Question 5 of 10
2 points
read this passage:
hecate. as by the strength of their illusion
shall draw him on to his confusion.
he shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
his hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear.
and you all know, security
is mortals' chiefest enemy.
-william shakespeare, macbeth, act iii, scene v
based on the context, what is the meaning of "spurn"?

- "the basic difference between keywords and subjects is that subjects (or "subject headings") have been predetermined, while keywords have not. a keyword is an easy place to start because you can use any word that seems to fit your search; this is called "natural language" searching."

sthe miracle worker  ▾search

home  >   study guides  >   the miracle worker

the miracle worker themeswilliam gibson

themes and meanings

(comprehensive guide to drama)

print  print  document  pdf  list  cite  link  link

there are two central themes in  the miracle worker: that the human spirit can triumph over even the most daunting of disabilities and that a dedicated teacher can transform the lives of those with whom he or she comes into contact. these inspirational themes have long been personified in the widely known true-life relationship between helen keller and annie sullivan, but  the miracle worker  also dramatizes collateral issues that extend beyond the particular case. underlying helen’s process of learning basic principles of what annie terms “obedience” (decorum, etiquette, and hygiene), there are more universal lessons of self-governance—the inculcation of self-restraint instead of willfulness, the development of self-discipline instead of self-indulgence. only when these lessons have been mastered can helen begin to acquire language—which, annie says, “is to the mind more than light is to the eye.”

every four years the american people choose a new president, and 1988 is one of those years."