Helen Keller and the Burden of Wonder.

  • Published In: Perspectives in Biology & Medicine, 2024, v. 67, n. 4. P. 588 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Serlin, David 3 of 3

Abstract

This essay examines the concept of "wonder" in relation to the life of deafblind author and activist Helen Keller (1880–1968) who was often billed in popular media as the "Eighth Wonder of the World." For Keller being known as a "wonder" was not always a positive attribute: the term far from being neutral conceals the uneven power dynamic between the one doing the wondering and the one who inspires the wonder. Using excerpts from a range of sources—from Keller's second autobiography The World I Live in (1908) to hotelier Conrad Hilton's autobiography Be My Guest (1957)—the author argues that Keller was never a passive object of other people's wonder but a proactive agent of her own wonder-making. In the end Keller endured the burden of being known as the "Eighth Wonder" while also resisting its cumulative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Perspectives in Biology & Medicine. 2024/10, Vol. 67, Issue 4, p588
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:0031-5982
  • DOI:10.1353/pbm.2024.a942081
  • Accession Number:180726467
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Perspectives in Biology & Medicine is the property of Johns Hopkins University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.