A MODEST PROPOSAL In a Modest Proposal, by Jonathan Swift, the main objective was to draw attention to the downfall of the Irish people and motivate readers to find a workable solution. Unlike most essays, this is written for the reader to see through what the narrator is expressing. Swift shows the readers his proposal mainly through irony. Irony can be defined as expressing the opposite of what is meant. This is a great technique of the sense of humor and sarcasm used in the proposal and in Swift.
Also “A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends; and when the family dines alone, the fore or hind quarter will make a reasonable dish, and seasoned with a little pepper or salt will be very good boiled on the first day, especially in the winter”. Not only does he talk about eating the babies he says you can use them for other things too like “admirable gloves for ladies, and summer boots for fine gentlemen”. Swifts tone is so light and calm that of course people will find it humorous because no one is actually going to eat babies. Mark Twain also uses satire in his speech “Advice to Youth” in 1882. His main points of satire are to always obey your parents, when they are present; be respectful to your superiors, if you have any, also to strangers, and sometimes to others; avoid violence; go to bed early, get up early; be careful about lying; never handle firearms carelessly; and to be careful in your selection of books.
Then, the surprise was so shocking to read. Swift wanted to nurse young healthy children and make them into a wholesome food by stewing, roasting, baking, or boiling them. This was his way of helping poor people with their problems with their children. He thought by eating children it would help with poverty in Ireland. I realized Swift was a person with serious problems when I started reading about children becoming a wholesome food at a young age.
The next element that stands out is the picture of a women eating red meat, the picture looks appealing and will encourage the reader to eat it and directly underneath is a bold quote that names all the positives about eating what you can see in the picture, “A steak kebab is not only a good source of protein but contains essential vitamins and minerals, too”. The paragraph before the first picture is a short story from John’s past. It was put in to point out that in the past, red meat in England was of very poor quality and in some places was not even available to consumption; this fact makes the reader feel as if they’re lucky to have red meat
A “young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food… upon a medium that a child just born will weigh 12 pounds…increased to 28 pounds” were they shall “contribute to the feeding, and partly to the clothing, of many thousands.” (3,2) He compares children of a year old to animals, where they will be used as food and even clothing. The meat of course will be “somewhat dear”, which will be “very proper” for the rich. Swift also “recommends” buying the children alive and “dressing them hot from a knife,” as they do when “roasting pigs”. He also offers that “of the hundred and twenty thousand children already computed, twenty thousand may be reserved for breed, whereof only one-fourth part to be males; which is more than [they] allow sheep, black cattle, or swine.” (3) Here Swift proposes that they use some of the children only for breeding and brings in the fact that it is “more than [they] allow” animals, showing that these lower class children are not much better than swine, cattle, and sheep. The “remaining hundred thousand may, at a year old, be offered in the sale to the persons of quality and fortune through the kingdom… so as to render them plump and fat for a good table.” (3) He refers to selling the children like they are animals, not caring of how they are treated, only that they are to be eaten
Satire is the use of wit, especially sarcasm, irony, and ridicule to criticize faults. Arguably the most renowned author of satire is Jonathan Swift, chiefly known for his novel Gulliver's Travels, he also wrote numerous other pieces of literature, many concerning the politics of Ireland. His essay A Modest Proposal also brought him great fame. In it he proposed a vile solution for the problems of Ireland in the 1730's which he described as a plea "for preventing the children of poor people in Ireland from being a burden to their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the public" (Intro; 1). He uses satire to address the terrible living conditions at the time in an indirect way.
Donna Kitchings AntiEssays.com The use of satire in writing shows the reader an exaggerated view of a situation or topic that criticizes people’s view to that situation of a topic. It is used either to make the reader laugh or feel disgust for what is being satirized. Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal, is probably the most famous satirical essay in the English language (Bromberg). Born on November 30, 1667, was the son of Protestant Anglo-Irish Parents (Cody). His father, an attorney, died two months before he was born (BIO).
Children from poor families could be sold into a meat market at the age of one, which would decrease overpopulation and unemployment, sparing families the expense of child-bearing while providing them with a little extra income, improving dining of the wealthy, and contributing to the overall economy. Raising children for food will give the Irish economy a boost. These kids are delicacies, and delicacies can be expensive. The culinary experience will make Ireland a hot spot for tourists. He suggests some recipes for preparing this delicious new meat, and he feels sure that top cooks will be able to generate more.
With the right kind of breeding and nourishment the infants can be sold to the wealthy for meals and other material uses. Using shock value he tells how the use of the infants bodies can be skinned on replace of leather and how to season and cook them. Dehumanizing the poor Swift calls them breeders referring to farm animals and to only keep some so when the old die their will still be others to breed from. Using deductive reasoning Swift shows the readers how the poor can supply babies for the rich to use so both will benefit. This will alleviate hunger as well as produce a source of income.
Fifth, the new food will be welcomed in taverns and culinary circles. Sixth, it will enhance the institution of marriage as women take better care of their infants so that they may be sold, and men will take better care of their wives so that their wives can make more babies to sell. Stereotypes against Irish Catholics