Eleanor Roosevelt Research Essay

1197 Words5 Pages

Yasmin Kojjeh
Mrs.Karine H.
AP English 11A
March 10th, 2023
Research paper
“Eleanor Roosevelt”

"To merely talk about peace is insufficient; one has to have faith in it; simply believing in it is insufficient; one must put in the effort," said Eleanor Roosevelt once. Eleanor Roosevelt served as the state’s first lady, throughout the four periods her husband “Franklin Roosevelt” served as president. Eleanor Roosevelt believed in women's equality and freedom, but she also acknowledged that "women differ from men," which she believed was the reason women should be qualified to engage in political activism to create a new history. Eleanor Roosevelt made a significant impact on the political and social acceptance of female leaders, women's rights, …show more content…

Her parents come from affluent, well-to-do socialite households. Despite her family’s prominence, much of Eleanor’s childhood was rough and unpleasant. Eleanor's mother “Anna Hall Roosevelt” kept an emotional detachment from her daughter and frequently criticized her appearance. She bemoaned Eleanor's allegedly "plain" looks and called her "granny" to make fun of her somber demeanor. This type of outspoken criticism of a female child indicates the limited opportunities open even to aristocratic women at that period when they were generally expected to settle down and have children based solely on how attractive they were. Eleanor's connection with her father “Elliot Roosevelt” was complicated because of his drinking and frequent absences from her growing up lifespan, despite that, she was attached to him. Diphtheria claimed the lives of the mother and younger brother “Elliot'' while Eleanor was still a teenage girl. Less than two years later, Eleanor also lost her father with a subsequent seizure, leaving Eleanor and his third son “Hall” orphaned. After this tragedy, Eleanor and her brother moved into her grandmother's home. Eleanor Roosevelt's childhood losses made her vulnerable to depression throughout her …show more content…

Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt had to move after Franklin was appointed assistant secretary of the navy. Two years later, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt moved to Washington, DC. Eleanor found the political eye in Washington, DC., to be very unsettling. Eleanor volunteered with several relief organizations, which raised her image and gave her more political clout. In 1918, she found out that Franklin had an affair with another woman; she maintained their marriage, though her feelings were changed. She began to live a more autonomous life and frequently went to her house in upstate New York, where she was also part of a woman-owned furniture cooperative. In 1921, Franklin contracted infantile paralysis, losing mobility in his legs, Eleanor cared for him and encouraged his return to politics. In a strange sense, Franklin’s inability to get around liberated her. She got involved in political matters, and she joined the League of Women Voters and the Democratic