Write a character sketch on Mr …

Mr. Merton S Keith was an instructor in Cambridge who carries on Helen's preparation for the final examination required for entering Radcliffe College. He instructed Helen in algebra, geometry, greek and latin for almost one and a half years, initially twice a week but later on five times a week.

He is knowledgeable in literature, as Helen mentions in the book that his broad views of History and literature and his clever explanations made her work easier and pleasanter.

He made even mathematics interesting for his pupil by breaking the problems into small parts to enable her to follow them. He kept her mind alert and eager, and trained it to reason clearly, and to seek conclusions calmly and logically instead of jumping wildly to wrong conclusions. He was always gentle, patient and forbearing. The day before the exam, he was as worried as Helen about whether she would get through. This demonstrates his intense interest in the success of his pupil.

However, we find a chink in his knowledge when Helen mentions that he had relied too much on Helen’s capabilities and never taught her to write in the examination. This could have proved to be a grave mistake on his part.