.

Miss Sullivan would also take her by the hand to the fields at the bank of the river, where men were preparing the earth for sowing the seeds of the flowers like daisies and buttercups.

Thanks to: Photo by Peter Döpper from Pexels & Thanks to Photo by Alin Luna from Pexels


Nature as a Kind and Generous Deity

She had her first lesson on the beneficence (kindness and generosity) of Nature while sitting there on the warm grass. She came to know about it. She also came to know as to how the birds built their nests, live in them, and how the squirrels, the deer, the lion, and every other creature find food and shelter.

As her knowledge about the world grew in her, she also felt more delight at heart. She had already been taught by her teacher to find beauty in the fragrant woods, in every blade of grass, and in the curves and dimples in her baby sister’s hands. Miss Sullivan also made her feel that she was also the part of Nature, and birds and flowers were her happy companions.

Nature: Red in Tooth and Nail

By this time, she also learns that Nature was not always very kind. She also narrates an incident here, when she was coming back from a pleasant walk. The morning was fine, but it started growing warm and humid (damp/suffocating due to moisture in the air) as they were returning homewards. They had to stop for rest three times under the trees.
 

The shade of the tree was soothing and it was easy to climb the tree. She was also able to scramble (move quickly but with some difficulty) and sit at the forked (divided into two parts) branch of the tree It was so cool that Miss Sullivan proposed (suggested) that they should have their lunch there. Helen kept sitting at the branch while her teacher went to bring lunch from home.

Suddenly a change passed over the tree. She felt that there was no heat in the air. She thought that the sun had set and the night had descended ( came down: means there was darkness). After that, a strange odour (often unpleasant smell) came up from the earth. She was also acquainted with that odour as it was usually followed by a thunderstorm. A strange type of fear overpowered her heart. She was alone sitting on the branch of a tree

No friend of hers was near her, even her teacher Miss Sullivan had gone to fetch lunch from home. In that terrible situation, she longed her teacher to reach and above all she wanted to get down from the tree.

Firstly, there was a sinister (having evil designs)
or threatening) silence prevailing in the whole atmosphere and then it was followed by a sudden movement in the leaves of the tree.
After that there was a sudden blast of air that would have thrown her off the tree had she not clung to the branch. The tree swayed to and fro. A sudden impulse to jump down from the tree seized her, but the terror involved in the effort stopped her. 

Then she lay in between the division of the branches that kept lashing at her body. After that, she felt as if something heavy had fallen down. She was thinking that the tree along with her would fall down.
At the same time, her teacher reached there and seized her hand and helped her come down the tree.

 She clung to her teacher trembling to feel the earth. She had learned a new lesson that day and it was the terrifying aspect of Nature that was hidden and treacherous. One cannot understand as to when Nature starts her war against her creation.

After that experience, she dared not climb a tree for a long time.

A Tree of Paradise:
One beautiful morning, When she was alone in the house, a unique fragrance overpowered her. She began to stand up stretching out her hands. She immediately understood that it was the sweet fragrance of the mimosa blossoms. She felt her way to the mimosa tree as she knew that it was at the end of the garden near the fence. Its quivering blossom-laden branches were almost touching the long grass.

She felt as if a tree of paradise has been transplanted on the earth. She moved further to the trunk of the tree. Then she put the foot in the wide space between the branches and pulled herself up into the tree. She had some difficulty in holding the branches as they were large. The bark hurt her hands. 

Despite all that, she enjoyed a wonderful sense that she was doing something unique. So she was climbing higher and higher until she reached a seat that was built by someone long ago. She sat there for long and felt as if she was a fairy sitting on a rosy cloud. After that, she felt many happy hours in the tree of paradise, thinking nice thoughts and dreaming beautiful dreams.