Worksheet: Analyzing Helen Keller’s 1920 Speech “Why Woman Wants to Vote”

Name: _______________________________________ 
Period: ________ 
Date: __________

Follow this link to the digital Helen Keller Archive: “Speech given by Helen Keller in favor of women’s suffrage entitled ‘Why Woman Wants to Vote.’ 1920.” Read the speech and answer the questions below.

Sourcing

When was this speech written? Why is this significant?

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

What is Helen Keller’s opinion of women’s suffrage? Why must women be enfranchised?

What is Helen Keller’s opinion of women’s suffrage? Why must women be enfranchised?

Close Reading

What is Helen Keller’s opinion of women’s suffrage? Why must women be enfranchised?

What future does Keller envision once women can vote?

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

Contextualization

What unfamiliar names, events, or ideas does Keller refer to in her speech? 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 speech. How does Keller use it to persuade her audience?