A Modest Proposal
“A Modest Proposal” is a satirical work written by Jonathan Swift that gives an unorthodox and outrageous solution to Ireland’s poverty and overpopulation problem. Jonathan Swift was most famous for his satires and he was also a famous churchman, a spokesperson for Irish rights, and a political journalist. Swift gives a list of absurd solutions which include cannibalism and poor Irish families fattening up their children for the purpose of selling them to rich English landowners. Given that the full title of this work is “A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burden to their Parents, or the Country, and for Making them Beneficial to the Public,” it presents to the viewer an idea of the insight that Swift will use to prove his point. Swift’s main purpose was not to actually solve the problems in the country, instead it was to show the senseless acts that were being carried out by the government in Ireland. In order to make an argument, Swift needed to use emotional and ethical appeals. Thus, Swift employed rhetorical strategies to raise awareness about Ireland’s poverty and overpopulation. Swift employs the rhetorical appeals of pathos and ethos through his use of satire, allowing …show more content…
He appeals to ethos when he mentions his friend in America who is an expert and has experience with what Swift is mentioning. Swift learns from his friend, gaining knowledge on the subject and because of this, he is able to devise a plan to curtail overpopulation and end poverty in Ireland. Swift is able to relate on this situation because he was once poor and now, being a rich man, he has seen both ends of the spectrum. Swift appeals to pathos next by coming up with a solution to Ireland’s problem. His solution would be to give the poor a chance to sell their children as a source of income. Swift wants the rich to see that the poor should be treated as humans and not as
“A Modest Proposal” is a satirical work written by Jonathan Swift that gives an unorthodox and outrageous solution to Ireland’s poverty and overpopulation problem. Jonathan Swift was most famous for his satires and he was also a famous churchman, a spokesperson for Irish rights, and a political journalist. Swift gives a list of absurd solutions which include cannibalism and poor Irish families fattening up their children for the purpose of selling them to rich English landowners. Given that the full title of this work is “A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burden to their Parents, or the Country, and for Making them Beneficial to the Public,” it presents to the viewer an idea of the insight that Swift will use to prove his point. Swift’s main purpose was not to actually solve the problems in the country, instead it was to show the senseless acts that were being carried out by the government in Ireland. In order to make an argument, Swift needed to use emotional and ethical appeals. Thus, Swift employed rhetorical strategies to raise awareness about Ireland’s poverty and overpopulation. Swift employs the rhetorical appeals of pathos and ethos through his use of satire, allowing …show more content…
He appeals to ethos when he mentions his friend in America who is an expert and has experience with what Swift is mentioning. Swift learns from his friend, gaining knowledge on the subject and because of this, he is able to devise a plan to curtail overpopulation and end poverty in Ireland. Swift is able to relate on this situation because he was once poor and now, being a rich man, he has seen both ends of the spectrum. Swift appeals to pathos next by coming up with a solution to Ireland’s problem. His solution would be to give the poor a chance to sell their children as a source of income. Swift wants the rich to see that the poor should be treated as humans and not as