Is Helen Keller real? Well, according to over 67 million TikToks, she is not (Yiming). This idea is an example of historical misinformation stemming from social media. Historical misinformation has been an issue throughout time. From when in Ancient Rome, Emperor Octavian would make up lies about Mark Anthony calling him sexist, to the present day when people make up stories for fame on social media (Sifuentes). Historical misinformation, especially through social media, is hurtful to society as a whole. The conspiracy theory that Helen Keller isn’t real diminishes the achievements of disabled people. People who don’t believe in Ancient Rome are creating a cycle of hate. Finally, a fake story about LGBTQ+ romance during WWI that was presented …show more content…
The creators seem cool and personable. People want to trust regular people, rather than academic scholars, because a lot of people online fall for the idea that the people in power are hiding something, making them prone to believe things like the Helen Keller Conspiracy. The Helen Keller Conspiracy started around May 2020 when a TikTok user started the hashtag #HelenKellerWasntReal. This conspiracy traveled to X, formerly known as Twitter, when Daniel Kunka talked about how his teenage relatives tried to convince him that Helen Keller was a fraud who didn’t exist (Sifuentes). Many commenters on these posts remember getting into arguments with their teachers about the idea that their thoughts are being repressed by people in power. The basis of the conspiracy is the idea that if Helen Keller really was blind and deaf, she couldn’t have been able to do all of her accomplishments. Even if the conspiracy theory is a joke, it still pushes the idea that blind people can’t achieve anything. Haben Girma, the first deaf blind person to graduate from Harvard says, “Helen Keller documented multiple times in her life when she was told you’re lying, you're a …show more content…
Ft. Haben Girma [CC]” 8:05-8:16, 8:45-8:53). Helen Keller was accused of being a fake and a liar throughout her life. For example, Helen Keller had mostly leftist and liberal beliefs and intended to be involved in activism, but was often disregarded because people assumed due to her disability she was too easily influenced by outside voices. The conspiracy we deal with now is due to the fact that Helen Keller is taught as an idealized hero figure for youth, representing a community of people that universally experience having their struggles questioned. Helen Keller and other deaf blind people's achievements do not need to be scrutinized by random people on the internet. Additionally, on the internet, people for attention “rage bait” making outrageous claims for attention like saying that Ancient Rome wasn’t real, but a figment of the Spanish Inquisition’s imagination. That is what TikToker Donna Dickens did back in 2021; she has used her TikTok account with over 94,000 followers to spread her wild historical theories. She claims to have degrees in anthropology and history, but provides no evidence
Helen Keller, against all odds, became a mouthpiece for many causes in the early to mid-twentieth century. She advocated for causes such as building institutions for the blind, schools for the deaf, women’s suffrage and pacifism. When America was in the most desperate of times, her voice stood out. Helen Keller spoke at Carnegie Hall in New York raising her voice in protest of America’s decision to join the World War. The purpose of this paper will analyze the devices and methods Keller used in her speech to create a good ethos, pathos, and logos.
Angelina Grimke and Sojourner Truth were both prominent American civil rights activists of the 19th century who focused on the abolition of slavery and women’s rights issues, respectively. While both of these women challenged the societal beliefs of the United States at the time regarding these civil rights issues, the rhetorical strategies used by each of these women to not only illustrate their respective arguments but also to raise social awareness of these issues was approached in very different fashions. Angelina Grimke promoted the use of white middle-class women’s positions in the household to try to influence the decision makers, or men, around them. On the other hand, Sojourner Truth, a former slave turned women’s rights activist,
Sometimes there’s nothing more powerful than a personal story of tragedy and perseverance. With poise, humor and emotional pleas, Monica Lewinsky is able to captivate her audience through her narrative – one known to many in a public sense but far more vulnerable and moving when told through her private moments. Lewinsky’s speech, titled “The Price of Shame,” shares a broad call to action against cyberbullying and online harassment, highlighted by her own battles and a devastating tale of a young man who inspired her to finally speak out. Decades of silence create a sense of expectation among the audience. It also automatically captivate Lewinsky’s listeners as they hang on every word from someone they’ve heard so much about – but never from. Over the course of this paper, I will analyze Lewinsky’s TED Talk as a persuasive speech meant to galvanize listeners to recognize and actively combat cyberbullying in an age where many try to capitalize and profit on public humiliation. I will show how her persuasive style is effective with respect to her personal expertise and gut-wrenching stories, while also recognizing areas – like her call to action – where her argument could be strengthened and better delineated to
When asked to write about an important activist who has demonstrated protest, I immediately drifted towards a Hispanic and/or feminist activist. Various names came across my mind initially such as Cesar Chavez and Joan Baez but as a later discussion in class concluded, there are numerous others who are rarely highlighted for their activism and struggles, which lead to me researching more. In my research I came across Dolores Huerta, an American labor leader and civil rights activist, who I felt was an underdog and brushed over activist in the Hispanic community.
At first she was a little confused but then began to be more patient. The Character arc changes throughout the story in very slight ways. At first the narrator sounds playful and childish. However, getting towards the end of the story, the narrator becomes more patient and a little more mature.
