Rhetorical Analysis Of The Children's Era Speech

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The question has stimulated a very hot debate in many nations. In the early 20th century, the aspect of sex and the use of birth control were sensitive issues in many parts of the world. Birth control was seen as immoral and the thought of it being a national phenomenon were morally shocking. Due to all these beliefs, superstitions and prejudices about sex, birth control was unnecessary, however, the rate of unwanted childbirth was very high. “The Children’s Era” Speech was given in 1925 by Margaret H. Sanger to attempt to show the importance of women's control over childbearing and promotion for birth control.

The welfare of the children is her main focus within the speech as she uses the word “children” many times and uses it closely with the word “world.” By this, she is implying that unplanned pregnancy and the lives that children face because of it are very large problems. The ideas that cluster around the word “world” in her speech are “motherhood,” “fight,” “feeble-minded,” “refugees,” and “society.” These words are very powerful and emotionally loaded and when these words are grouped together, they give “motherhood” a new sense of urgency, like the idea of motherhood in grave danger and that needs protecting. She is referring mothers and children as refugees.
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She states, "Grand Central Station of life. Trainload after trainload of children are coming in day and night". She's telling her audience that, just like a garden, when raising a child you have to give them the essential care that is needed to raise a child the right way. By using this example, she is making her audience more willing to understand and consider her point by making a connection with them. She wants to convey to the audience that there must be a stable foundation and home before a child can be