Activity 4.14: Meaning in the Silence

Annie, meanwhile, has begun by slapping both keys down on a shelf out of Helen's reach. She returns to the table. Helen's kicking has subsided, and when, from the floor, her hand finds Annie's chair empty, she pauses. Annie clears the table of Kate's, James's, and Keller's plates. She gets back to her own across the table just in time to slide it deftly away from Helen's pouncing hand. She lifts the hand and moves it to Helen's plate, and after an instant's exploration, Helen sits again on the floor and drums her heels. Annie comes around the table and resumes her chair. When Helen feels her skirt again, she ceases kicking, waits for whatever is to come, renews some kicking, waits again. Annie, retrieving her plate, takes up a forkful of food, stops it halfway to her mouth, gazes at it devoid of appetite, and half-lowers it. But after a look at Helen, she sighs, dips the forkful toward Helen in a "for-your-sake" toast, and puts it in her own mouth to chew, not without an effort.

Annie now reaches over to spell into her hand, but Helen yanks it away. She gropes to the front door, tries the knob, and finds the door locked with no key. She gropes to the rear door and finds it locked with no key. She begins to bang on it. Annie rises, crosses, takes her wrists, and draws her resisting back to the table, seating her and releasing her hands upon her plate. As Annie herself begins to sit, Helen writhes out of her chair, runs to the front door, and tugs and kicks at it. Annie rises again, crosses, draws her by one wrist back to the table, seats her, and sits. Helen escapes back to the door, knocking over her mother's chair en route. Annie rises again in pursuit and this time lifts Helen bodily from behind, bearing her kicking to her chair.

She deposits her and once more turns to sit. Helen scrambles out, but as she passes, Annie catches her up again from behind and deposits her in the chair. Helen scrambles out on the other side, heading for the rear door, but Annie, at her heels, catches her up and deposits her again in the chair. She stands behind it. Helen scrambles out to her right, and the instant her feet hit the floor, Annie lifts and deposits her back. She scrambles out to her left and is at once lifted and deposited back. She tries right again and is deposited back, tries left again and is deposited back, then feints Annie to the right but is off to her left and is promptly deposited back. She sits a moment and then starts straight over the tabletop, dishware notwithstanding. Annie hauls her in and deposits her back, with her plate spilling in her lap. She melts to the floor and crawls under the table, laboring among its legs and chairs. But Annie is swift around the table and waiting on the other side when she surfaces, immediately bearing her aloft. Helen clutches at James’s chair for anchorage, but it comes with her, and halfway back, she abandons it to the floor. Annie deposits her in her chair and waits.

Helen sits, sullen, motionless. Then she tentatively puts out her left foot and hand. Annie interposes her own hand, and at the contact, Helen jerks hers in. She tries her right foot; Annie blocks it with her own, and Helen jerks hers in. Finally, leaning back, she slumps down in her chair.

Annie puts the spoon first into Helen's hand, then sets the plate down. Helen, discarding the spoon, reaches with her hand, and Annie stops it by the wrist. She replaces the spoon in it. Helen impatiently discards it again, and again Annie stops her hand, replacing the spoon. This time, Helen throws the spoon on the floor. Annie, after considering it, lifts Helen bodily out of the chair, and in a wrestling match on the floor, closes her fingers upon the spoon and returns her with it to the chair. Helen again throws the spoon on the floor. Annie lifts her out of the chair again, but in the struggle over the spoon, Helen, with Annie on her back, sends her sliding over her head. Helen flees back to her chair and scrambles into it. When Annie comes after her, she clutches it for dear life. Annie pries one hand loose, then the other, then the first again, then the other again, and then lifts Helen by the waist, chair and all, and shakes the chair loose. Helen wrestles to get free, but Annie pins her to the floor, closes her fingers upon the spoon, and lifts her, kicking, under one arm. With her other hand, she gets the chair in place again and plunks Helen back on it. When she releases her hand, Helen throws the spoon at her.

Annie now removes the plate of food. Helen, grabbing, finds it missing and begins to bang her fists on the table. Annie collects a fistful of spoons and descends with them and the plate on Helen. She lets her smell the plate, at which Helen ceases banging, and Annie puts the plate down and a spoon in Helen's hand. Helen throws it on the floor. Annie puts another spoon in her hand. Helen throws it on the floor. Annie puts another spoon in her hand. Helen throws it on the floor. When Annie comes to her last spoon, she sits next to Helen and, gripping the spoon in Helen's hand, compels her to take food in it up to her mouth. Helen sits with lips shut. Annie waits a stolid moment, then lowers Helen's hand.

