Writing the Book

It is fitting that Miss Keller's "Story of My Life" should appear at this time. What is remarkable in her career is already accomplished, and whatever she may do in the future will be but a relatively slight addition to the success which distinguishes her now. That success has just been assured, for it is her work at Radcliffe during the last two years which has shown that she can carry her education as far as if she were studying under normal conditions. Whatever doubts Miss Keller herself may have had are now at rest.

It is fitting that Miss Keller's "Story of My Life" should appear now. The remarkable part of her career is already behind her. Whatever she may do in the future will add relatively little to the success that sets her apart today. That success has just been secured. Her work at Radcliffe over the last two years has shown that she can pursue her education as far as she could under normal conditions. Whatever doubts Miss Keller herself may have had are now settled.

Several passages of her autobiography, as it appeared in serial form, have been made the subject of a grave editorial in a Boston newspaper, in which the writer regretted Miss Keller's apparent disillusionment in regard to the value of her college life. He quoted the passages in which she explains that college is not the "universal Athens" she had hoped to find, and cited the cases of other remarkable persons whose college life had proved disappointing. But it is to be remembered that Miss Keller has written many things in her autobiography for the fun of writing them, and the disillusion, which the writer of the editorial took seriously, is in great part humorous. Miss Keller does not suppose her views to be of great importance, and when she utters her opinions on important matters she takes it for granted that her reader will receive them as the opinions of a junior in college, not of one who writes with the wisdom of maturity. For instance, it surprised her that some people were annoyed at what she said about the Bible, and she was amused that they did not see, what was plain enough, that she had been obliged to read the whole Bible in a course in English literature, not as a religious duty put upon her by her teacher or her parents.

A Boston newspaper published a serious editorial about several passages from her autobiography, which had appeared in installments. The writer regretted that Miss Keller seemed disappointed by the value of her college experience. He quoted passages where she explains that college is not the "universal Athens" she had hoped to find. He also mentioned other remarkable people who had found college disappointing. But it is worth remembering that Miss Keller wrote many things in her autobiography for the fun of writing them. The disappointment the editorial writer took seriously is largely humorous. Miss Keller does not think her views are very important. When she expresses opinions on important matters, she assumes readers will take them as the views of a college junior. She does not expect them to regard her as someone writing with the wisdom of maturity. For example, she was surprised that some people were annoyed by what she said about the Bible. She was amused that they missed what seemed obvious enough. She had been required to read the whole Bible for an English literature course. It was not a religious duty imposed on her by her teacher or her parents.

I ought to apologize to the reader and to Miss Keller for presuming to say what her subject matter is worth, but one more explanation is necessary. In her account of her early education Miss Keller is not giving a scientifically accurate record of her life, nor even of the important events. She cannot know in detail how she was taught, and her memory of her childhood is in some cases an idealized memory of what she has learned later from her teacher and others. She is less able to recall events of fifteen years ago than most of us are to recollect our childhood. That is why her teacher's records may be found to differ in some particulars from Miss Keller's account.

I should apologize to the reader and to Miss Keller for presuming to judge the value of her subject matter. But one more explanation is necessary. In describing her early education, Miss Keller is not giving a scientifically accurate record of her life, or even of its important events. She cannot know in detail how she was taught. In some cases, her childhood memories are idealized versions of what she later learned from her teacher and others. She is less able to recall events from fifteen years ago than most of us are to recall our childhood. That is why her teacher’s records may differ in some details from Miss Keller’s account.

The way in which Miss Keller wrote her story shows, as nothing else can show, the difficulties she had to overcome. When we write, we can go back over our work, shuffle the pages, interline, rearrange, see how the paragraphs look in proof, and so construct the whole work before the eye, as an architect constructs his plans. When Miss Keller puts her work in typewritten form, she cannot refer to it again unless some one reads it to her by means of the manual alphabet.

The way Miss Keller wrote her story shows the difficulties she had to overcome better than anything else can. When we write, we can review our work, shuffle the pages, add lines, and rearrange the text. We can see how the paragraphs look in proof. In this way, we can build the whole work before our eyes, as an architect draws up plans. When Miss Keller types her work, she cannot refer to it again unless someone reads it to her using the manual alphabet.

