Previous
Kate Keller
Captain Arthur Keller is the gruff, middle-aged patriarch of the Keller family. He’s frequently confused about what’s going on, and seems much less sensitive to the needs of the rest of his family than Kate Keller, his wife. In many ways, Arthur Keller seems to be modeled off the archetypal father figure: stubborn, proud, and stoic. He’s stern but well-meaning, though he doesn’t take an active role in caring for his kids, and is highly skeptical of Annie Sullivan’s teaching methods. Additionally, Arthur is shown to be alienated from his son, James Keller: he expresses disappointment in his son and doesn’t understand why James has such a hard time obeying his orders. James and Arthur seem not to know how to talk to one another about their feelings. By the play’s end, however, Arthur seems to have overcome his prejudices against Annie the “Yankee,” as he allows her to employ her strict methods. He also shows new respect for James, suggesting that he’ll do a better job of communicating with his son from now on.
Captain Arthur Keller Quotes in The Miracle Worker
The The Miracle Worker quotes below are all either spoken by Captain Arthur Keller or refer to Captain Arthur Keller. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1
Quotes
KELLER: Katie. How many times can you let them break your heart?
KATE: Any number of times.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
KELLER: Here’s a houseful of grownups can't cope with the child, how can an inexperienced half-blind Yankee schoolgirl manage her?
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2
Quotes
JAMES [in pain] Don't—
KATE: Captain.
KELLER: He's afraid.
(He throws JAMES away from him, with contempt.)
What does he want out of me?
JAMES [AN OUTCRY]: My God, don't you know?
(He gazes from KELLER to KATE.)
Everything you forgot, when you forgot my mother.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3
Quotes
JAMES: What does he want from me?
KATE: That's not the question. Stand up to the world, Jimmie, that comes first.
JAMES [A PAUSE, WRYLY]: But the world is him.
KATE: Yes. And no one can do it for you.
JAMES: Kate.
(His voice is humble.)
At least we—Could you—be my friend?
KATE: I am.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
ANNIE: Yes, what's it to me? They're satisfied. Give them back their child and dog, both housebroken, everyone's satisfied. But me, and you.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
JAMES: She's right, Kate's right, I'm right, and you're wrong. If you drive her away from here it will be over my dead-chair, has it never occurred to you that on one occasion you might be consummately wrong?
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Miracle Worker LitChart as a printable PDF.
Captain Arthur Keller Quotes in The Miracle Worker
The The Miracle Worker quotes below are all either spoken by Captain Arthur Keller or refer to Captain Arthur Keller. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1
Quotes
KELLER: Katie. How many times can you let them break your heart?
KATE: Any number of times.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
KELLER: Here’s a houseful of grownups can't cope with the child, how can an inexperienced half-blind Yankee schoolgirl manage her?
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2
Quotes
JAMES [in pain] Don't—
KATE: Captain.
KELLER: He's afraid.
(He throws JAMES away from him, with contempt.)
What does he want out of me?
JAMES [AN OUTCRY]: My God, don't you know?
(He gazes from KELLER to KATE.)
Everything you forgot, when you forgot my mother.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3
Quotes
JAMES: What does he want from me?
KATE: That's not the question. Stand up to the world, Jimmie, that comes first.
JAMES [A PAUSE, WRYLY]: But the world is him.
KATE: Yes. And no one can do it for you.
JAMES: Kate.
(His voice is humble.)
At least we—Could you—be my friend?
KATE: I am.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
ANNIE: Yes, what's it to me? They're satisfied. Give them back their child and dog, both housebroken, everyone's satisfied. But me, and you.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
JAMES: She's right, Kate's right, I'm right, and you're wrong. If you drive her away from here it will be over my dead-chair, has it never occurred to you that on one occasion you might be consummately wrong?
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