She tries again; Helen’s lips remain shut. Annie waits, lowers Helen’s hand. She tries again; this time, Helen suddenly opens her mouth and accepts the food. Annie lowers the spoon with a sigh of relief, and Helen spews the mouthful out at her face. Annie sits a moment with eyes closed, then takes the pitcher and dashes its water into Helen’s face, who gasps, astonished. Annie, with Helen’s hand, takes up another spoonful and shoves it into her open mouth. Helen swallows involuntarily, and while she is catching her breath, Annie forces her palm open, throws four swift letters into it, then another four, and bows toward her with devastating pleasantness.

ANNIE: Good girl.

(Annie lifts Helen’s hand to feel her face nodding. Helen grabs a fistful of her hair and yanks. The pain brings Annie to her knees, and Helen pummels her; they roll under the table as the lights begin to dim out on them.)

Annie, meanwhile, has begun by slapping both keys down on a shelf out of Helen's reach. She returns to the table. Helen's kicking has subsided, and when, from the floor, her hand finds Annie's chair empty, she pauses. Annie clears the table of Kate's, James's, and Keller's plates. She gets back to her own across the table just in time to slide it deftly away from Helen's pouncing hand. She lifts the hand and moves it to Helen's plate, and after an instant's exploration, Helen sits again on the floor and drums her heels. Annie comes around the table and resumes her chair. When Helen feels her skirt again, she ceases kicking, waits for whatever is to come, renews some kicking, waits again. Annie, retrieving her plate, takes up a forkful of food, stops it halfway to her mouth, gazes at it devoid of appetite, and half-lowers it. But after a look at Helen, she sighs, dips the forkful toward Helen in a "for-your-sake" toast, and puts it in her own mouth to chew, not without an effort.

Annie now reaches over to spell into her hand, but Helen yanks it away. She gropes to the front door, tries the knob, and finds the door locked with no key. She gropes to the rear door and finds it locked with no key. She begins to bang on it. Annie rises, crosses, takes her wrists, and draws her resisting back to the table, seating her and releasing her hands upon her plate. As Annie herself begins to sit, Helen writhes out of her chair, runs to the front door, and tugs and kicks at it. Annie rises again, crosses, draws her by one wrist back to the table, seats her, and sits. Helen escapes back to the door, knocking over her mother's chair en route. Annie rises again in pursuit and this time lifts Helen bodily from behind, bearing her kicking to her chair.

She deposits her and once more turns to sit. Helen scrambles out, but as she passes, Annie catches her up again from behind and deposits her in the chair. Helen scrambles out on the other side, heading for the rear door, but Annie, at her heels, catches her up and deposits her again in the chair. She stands behind it. Helen scrambles out to her right, and the instant her feet hit the floor, Annie lifts and deposits her back. She scrambles out to her left and is at once lifted and deposited back. She tries right again and is deposited back, tries left again and is deposited back, then feints Annie to the right but is off to her left and is promptly deposited back. She sits a moment and then starts straight over the tabletop, dishware notwithstanding. Annie hauls her in and deposits her back, with her plate spilling in her lap. She melts to the floor and crawls under the table, laboring among its legs and chairs. But Annie is swift around the table and waiting on the other side when she surfaces, immediately bearing her aloft. Helen clutches at James’s chair for anchorage, but it comes with her, and halfway back, she abandons it to the floor. Annie deposits her in her chair and waits.

Helen sits, sullen, motionless. Then she tentatively puts out her left foot and hand. Annie interposes her own hand, and at the contact, Helen jerks hers in. She tries her right foot; Annie blocks it with her own, and Helen jerks hers in. Finally, leaning back, she slumps down in her chair.

