Annie's Conflicts in The Miracle Worker
             The death of a younger brother can be devastating. This is something which Annie Sullivan had to face. Annie Sullivan is a character in the play, The Miracle Worker, by William Gibson. In this play Gibson writes about Annie Sullivan's internal and external conflicts. Annie comes to Alabama to teach a blind, deaf girl named Helen Keller how to communicate. Annie has an immediate conflict with Helen's father, Captain Keller, and when she meets the wild and undisciplined Helen, Annie has an even bigger conflict with her. In addition to these external conflicts, Annie also has an internal one. Annie has horrible feelings of guilt over the death of her younger brother Jimmie, and because of the hurt this death caused, Annie has decided never to love anyone else. Eventually, however, all Annie's conflicts get resolved when she teaches Helen what a word is, and when Captain Keller sees that Annie is able to teach Helen, Annie's conflict with him is over. In resolving her external conflicts, Annie also resolves her internal conflict as she discovers that she is able to love again.
             Annie Sullivan's main external conflict is with Helen Keller. This is because Helen doesn't permit anyone to touch her, so Annie cannot teach her anything. However, Annie knows that Helen wants to learn because she is very curious and she wants to know everything she touches. An example that Helen wants to learn is that she tries to do everything that other people do. Annie tells James, "Yes, she's a bright little monkey, all right." (p. 654) Also Helen is very violent with people as is seen when "Helen takes the doll that Annie has brought her and flings it into Annie's face, breaking one of her teeth." (p. 654) This shows that Helen doesn't cooperate with Annie at all. Another external conflict that Annie has in the play is with Captain Keller...