Question

Helen was very close to nature.She could understand Nature through touch and smell. Discuss the role of nature in Helen's life.

Answer 1

Undoubtedly, Helen was very close to nature. Before the advent of her angelic teacher, Miss Sullivan in her life, nature was her sole solace. Helen loved to be in company of nature. After she lost her sense to see and hear, Helen would be guided by her sense to smell. Just by smelling she could find the violets and the lilies. She loved to be lost in trees, flowers and gardens. She loved to touch the soft petals of roses, the leaves of various creepers and plants. The fragrance of flowers and of the morning dew would drive her crazy. Her first learning lessons happened in the company of nature. She just loved the way her teacher, Miss Sullivan taught her the word 'WATER' by touching it. She like Wordsworth found solace and strength in nature.

Since natural beauty abounded around her home, she touched all the beautiful objects of nature such as trees, flowers, blades of grass, earth, stones, etc. Natural beauty was abundant around her house. The Keller homestead was quite near a rose- bower. Its old fashioned garden was the paradise of her childhood. Often when she got frustrated of the perpetual darkness in her life, this garden was the place where she went to find comfort and hide her hot face in the cool leaves and grass. Helen felt extremely happy in that garden of flowers, wandering happily from spot to spot. She could recognize each vine and plant by touching them. The clematis, drooping Jessamine, butterfly lilies were her constant companions. But she liked the roses the most.  She adored the fragrance of these roses. She believed they resembled  the asphodels of God's paradise. This garden made her forget the pain  resulting from the loss of her eyesight, hearing and the frustration and anger associated with them.

Answer 2

Many of Helen Keller's early lessons from her teacher, Anne Sullivan, took place out of doors because Helen enjoyed the outdoors immensely and because she relied on the sense of touch to learn new things. As Helen Keller writes:

"All my early lessons have in them the breath of the woods–the fine, resinous odour of pine needles, blended with the perfume of wild grapes. Seated in the gracious shade of a wild tulip tree, I learned to think that everything has a lesson and a suggestion. 'The loveliness of things taught me all their use.'"

From being out of doors, Helen Keller began to learn the ways of nature, such as the way grass grows and how birds find shelter in their nests. She also began to understand abstractions from her experiences in nature. For example, when the sun emerged from behind a cloud to shine warmly, Helen Keller began to understand what the word "love" meant--a concept she had been struggling to comprehend. Later, Helen Keller built mounds of earth to understand geography. She studied botany and zoology by experiencing at the growth of a plant. She loved nature, and this love helped motivate her to learn.