Annie puts the spoon first into Helen's hand, then sets the plate down. Helen, discarding the spoon, reaches with her hand, and Annie stops it by the wrist. She replaces the spoon in it. Helen impatiently discards it again, and again Annie stops her hand, replacing the spoon. This time, Helen throws the spoon on the floor. Annie, after considering it, lifts Helen bodily out of the chair, and in a wrestling match on the floor, closes her fingers upon the spoon and returns her with it to the chair. Helen again throws the spoon on the floor. Annie lifts her out of the chair again, but in the struggle over the spoon, Helen, with Annie on her back, sends her sliding over her head. Helen flees back to her chair and scrambles into it. When Annie comes after her, she clutches it for dear life. Annie pries one hand loose, then the other, then the first again, then the other again, and then lifts Helen by the waist, chair and all, and shakes the chair loose. Helen wrestles to get free, but Annie pins her to the floor, closes her fingers upon the spoon, and lifts her, kicking, under one arm. With her other hand, she gets the chair in place again and plunks Helen back on it. When she releases her hand, Helen throws the spoon at her.

Annie now removes the plate of food. Helen, grabbing, finds it missing and begins to bang her fists on the table. Annie collects a fistful of spoons and descends with them and the plate on Helen. She lets her smell the plate, at which Helen ceases banging, and Annie puts the plate down and a spoon in Helen's hand. Helen throws it on the floor. Annie puts another spoon in her hand. Helen throws it on the floor. Annie puts another spoon in her hand. Helen throws it on the floor. When Annie comes to her last spoon, she sits next to Helen and, gripping the spoon in Helen's hand, compels her to take food in it up to her mouth. Helen sits with lips shut. Annie waits a stolid moment, then lowers Helen's hand.

She tries again; Helen’s lips remain shut. Annie waits, lowers Helen’s hand. She tries again; this time, Helen suddenly opens her mouth and accepts the food. Annie lowers the spoon with a sigh of relief, and Helen spews the mouthful out at her face. Annie sits a moment with eyes closed, then takes the pitcher and dashes its water into Helen’s face, who gasps, astonished. Annie, with Helen’s hand, takes up another spoonful and shoves it into her open mouth. Helen swallows involuntarily, and while she is catching her breath, Annie forces her palm open, throws four swift letters into it, then another four, and bows toward her with devastating pleasantness.

ANNIE: Good girl.

(Annie lifts Helen’s hand to feel her face nodding. Helen grabs a fistful of her hair and yanks. The pain brings Annie to her knees, and Helen pummels her; they roll under the table as the lights begin to dim out on them.)

Annie, meanwhile, has begun by slapping both keys down on a shelf out of Helen's reach. She returns to the table. Helen's kicking has subsided, and when, from the floor, her hand finds Annie's chair empty, she pauses. Annie clears the table of Kate's, James's, and Keller's plates. She gets back to her own across the table just in time to slide it deftly away from Helen's pouncing hand. She lifts the hand and moves it to Helen's plate, and after an instant's exploration, Helen sits again on the floor and drums her heels. Annie comes around the table and resumes her chair. When Helen feels her skirt again, she ceases kicking, waits for whatever is to come, renews some kicking, waits again. Annie, retrieving her plate, takes up a forkful of food, stops it halfway to her mouth, gazes at it devoid of appetite, and half-lowers it. But after a look at Helen, she sighs, dips the forkful toward Helen in a "for-your-sake" toast, and puts it in her own mouth to chew, not without an effort.

Annie now reaches over to spell into her hand, but Helen yanks it away. She gropes to the front door, tries the knob, and finds the door locked with no key. She gropes to the rear door and finds it locked with no key. She begins to bang on it. Annie rises, crosses, takes her wrists, and draws her resisting back to the table, seating her and releasing her hands upon her plate. As Annie herself begins to sit, Helen writhes out of her chair, runs to the front door, and tugs and kicks at it. Annie rises again, crosses, draws her by one wrist back to the table, seats her, and sits. Helen escapes back to the door, knocking over her mother's chair en route. Annie rises again in pursuit and this time lifts Helen bodily from behind, bearing her kicking to her chair.

She deposits her and once more turns to sit. Helen scrambles out, but as she passes, Annie catches her up again from behind and deposits her in the chair. Helen scrambles out on the other side, heading for the rear door, but Annie, at her heels, catches her up and deposits her again in the chair. She stands behind it. Helen scrambles out to her right, and the instant her feet hit the floor, Annie lifts and deposits her back. She scrambles out to her left and is at once lifted and deposited back. She tries right again and is deposited back, tries left again and is deposited back, then feints Annie to the right but is off to her left and is promptly deposited back. She sits a moment and then starts straight over the tabletop, dishware notwithstanding. Annie hauls her in and deposits her back, with her plate spilling in her lap. She melts to the floor and crawls under the table, laboring among its legs and chairs. But Annie is swift around the table and waiting on the other side when she surfaces, immediately bearing her aloft. Helen clutches at James’s chair for anchorage, but it comes with her, and halfway back, she abandons it to the floor. Annie deposits her in her chair and waits.

