The Miracle Worker: Act I

by William Gibson
Based on the autobiography of Helen Keller (The Story of My Life), this play explores how teacher Annie Sullivan helps a deaf and blind child develop the skills she needs to cope and to communicate.

Here are links to our lists for the play: Act I, Act II, Act III

Here is a link to our lists for Helen Keller's autobiography: The Story of My Life
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. vitality
    the property of being able to survive and grow
    DOCTOR. I’ve never seen a baby with more vitality, that’s the truth.
  2. unkempt
    not neatly combed
    The third child is HELEN, six and a half years old, quite unkempt, in body a vivacious little person with a fine head, attractive, but noticeably blind, one eye larger and protruding; her gestures are abrupt, insistent, lacking in human restraint, and her face never smiles.
  3. vivacious
    vigorous and animated
    The third child is HELEN, six and a half years old, quite unkempt, in body a vivacious little person with a fine head, attractive, but noticeably blind, one eye larger and protruding; her gestures are abrupt, insistent, lacking in human restraint, and her face never smiles.
  4. oculist
    a medical doctor specializing in the treatment of the eye
    AUNT EV. Why, this very famous oculist in Baltimore I wrote you about, what was his name?
  5. impudence
    the trait of being rude and impertinent
    KELLER. You be quiet! I’m badgered enough here by females without your impudence.
  6. affliction
    a cause of great suffering and distress
    I’m as sensible to this affliction as anyone else. It hurts me to look at the girl.
  7. morosely
    in a sullen, moody manner
    Another kind of silence now, while KATE takes pins and buttons from the sewing basket and attaches them to the doll as eyes. KELLER stands, caught, and watches morosely.
  8. unperturbed
    free from emotional agitation or nervous tension
    All are in commotion, the baby screams, but HELEN, unperturbed, is laying her doll in its place.
  9. inarticulate
    without or deprived of the use of speech or words
    She holds HELEN struggling until we hear from the child her first sound so far, an inarticulate weird noise in her throat such as an animal in a trap might make; and KATE releases her.
  10. precocious
    characterized by exceptionally early development
    I mean in children it just seems a little—precocious, can I use that word?
  11. incensed
    angered at something unjust or wrong
    ANNIE takes it again, and HELEN’S hand next, but HELEN is incensed now; when ANNIE draws her hand to her face to shake her head no, then tries to spell to her, HELEN slaps at ANNIE’S face.
  12. intercept
    seize, interrupt, or stop something on its way
    JAMES takes in the whole situation, makes a move to intercept HELEN, but then changes his mind, lets her pass, and amusedly follows her out onto the porch.
  13. disheveled
    in disarray; extremely disorderly
    ANNIE takes a handkerchief, nurses her mouth, stands in the middle of the room, staring at door and window in turn, and so catches sight of herself in the mirror, her cheek scratched, her hair disheveled, her handkerchief bloody, her face disgusted with herself.
  14. oblivious
    lacking conscious awareness of
    ANNIE and HELEN are now alone in the yard, HELEN seated at the pump, where she has been oblivious to it all, a battered little savage, playing with the doll in a picture of innocent contentment.
  15. protrude
    extend out or project in space
    Presently HELEN rises, gropes around to see if anyone is present; ANNIE evades her hand, and when HELEN is satisfied she is alone, the key suddenly protrudes out of her mouth.
Created on Wed Sep 27 10:36:51 EDT 2017 (updated Mon Apr 13 15:59:14 EDT 2026)

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