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In The Story of My Life, is Helen's childhood depicted as a happy one?

Helen’s early childhood was unhappy because after she lost her sight and hearing she could not communicate effectively. 


Helen had a hard time between the time she lost her sight and hearing as a toddler and the time she learned to communicate when Anne Sullivan taught her.  She knew that other people were able to communicate with words. Since she was a baby when she lost her hearing and knew few words, she could not.  This frustrated her. 



I had noticed that my mother and my friends did not use signs as I did when they wanted anything done, but talked with their mouths…. I could not understand, and was vexed. I moved my lips and gesticulated frantically without result. This made me so angry at times that I kicked and screamed until I was exhausted. (Ch. 2) 



Helen’s bad behavior as a child was a direct result of not understanding or being understood.  She was not a bad child.  She had an agile mind and enjoyed mischief.  She just could not express herself in ways that people understood. 


The other problem Helen had was that she suddenly had a little sister.  This would bother most young children, and when you do not understand everything that happens around you it causes additional friction.  That was Helen’s issue. 



For a long time I regarded my little sister as an intruder. I knew that I had ceased to be my mother's only darling, and the thought filled me with jealousy. She sat in my mother's lap constantly, where I used to sit, and seemed to take up all her care and time.  (Ch. 2)



Eventually Helen overcame having a little sister and Anne Sullivan came and taught her sign language.  However, the early days were days of darkness.  They were tough for little Helen Keller because she could not communicate.

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