She had quite a presence whenever she prepared to give one of her powerful speeches. “People who saw her stand up to speak at union gatherings were at first taken in by her kindly, demure (modest) look. But there was nothing at all demure about what Jones had to say, and she did not shrink from saying it loudly, in strong, plain words”. Her ability to turn people’s and expectations and take them by surprise helped create interest among audiences, allowing them to pay attention to what she says. Along with this, Mother Jones was able to create a sense of connection and relatability between her and her audience. With an informal writing style, people were able to feel her as an equal, making her the perfect representative for what they were fighting for. “Jones spoke the language of the streets, and her speeches were dotted with swear words. The rough and unskilled workers in the newly developing factories loved her style.” By allowing workers to feel as if she was one of them and was truly with them and on their side, Jones was very well liked and admired, an essential trait that allowed her to become as successful as she was. Not only was her presence effective, but she had very intriguing and captivating speeches. By using her talent for public spectacle along with conventional notions of womanhood, she was able to grasp and maintain an audience as well as get
Helen Keller is a hardworking individual who succeeds in life despite many hardships. Keller’s Address before the New York Association for the Blind on January 15, 1907 can be analyzed for evidence, reasoning, and stylistic and persuasive elements. Keller uses evidence, such as facts and examples, to support claims. She also uses reasoning to develop ideas and to connect claims and evidence. Moreover, stylistic and persuasive elements, such as diction, and appeals to the emotion, such as pathos, ethos, and logos, are used to help add power to the ideas expressed. Keller’s great use of writing techniques help to add power to her speech and ideas.
Truth mentions that a man said that “women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere.” She declares none of these acts have happened to her. She states she “could work as much and eat as much as a man - when [she] could get it - and bear the lash as well!” She also says she’s had thirteen children, most of them sold off as slaves. She spoke that “when [she] cried out with [her] mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard [her].” All of her statements end with “ain’t I a woman?” Her statements show how men say they should treat women, but do not uphold black women to these treatments. Truth shifted her speech towards religion after an audience member said women could not have as many rights as men because “Christ wasn’t a woman.” She mentions that the first woman “was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone,” and women should be able to fix it. She ended her statement by telling the audience that women are asking to fix it, and men should let them. Truth’s speech was an empowerment to change democracy. The speech helped to tell people at the time that the government, vested in the people, should not dismiss a woman’s thoughts or opinions because of her
Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama in 1880 as a perfectly normal and healthy child. But when she was a year and a half old, she suddenly became both blind and deaf due to what many speculate was scarlet fever or meningitis (“Helen…”, 2016). Because of this, two of her main senses were shut down at a stage in which communication and relationships is very important for children and their development. These losses, for obvious reasons, proved to be very detrimental to her ability to connect with people and her ability to express her emotions. She soon became what many would describe as wild and unruly, since she would often thrash, scream, and eat like an animal to get attention and go through the process of catharsis.
She uses ethos by citing the bible and drawing conclusions from it, this helps support her case because at the time almost everybody worshiped the bible and its ideas and values, having those ideas and values include women's rights would be a wake up for many 19th century americans. Because Truth was illiterate she had very low diction, which in this case helps her because it further proves the fact that a lack of intellect isn’t a reason for denying rights. Throughout her speech Truth repeats the rhetorical question, “and ain’t I a woman?” her repetition of this phrase gives emphasis to the point that despite everything she’s done she is still a woman. Because she is a thriving woman that never had the sheltered life that so many people thought was appropriate for women she was different. She paved the way for future generations of independant
During her early life, Hillary Clinton learned that a huge problem across the globe was gender inequality. Women and men were not equal. Men were making more money than women for the same jobs. She believed she could change this. On September 5, 1995 Hillary Clinton gave a speech at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women. Clinton uses powerful rhetoric in order to create an air of sympathy for women among her audience. She is hoping to make the world become more aware of the inequalities women face daily while also making them feel ashamed for their previous actions of discriminating women, which would cause them to change their ways. She uses her speech “Women’s Rights Are Human Rights” to create awareness of the discrimination
On January 5, 1916 Helen Keller gave the speech Strike Against War, calling for working class people to use the power of the strike to end to America’s involvement in World War I. Keller makes many valid points about the way war affects the working class of America; however, I disagree with how easily she suggests that the working class can rise to action, especially one as drastic as strike. The way that war is used to exploit has not improved since the World War I era.
Helen Keller is a woman that has done many wonderful things in her lifetime. Many people think she is an amazing person. She has taught people that no matter what is wrong with you, you can do anything you put your mind to. I believe she looked at as one of the most inspirational people in the world.
Mother Teresa is one of the most recognized women in the world. Teresa brought in a revolutionary change in the world with her positive thoughts and love for humanity. Her missionary work started way back 1931 when she was still a little girl. She joined the Nuns as a kid in 1931, and she was later named Teresa from Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. It was in respect and honor of the Saints of Theresa. Mother Teresa’s missions were concentrated around helping the poor people with their basic needs such as food, water and shelter. She also demonstrated a lot of interest in taking care of the weak and defenseless people in the society. For example, it has been recorded that she spent a lot of time caring for the elderly, disabled and injured. At the same
From her childhood to her adult life, Helen Keller never lost hope or faith, she has shown us that with enough perseverance and hard work anything can be accomplished. Helen Keller has encountered many important and famous people, wrote 14 books, and won countless awards and honors throughout her life such as being inducted in the Women’s Hall of Fame. Helen Keller was a strong independent woman who taught herself not only to read, write, and speak, but also accomplished the normal actions of an everyday life.