Worksheet: Analyzing Helen Keller’s 1915 Article “Why Men Need Woman Suffrage”

Name: _______________________________________
Period: ________
Date: __________

Follow this link to the digital Helen Keller Archive: “Article by Helen Keller “Why Men Need Woman Suffrage” republished in Outlook, originally published in New York Call.” Read the article and answer the questions below.

Sourcing

Where was this letter published? Who was Helen Keller’s audience?

Close Reading

What is Keller’s opinion of women’s suffrage? Why, as the title implies, do “men need woman suffrage”?

Identify and summarize the two most important arguments made in this article.

Contextualization

What larger world issues does Keller believe women’s suffrage could solve?

What unfamiliar names, events, or ideas does Keller refer to in her article? What topics would you need to learn more about in order to more fully understand her letter? Consult your teacher to find additional information.

Rhetoric and Analysis

Choose two passages in the text you find compelling and explain why you chose them.

Identify one rhetorical device used in the article. How does Helen use it to persuade her audience?