The Rising Tree The village of Bandar was known to be a hard place. True, it was rocky and
bitter cold. But eleven-year-old Sayla loved her homeland. She loved the
eerie wind. She loved the spoon-grey sky. Most of all, she loved the ancient
trees. For this was the secret of Bandar: its trees were magic.
One had only to wait for autumn, when the leaves fell. To release the trees'
magic, the leaves were crumbled into dust and scattered while a spell was
chanted
Each type of tree had its own magic. A few people, like the wise Dearna,
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the miracle worker themeswilliam gibson

themes and meanings

(comprehensive guide to drama)

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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.”