Helen sits, sullen, motionless. Then she tentatively puts out her left foot and hand. Annie interposes her own hand, and at the contact, Helen jerks hers in. She tries her right foot; Annie blocks it with her own, and Helen jerks hers in. Finally, leaning back, she slumps down in her chair.

Annie puts the spoon first into Helen's hand, then sets the plate down. Helen, discarding the spoon, reaches with her hand, and Annie stops it by the wrist. She replaces the spoon in it. Helen impatiently discards it again, and again Annie stops her hand, replacing the spoon. This time, Helen throws the spoon on the floor. Annie, after considering it, lifts Helen bodily out of the chair, and in a wrestling match on the floor, closes her fingers upon the spoon and returns her with it to the chair. Helen again throws the spoon on the floor. Annie lifts her out of the chair again, but in the struggle over the spoon, Helen, with Annie on her back, sends her sliding over her head. Helen flees back to her chair and scrambles into it. When Annie comes after her, she clutches it for dear life. Annie pries one hand loose, then the other, then the first again, then the other again, and then lifts Helen by the waist, chair and all, and shakes the chair loose. Helen wrestles to get free, but Annie pins her to the floor, closes her fingers upon the spoon, and lifts her, kicking, under one arm. With her other hand, she gets the chair in place again and plunks Helen back on it. When she releases her hand, Helen throws the spoon at her.

Annie now removes the plate of food. Helen, grabbing, finds it missing and begins to bang her fists on the table. Annie collects a fistful of spoons and descends with them and the plate on Helen. She lets her smell the plate, at which Helen ceases banging, and Annie puts the plate down and a spoon in Helen's hand. Helen throws it on the floor. Annie puts another spoon in her hand. Helen throws it on the floor. Annie puts another spoon in her hand. Helen throws it on the floor. When Annie comes to her last spoon, she sits next to Helen and, gripping the spoon in Helen's hand, compels her to take food in it up to her mouth. Helen sits with lips shut. Annie waits a stolid moment, then lowers Helen's hand.

She tries again; Helen’s lips remain shut. Annie waits, lowers Helen’s hand. She tries again; this time, Helen suddenly opens her mouth and accepts the food. Annie lowers the spoon with a sigh of relief, and Helen spews the mouthful out at her face. Annie sits a moment with eyes closed, then takes the pitcher and dashes its water into Helen’s face, who gasps, astonished. Annie, with Helen’s hand, takes up another spoonful and shoves it into her open mouth. Helen swallows involuntarily, and while she is catching her breath, Annie forces her palm open, throws four swift letters into it, then another four, and bows toward her with devastating pleasantness.

ANNIE: Good girl.

(Annie lifts Helen’s hand to feel her face nodding. Helen grabs a fistful of her hair and yanks. The pain brings Annie to her knees, and Helen pummels her; they roll under the table as the lights begin to dim out on them.)

Annie, meanwhile, has begun by slapping both keys down on a shelf out of Helen's reach. She returns to the table. Helen's kicking has subsided, and when, from the floor, her hand finds Annie's chair empty, she pauses. Annie clears the table of Kate's, James's, and Keller's plates. She gets back to her own across the table just in time to slide it deftly away from Helen's pouncing hand. She lifts the hand and moves it to Helen's plate, and after an instant's exploration, Helen sits again on the floor and drums her heels. Annie comes around the table and resumes her chair. When Helen feels her skirt again, she ceases kicking, waits for whatever is to come, renews some kicking, waits again. Annie, retrieving her plate, takes up a forkful of food, stops it halfway to her mouth, gazes at it devoid of appetite, and half-lowers it. But after a look at Helen, she sighs, dips the forkful toward Helen in a "for-your-sake" toast, and puts it in her own mouth to chew, not without an effort.

