Keller's Point of View

Look at the gap on page 13 after Paul runs out of Keller’s room.

Write the next section from Keller’s point of view. What did Keller do next? What did he think as he contemplated the scene which had just taken place? Use your narrative to reveal Keller’s attitude to growing up and to Paul. In planning, consider Keller’s experiences and how these might affect his attitude to what growing up entails.

Read the section pages 63 – 67. What does this section tell the reader about the way each of them might understand growing up?

Keller stood up from his seat and moved to the library. He thumbed through a few pages of an old manuscript. He put the book back into the library and searched for another book. His hand hovered over a thin book and he pocked it out from the library and slowly walked over to the piano. He sits down, places the music on the stand and stares at the music. He doesn’t raise his hands from his lap. He sits in his room listening to the piano being played in his head.

He stands up and collects a glass of water from the table. Returns to the piano, sighs and lifts his wrists to play. A single note resonates throughout the room. What an ungrateful child, Keller thought. The music of the piano can be expressed from one note to the thousands written by Bach and Liszt. He stares at the stump of a finger and returns his hands back to his lap. He does not understand. Perhaps he never will understand the subtly of the piano.

He stands up, collects the music and stands in front of the library. Hovering his hand over the book, he wonders, would it be possible to teach this boy how to play the piano, when he is set on not playing it properly. He sighs again and places the book back on the shelf. Turns around to sit on his chair and stares at the world pass him by.