 The book film covers the period of Helen Keller's life from her college years at Radcliffe through her writing of "The Story of My Life" assisted by John Macy, who falls in love with and marries Keller's teacher and companion, Anne Sullivan.Helen wants to live a full life but is hampered by her actual disabilities and by people's attitudes and beliefs about the disabled at that time.Sullivan is hampered by psychological problems from her own past, as well as by her symbiotic, almost codependent bond with Helen, which affects Macy to the extent that he eventually self-destructs into alcoholism.