26 pages • 52 minutes read
Russell FreedmanOut of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille
Nonfiction | Biography | Middle Grade | Published in 1997A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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Learning and Education as a Fundamental Human Right
Freedman presents the need for accessible education as a human right. He celebrates Braille for bringing reading and writing to people who are blind. Freedman draws attention to Braille’s exclusion as a young child in a provincial French school which has no resources for teaching blind children: “[W]hen the other pupils took out their primers and writing slates, he would sit quietly alone, listening to the scratching of chalk and the rustle of pages being turned” (17). Braille’s frustration and isolation is palpable, especially given that in other subjects which rely only on memorization and verbalization, Braille eclipses his peers.
Braille is determined that people who are blind access the world of print information. Without it, and without the ability to write down their thoughts and ideas, Braille recognizes that people who are blind are excluded from the world. This exclusion is unjust. Braille’s desire to access the world of literature is clear in his excitement to attend the Royal Institute for Blind Youth, especially to learn how to read and write. Braille is discouraged by the system of embossed letters; the boys “read slowly and hesitantly” (28). Furthermore, Captain Barbier’s system of sonography make reading “slow and awkward” (38).
Braille’s determination to create an accessible system reflects his belief that everyone deserves an education. Braille is credited for “open[ing] the doors of knowledge to all those who cannot see” (78). The title of the text, Out of Darkness, is metaphorical; Braille remains in “darkness” in a literal sense, but his system allows him, and others, to read and write. Reading, writing, and music brings Braille joy, happiness, and peace. Freedman presents the ability to read and write as a metaphorical “light” which allows people who are blind to become active participants in the world; Braille “place[s] all the world’s literature at the fingertips of blind readers” (54).
Tellingly, Braille demands no payment or commission for his braille system. He does not capitalize on his ingenuity. He prioritizes accessibility, spending money from his own meager salary to fund the production and distribution of braille books free of charge. This speaks to his genuine passion for improving the lives of other people who are blind, and his belief that reading, writing, and accessible education are fundamental human rights.
People who are Blind as Capable, Intelligent & Self-directed
As a young child at school, Braille’s teacher considers him a marvel: “The poor little one was blind. Any accomplishments at all seemed miraculous” (17). This reveals much about how others perceive blind people at this time and place: They pity Braille and assume him incapable until he proves otherwise. Furthermore, people treat him in a condescending manner even after he proves his intelligence and independence; when playing the piano, people marvel that he’s “so clever for a blind man” (62). The caveat speaks to beliefs at the time which incorrectly link blindness to mental incapacity. For this reason, most people who were blind in France “led miserable lives as ragged beggars” (24). Braille’s school is revolutionary; it is based on the tenet that “blind youngsters were capable of being taught, that they could master their handicap and lead useful, productive lives” (24).
Despite being dismissed, Braille’s achievements speak to his intelligence and ingenuity. Braille recognizes that a blind person needs to develop a system for blind reading and writing. His raised-dot system is ingenious in its simplicity; each letter can be interpreted with a single fingertip touch, as opposed to previous methods that were extremely onerous for blind readers. Only a few months after finishing his system, “Louis could write and read his raised-dot alphabet faster than many people could write or read the regular alphabet” (60).
The accessibility of Braille’s system is clear when Braille’s peers quickly learn it.
Braille’s invention illustrates that stigmatization of blindness is based on a false belief that blindness is connected with lack of intelligence. Braille establishes that people who are blind should be recognized as equally intelligent and self-directed, as in his short lifetime, he “had done more than anyone in history to bring blind people into the mainstream of life” (76).
Perseverance in the Face of Setbacks and Obstacles
Braille’s life is characterized by challenging setbacks. The young Braille is born sighted, but loses his vision in a tragic accident. In spite of this, Braille relearns how to navigate through life. Eventually, he makes his way to the nearby brook, and then to the village. Braille learns to use his other senses to orientate himself; he learns to recognize people by their voices, and memorizes distances around Coupvray.
Braille also adjusts to isolation; “the hardest lesson Louis had to learn was that his blindness set him apart from the other children” (13). He sits in silence as other children read and write in school, and he can’t “run wildly down the road” or play marbles or tag with the other children (13). Despite these setbacks, Braille has a “sunny disposition,” which speaks to his adaptability and resilience (17).
Braille’s most significant challenge is trying to establish his system as the accepted method for blind instruction. Despite the system’s accessibility and efficiency, Braille is knocked back countless times, and the system is banned in his own school.
As an adult, Braille struggles with tuberculosis. Although his health poses an immense challenge, Braille spends his final months of life in service to others: continuing to distribute braille books and writing instruments.
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