Summary Of The Morality Of Birth Control By Margaret Sanger

Critical thinking is an essential skill to be acquired at college level in order to improve one’s writing and speaking proficiency. In order to hone my critical thinking skills, I was assigned to review a speech and write a critical thinking essay about it. I reviewed the speech “The Morality of Birth Control” by Margaret Sanger. She delivered the aforementioned speech on 18th November 1921 at Park Theatre, New York. In her speech she discusses the importance of birth control and how different people perceive this idea. She also lays emphasis on how important it is to create awareness among the people about birth control. Indeed, I found her speech to be persuasive and with well-articulated arguments, and involving substantial evidence and

logic. The three concepts of critical thinking that she powerfully employs in her speech are inductive reasoning, arguments from parallel case and arguments from classifications.
Right from the introduction, she connects with the audience by asking them questions about over population, spreading awareness about birth control, and effect of birth control on the connubial relationship between a man and woman.

(Sanger 1921). Dr. Herr remarks that, “the premises in inductive reasoning are usually based on facts or observations”. (Herr 2007). She makes inductive reasoning when she makes the point of following Christian following is worthless if one cannot trust a women with the knowledge about her own body. (Sanger 1921).

One of the hallmarks of an effective speaker is to make their arguments stand on the basis of examples from history or real life. (Nelson et. al 2013). In this speech, Margaret states an argument from parallel case when makes a reference to women’s fight for higher education in past. It was considered immoral and claims were made that women would end up being immoral and eventually lose sanctity in home. (Sanger 1921).

Another important persuasive skill is to offer your audience options. The method employed for giving them options is to offer classifications and allowing the audience to choose the best option. The argument regarding the use of birth control that Margaret is advancing classifies people into different groups on the basis of awareness they have regarding birth control methods and their effective use. (Sanger

1921).
We have seen throughout the speech that Margaret has effectively transmitted her idea, opinion and all relevant information and arguments to her audience. The speaker does so in a tone that is formal enough to show her authority and yet has an informal air about it that makes the speech connect with the audience. It is quite clear that the speaker did her research and gave valid arguments in order to persuade her audience. With these skills the speaker has done a great job of effectively conveying her message to the listeners of her speech.