Johnathan Swift “A Modest Proposal”

Swift, Jonathan. A Modest Proposal. 100 Great Essays. New York penguin Academics New York. 2008. Pages 669-677 Print. Summary A Modest Proposal is mainly about Jonathan Swifts grim idea of keeping the children of paltry people from being a charge to their parents, or the country, and for making them beneficial to the public which is what the rest of the pamphlet is named.The draw is to ironically attempt to find out a fair, cheap, and easy method for converting the starving children of Ireland into sound and officeful members of the Commonwealth. All across the country poor children, nearlyly Catholics are living in poverty because their families are also poor to keep them fed and clothed. The author argues, by hard-edged economic reasons as well as from a self-righteous moral stance, for a way to turn this job into its own solution.The aim was to fatten up these undernourished children and feed them to Irelands rich land-owners. Children of the poor could be sold into a meat market at the age of unrivaled, he thinks, that even though he is up against overpopulation and unemployment, sparing families the expense of child-bearing while providing them with a bantam extra income, improving the culinary experience of the wealthy, and giving a elfin back to the overall economic wellness of the nation.He offers statistical actualise for his assertions and gives specific data about the number of children to sell, their weight and price, and the projected inlet patterns. He suggests some recipes for preparing this delicious new meat, and he feels incontestable that innovative cooks leave aloneing be quicker to make more. He also anticipates that the practice of marketing and eating children will stir positive effect on family morality husbands will treat their wives with more respect, and parents will value their children in m either ways un cognise.The main stagecoach is that the impact of this project will do more to solve Irelands composit e social, political, and economic problems than any other measure that has been proposed. Style Analysis Through the effective use of sarcastic comparisons and ironic exaggerations, Swift manages to show his cutting wit in a manner and to an extent that was virtually never before known or experienced in literature. Although the subjects, or targets, of his sarcasm are different, the brilliance in his method of employing it is sort of similar.The irony and sarcasm obviously in the title alone is a perfect example of the power of terrific satire but another strong example is where Swift speaks of the selling of babies as food, saying, I grant this food children will be fair dear, and and so very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children. This is a powerful description disguised as a blind following of the speakers philosophy when really, it addresses the fact of the awful matter of England.This ironi c narrator sight tell the reader with coldness about how the skin of children can be used alike leather to make admirable gloves for ladies and summer boots for book gentlemen, Swift gives such subtle and witty language that the reader is virtually inclined to not notice the obvious deplorable aspects and to agree with his arguments. The well(p) irony that Swift gives throughout the proposal is mostly clear in the reasoning of his arguments.Also Near the beginning , Swift explains that it is agreed by all parties that the overpopulation of children is a problem that is a very great spare grievance to the current deplorable state of Ireland. He further states. . . and therefore whoever could find out a fair, cheap, and easy method of making these children sound, serviceable members of the commonwealth would deserve so well of the public as to have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation. This is a positive and potentially beneficial suggestion.It is just not until furt her along in the text, that Swifts real proposal becomes clear. However, the language that he gives again masks the ugly of its reality. Swift nervelessly says that an acquaintance of his has promised him that a young, healthy, and child well nursed, is at a form old a most delicate, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled. He then quickly adds, and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout. Although the language is clear, it is at odds with its tone.Before ending the proposal, Swift states an unsarcastic literary argument. It readsTherefore I repeat, let no man talk to me of these and the like expedients, till he hath at least some glimpse of hope that there will ever be some hearty and unsophisticated attempt to put them into practice. Personal Response I more than enjoyed myself exercise Jonathan Swifts pamphlet A Modest Proposal. It just blew me away the way he used such whit to create such a wonderful satiri cal piece such as itself.At first he seems to be totally objective to the original severe economical problem set in front of us all. Yet he shows no mercy towards the subject. Swift uses such a serious tone if one didnt know what type of writing was being read, one could be easily fooled to think Swifts proposal was indeed for real. The statement the interested me the most was, After all, I am not so violently bent upon my own opinion as to reject any offer proposed by wise men, which shall be found equally innocent, cheap, easy, and effectual. plainly before something of that kind shall be advanced in contradiction to my strategy I enjoyed reading this part because, although here Swift gives leigh weigh to others who handle to comment on the matter he says something different this time, he refers to his, once, proposal as now a scheme, very thought raise for me. As I said, I enjoyed it and I look forward to reading more of Swifts works.