Annie now reaches over to spell into her hand, but Helen yanks it away. She gropes to the front door, tries the knob, and finds the door locked with no key. She gropes to the rear door and finds it locked with no key. She begins to bang on it. Annie rises, crosses, takes her wrists, and draws her resisting back to the table, seating her and releasing her hands upon her plate. As Annie herself begins to sit, Helen writhes out of her chair, runs to the front door, and tugs and kicks at it. Annie rises again, crosses, draws her by one wrist back to the table, seats her, and sits. Helen escapes back to the door, knocking over her mother's chair en route. Annie rises again in pursuit and this time lifts Helen bodily from behind, bearing her kicking to her chair.

She deposits her and once more turns to sit. Helen scrambles out, but as she passes, Annie catches her up again from behind and deposits her in the chair. Helen scrambles out on the other side, heading for the rear door, but Annie, at her heels, catches her up and deposits her again in the chair. She stands behind it. Helen scrambles out to her right, and the instant her feet hit the floor, Annie lifts and deposits her back. She scrambles out to her left and is at once lifted and deposited back. She tries right again and is deposited back, tries left again and is deposited back, then feints Annie to the right but is off to her left and is promptly deposited back. She sits a moment and then starts straight over the tabletop, dishware notwithstanding. Annie hauls her in and deposits her back, with her plate spilling in her lap. She melts to the floor and crawls under the table, laboring among its legs and chairs. But Annie is swift around the table and waiting on the other side when she surfaces, immediately bearing her aloft. Helen clutches at James’s chair for anchorage, but it comes with her, and halfway back, she abandons it to the floor. Annie deposits her in her chair and waits.

Helen sits, sullen, motionless. Then she tentatively puts out her left foot and hand. Annie interposes her own hand, and at the contact, Helen jerks hers in. She tries her right foot; Annie blocks it with her own, and Helen jerks hers in. Finally, leaning back, she slumps down in her chair.

Annie puts the spoon first into Helen's hand, then sets the plate down. Helen, discarding the spoon, reaches with her hand, and Annie stops it by the wrist. She replaces the spoon in it. Helen impatiently discards it again, and again Annie stops her hand, replacing the spoon. This time, Helen throws the spoon on the floor. Annie, after considering it, lifts Helen bodily out of the chair, and in a wrestling match on the floor, closes her fingers upon the spoon and returns her with it to the chair. Helen again throws the spoon on the floor. Annie lifts her out of the chair again, but in the struggle over the spoon, Helen, with Annie on her back, sends her sliding over her head. Helen flees back to her chair and scrambles into it. When Annie comes after her, she clutches it for dear life. Annie pries one hand loose, then the other, then the first again, then the other again, and then lifts Helen by the waist, chair and all, and shakes the chair loose. Helen wrestles to get free, but Annie pins her to the floor, closes her fingers upon the spoon, and lifts her, kicking, under one arm. With her other hand, she gets the chair in place again and plunks Helen back on it. When she releases her hand, Helen throws the spoon at her.

Annie now removes the plate of food. Helen, grabbing, finds it missing and begins to bang her fists on the table. Annie collects a fistful of spoons and descends with them and the plate on Helen. She lets her smell the plate, at which Helen ceases banging, and Annie puts the plate down and a spoon in Helen's hand. Helen throws it on the floor. Annie puts another spoon in her hand. Helen throws it on the floor. Annie puts another spoon in her hand. Helen throws it on the floor. When Annie comes to her last spoon, she sits next to Helen and, gripping the spoon in Helen's hand, compels her to take food in it up to her mouth. Helen sits with lips shut. Annie waits a stolid moment, then lowers Helen's hand.

She tries again; Helen’s lips remain shut. Annie waits, lowers Helen’s hand. She tries again; this time, Helen suddenly opens her mouth and accepts the food. Annie lowers the spoon with a sigh of relief, and Helen spews the mouthful out at her face. Annie sits a moment with eyes closed, then takes the pitcher and dashes its water into Helen’s face, who gasps, astonished. Annie, with Helen’s hand, takes up another spoonful and shoves it into her open mouth. Helen swallows involuntarily, and while she is catching her breath, Annie forces her palm open, throws four swift letters into it, then another four, and bows toward her with devastating pleasantness.

ANNIE: Good girl.

(Annie lifts Helen’s hand to feel her face nodding. Helen grabs a fistful of her hair and yanks. The pain brings Annie to her knees, and Helen pummels her; they roll under the table as the lights begin to dim out on them.)