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What is the relationship between James and Helen in The Miracle Worker?

James and Helen Keller are half-siblings, James being the son of Captain Keller’s first wife, and Helen being the daughter of his second and much younger wife, Kate. In the beginning, James does not have a close emotional relationship with Helen, viewing her as an insentient creature, incapable of understanding or communicating beyond the most basic level. He does little to interact with her, yet he is impressed with how much Anne Sullivan is able to reach Helen. He uses Helen as a means to confront his father, believing that Captain Keller is arrogant in his relationships with his family. He points out to his father that, when it comes to Anne Sullivan’s relationship with Helen and her faith in the child, Captain Keller might actually be wrong in his estimation of her abilities. While James never seems to have a brotherly affection for Helen, he does believe that, with the advent of Anne Sullivan, Helen might actually progress.

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