This difficulty is in part obviated by the use of her braille machine, which makes a manuscript that she can read; but as her work must be put ultimately in typewritten form, and as a braille machine is somewhat cumbersome, she has got into the habit of writing directly on her typewriter. She depends so little on her braille manuscript, that, when she began to write her story more than a year ago and had put in braille a hundred pages of material and notes, she made the mistake of destroying these notes before she had finished her manuscript. Thus she composed much of her story on the typewriter, and in constructing it as a whole depended on her memory to guide her in putting together the detached episodes, which Miss Sullivan read over to her.

Her braille machine partly solves this difficulty by producing a manuscript she can read. But her work must eventually be typewritten, and a braille machine is somewhat cumbersome. So she has grown used to writing directly on her typewriter. She relies so little on her braille manuscript that she once made a mistake. When she began writing her story more than a year ago, she put a hundred pages of material and notes in braille. But she destroyed those notes before she had finished her manuscript. As a result, she composed much of her story on the typewriter. To put the story together as a whole, she relied on her memory to connect the separate episodes that Miss Sullivan read over to her.

Last July, when she had finished under great pressure of work her final chapter, she set to work to rewrite the whole story. Her good friend, Mr. William Wade, had a complete braille copy made for her from the magazine proofs. Then for the first time she had her whole manuscript under her finger at once. She saw imperfections in the arrangement of paragraphs and the repetition of phrases. She saw, too, that her story properly fell into short chapters and redivided it.

Last July, after finishing her final chapter under great pressure, she began rewriting the whole story. Her good friend, Mr. William Wade, had a complete braille copy made for her from the magazine proofs. For the first time, she could read her whole manuscript in braille at once. She noticed problems with the arrangement of paragraphs and the repetition of phrases. She also realized that her story was better suited to short chapters, so she divided it up again.

Partly from temperament, partly from the conditions of her work, she has written rather a series of brilliant passages than a unified narrative; in point of fact, several paragraphs of her story are short themes written in her English courses, and the small unit sometimes shows its original limits.

Partly because of her temperament and partly because of her working conditions, she has written brilliant passages rather than a unified story. In fact, several paragraphs of her story are short essays she wrote for her English courses. These passages sometimes show the limits of their original form.

In rewriting the story, Miss Keller made corrections on separate pages on her braille machine. Long corrections she wrote out on her typewriter, with catch-words to indicate where they belonged. Then she read from her braille copy the entire story, making corrections as she read, which were taken down on the manuscript that went to the printer. During this revision she discussed questions of subject matter and phrasing. She sat running her finger over the braille manuscript, stopping now and then to refer to the braille notes on which she had indicated her corrections, all the time reading aloud to verify the manuscript.

As she rewrote the story, Miss Keller made corrections on separate pages using her braille machine. She typed out longer corrections, using key words to show where they belonged. Then she read the entire story from her braille copy, making corrections as she went. These corrections were recorded on the manuscript that went to the printer. During the revision, she discussed questions about the content and wording. She sat running her finger over the braille manuscript, stopping now and then to consult her braille correction notes. All the while, she read aloud to check the manuscript.

She listened to criticism just as any author listens to his friends or his editor. Miss Sullivan, who is an excellent critic, made suggestions at many points in the course of composition and revision. One newspaper suggested that Miss Keller had been led into writing the book and had been influenced to put certain things into it by zealous friends. As a matter of fact, most of the advice she has received and heeded has led to excisions rather than to additions. The book is Miss Keller's and is final proof of her independent power.

She listened to criticism just as any author listens to friends or an editor. Miss Sullivan, an excellent critic, made suggestions throughout the writing and revision. One newspaper suggested that eager friends had persuaded Miss Keller to write the book and include certain things. In fact, most of the advice she has received and followed has led her to cut material rather than add it. The book is Miss Keller's and is final proof of her independent ability.