Rhetorical Essay In Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal

In “A Modest Proposal,” Jonathan Swift proposes an absurd solution to poverty in Ireland in 1729. Swift begins the essay by describing his observations of the plight of the poor and how he has thought long and hard about a solution for the widespread poverty. He then proposes his bizarre idea – for the poor to sell their children at one year old – and uses misguided logic to support his proposal. Mimicking the format of a pamphlet proposing an unreasonable solution, Swift parodies the useless ideas that others have proposed before, but in a way that catches the attention of the reader who would usually disregard such pamphlets. Swift effectively uses satire as a way to expose the uncaring attitude of the rich towards the poor. In Swift’s introduction to his proposal, Swift creates a serious context for his proposal, providing a stark contrast between what the reader expects of the proposal and its actuality. He emphasizes the qualities …show more content…
The fallacies that Swift uses to support his proposal are clearly wrong, but they aid in showcasing the ridiculousness of his idea and how well-thought-out his essay is. He talks about the population, “I calculate there may be about two hundred thousand couple whose wives are breeders… subtract thirty thousand couple… again subtract fifty thousand…” (36), making the poor just a number in his calculations. Swift also explores the price at which a children could be sold, saying, “I have already computed the charge of nursing a beggar’s child… to be about two shillings per annum, rags included; and I believe no gentleman would repine to give ten shillings for the carcass of a good fat child… the mother will have eight shillings neat profit, and be fit for work till she produces another child” (37). He equates children to money, taking away the humanity of the situation. Swift’s cold and calculating treatment of the situation reflects the uncaring attitude towards the poor at the