A Modest Proposal Rhetorical Analysis

Jonathan Swift's, "A Modest Proposal 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,” was a glaring look at the social injustice plaguing Ireland during the 1700’s. He brought the attention to the issue of starvation by making a ludicrous proposal that the wealthy consume children of the poor and that this will contribute to the feeding and partial clothing needs of the wealthy. This suggests that not only are the poor a burden, but also for the purpose of serving the wealthy. While Swift's proposal seems incredulous and illogical, it does appear to be credible as the situation was dour at this time and one of the most overlooked. The satirical language of the proposal was obvious but held undertones of condemnation for the state of Ireland's poor and the privilege of the wealthy. Putting satire aside, Swift's proposal continues to evoke emotional responses from his readers while at the same time being somewhat manipulative in …show more content…
Swift uses an unsupported claim that Americans eat children as further evidence that to do so would benefit Ireland and alleviate issues of starvation. By using this type of language and satire, Swift targeted those in the position to make change to begin looking at the issue. He brought the plight of those starving into the consciousness of the people of Ireland. To further emphasize this issue, Swift classified poor women as breeders. The tone of this classification undoubtedly captured the audience's sense of morals and put a human face to the issue at hand, albeit through the use of satire and manipulative statements in regards to poor women and their