Question

Character sketch of martha washington.

Answer 1

Martha Washington was a little coloured girl. She was the daughter of a cook who worked for the Keller family. Martha proved to be Helen's childhood companion. She understood Helen's signs and would do just as Helen wished her to do. Helen would usually take delight dominating her in child's play. Both of them would spend a great time int the kitchen. They would knead dough balls, help in making ice-cream, grind coffee, and sometimes quarrel over cake-bowl. Feeding the hens and turkeys were their favourite pastime. Sometimes they would indulge in mischief too. Once Helen cut Martha's hair. Martha was a wonderful companion in Helen's early childhood.    

Answer 2

Helen provides insight into her successes, the lessons learnt and also into her relationships while growing up as a blind and deaf girl. Helen struggles to communicate, and as she gets older her outbursts occur more and more frequently until "the most important day I remember in all my life" (chapter 4). Annie Sullivan's arrival marks the beginning of Helen's journey into language and communication.

However, before Annie arrives, Helen is friends with Martha, the cook's daughter and the two girls get up to mischief together which is probably one of the reasons why Helen relates so well to her and appreciates her capacity for having fun. Helen loves the fact that Martha is a mischief-maker, and despite their cultural differences (relevant to the time period), Martha understands Helen and needs little explanation of what Helen may want even recognizing when Helen wants to go "egg-hunting," for example. Martha plays with Helen, bakes with her in the kitchen, indulges her, understands her signs and allows her to dominate their games. This indicates that Martha is intuitive, even at such a young age, patient (still being friends with Helen despite her temper) and understanding.