[lit-ideas] Re: The Taste of Helen Keller
- From: karltrogge@xxxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 9 Jul 2009 00:19:35 +0200
On 8-Jul-09, at 9:53 PM, Robert Paul wrote:
Mr Trogge had written that Helen Keller was 'blinded and deafened'
at 19 months, which raised JL's ire for reasons that I do not yet
understand.
Perhaps it was because these verb forms suggested violence on the
part of somebody ...
Ah - the penny drops (as they say).
It appears that *I* am the one leading the sheltered life - I HAD
thought that my 'blinded and deafened' was an awkward construction,
but never for a moment realized that it could have been interpreted as
suggesting that someone through some intentional cruel and horrid act
brought about HK's blindness and deafness.
It is a mistake often made by us elder folk that those persons and
events which have powerfully impinged upon our lives will forever be
universally known.
I apologize to the list for my careless wording and ESPECIALLY to JL
Speranza for my cranky response arising from my *complete*
misunderstanding of his post (and thank Robert Paul for the gentle
nudge that dislodged that jammed penny).
I urge all those who are unfamiliar with the Helen Keller story to
look her up. (I also thank Rober Paul for bringing the Wikipedia
article on HK to my attention; for those unfamiliar with the HK story
it is a good start.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Keller
Karl Trogge
Kiel, Germany
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