Who Am I? Helen Keller

Who Am I?

Throughout her essay, How I Became a Socialist, Helen Keller discusses how the media plays a critical role in defining people's identity. Later in the essay, Keller revealed that the media's main goal is to make money, disregarding the means. Today however, most women are not only becoming increasingly educated, but they are pursing the careers of their dreams, just like Keller during her era. Also, women are completely disregarding the long-lived stereotype that men are the usually the breadwinners of the household, and are becoming the main breadwinners themselves by educating themselves. Recent media, similarly to the media during Keller's time, is shaping women to fit the role of average housewife by displaying homemaking roles as a woman's career. Marketers convey this image by portraying femininity as being caring, beautiful and young. In addition, Media forces women to psychologically feel like there is a certain way to look and behave, and trick women into buying their products. Just like during the 1910's; Women of the current era will fall into the advertisement trap.

Partially due to recent media, women sometimes find themselves in a bored and depressed mood when they are not out shopping for new equipments that would make their lives much "easier." When they watch T.V., women see these advertisements everywhere, from yogurt commercials, to cleaning supplies commercials; women are constantly being portrayed as housewives. This reflects a beautiful, busy and a healthy mom.

The yogurt advertisements tell the women that they could eat anything they would like, in a yogurt liquid form, and still be skinny and looking as sexy as the women in the advertisements. According to the Yo-plait website, "From what's best for you, to what's best for your family, we know it has to be good. That's why we have everything you need from a diet plan, to features on calcium and how to help teach your kids to eat..." (Yo-Plait) Women look at this object as an object of necessity. If this product will make them and their kids healthy, they must have it. This conditions women into being "caring and healthy." Every woman wants to be healthy and caring. It shows that she is the better housewife, and in turn, a better person.

The cleaning supplies advertisements have had the same effect on women. In one of the commercials; the beautifully dressed house wife is frustrated with what a mess her husband (who happens to not know that a blender needs to be closed before turning on) made, so she gets these cleaning products especially made for heavy spills. Instead of the housewife being mad, she cleans this mess with one stroke. It made cleaning that kind of mess, an easy task. Viewing this commercial makes women feel as if the task is done promptly and simply, then consequently she will have more time for herself, but what she doesn't realize is that it all accumulates until the next day, so she will always be busy yet she is still using these products.

Through these products, women are portrayed as masters or leaders in their homes. They firmly believe that when they use these products, they will become a "professional housewife." Why? Because, "these images give the impression that women have a limited role in our society: all women want is shiny floors and the best cookies." (UNPAC). However, Keller explains that the media would use any necessary way to make more money, whether it is through a product or a person. "SCHENECTADY REDS ARE ADVERTISING; USING HELEN KELLER, THE BLIND GIRL, TO RECEIVE PUBLICITY" (70). Furthermore, she talks about how the media is willing to sympathies with a party also to generate profit, "We are not entitled to sympathy, yet some of us can write articles that will help his paper to make money." (71)

Targeting women