In his essay, “A Modest Proposal,” writer Jonathan Swift uses in the form of an extremely absurd advice issues the sound of his heart, his “advice” is full of irony skills which are camouflage and irony. First, in order to achieve the effect of camouflage, Swift does not direct give his “advice”, instead, he elaborately creates a convincing and authoritative “adviser” who looks like peaceable. However, this “adviser” have to catch the reader’s heart in their intangible consciousness, and lure them to expect a wise and effective solution to solve the problem of Ireland. Second, after his amazing words, he also wants to keep a serious attitude to let the “adviser” rendering the absurd theory. By raising public concern, he brings reasonable impression
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He imitates the tone of the ruling class and belittles the poor people to the livestock, then cooks them like an animal to be a delicious meal on the table. Therefore, we get “dropped from its dam”, “reserved for breed” which are livestock image, and others such as “the carcass”, “the fore or hind quarters”, “the skin of which, artificially dressed” which are killed animal image in our minds. From these analogy, the readers can feel intensively what Swift wants to say: the England and Ireland landowners treat poor people just like treat their cattle, the “adviser” directly points out these inhuman treatments. On the other hand, he says if his suggestion is adopted, “men would become as fond of their wives during the time of their pregnancy as they are now of their mares in foal, their cows in calf, their sows when they are ready to farrow” …show more content…
The use of evidence is effective, there are some typical examples: in the second paragraph, the “adviser” makes a mass of begging children to “a very great additional grievance”. In paragraph 17, using the body of young lads and maidens to supply the demand of venison which looks like ruthless, but he just says that is “a little bordering upon cruelty”. In paragraph 18, if the body of the plump young girl was sold as a prime dainty, “the kingdom would not be the worse”. The most rendering sentence appears at the beginning of paragraph 29, “I can think of no one objection that will possibly be raised against this proposal unless it should be urged that the number of people will be thereby much lessened in the kingdom”. The expression is slight, but trenchant. Meanwhile, Swift uses many ironies to increase the emotional offensive. For example, “A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends; and when the family dines alone, the fore and hind quarter will make a reasonable dish” (para.10), “will make admirable gloves for ladies, and summer boots for fine gentlemen” (para.15). When we realize that the naive “adviser” wants us to believe he is telling the truth, the frightening effect of irony is thrilling.
There is no doubt that “A Modest Proposal” expresses what Swift wants to talk about, the sympathy from
He imitates the tone of the ruling class and belittles the poor people to the livestock, then cooks them like an animal to be a delicious meal on the table. Therefore, we get “dropped from its dam”, “reserved for breed” which are livestock image, and others such as “the carcass”, “the fore or hind quarters”, “the skin of which, artificially dressed” which are killed animal image in our minds. From these analogy, the readers can feel intensively what Swift wants to say: the England and Ireland landowners treat poor people just like treat their cattle, the “adviser” directly points out these inhuman treatments. On the other hand, he says if his suggestion is adopted, “men would become as fond of their wives during the time of their pregnancy as they are now of their mares in foal, their cows in calf, their sows when they are ready to farrow” …show more content…
The use of evidence is effective, there are some typical examples: in the second paragraph, the “adviser” makes a mass of begging children to “a very great additional grievance”. In paragraph 17, using the body of young lads and maidens to supply the demand of venison which looks like ruthless, but he just says that is “a little bordering upon cruelty”. In paragraph 18, if the body of the plump young girl was sold as a prime dainty, “the kingdom would not be the worse”. The most rendering sentence appears at the beginning of paragraph 29, “I can think of no one objection that will possibly be raised against this proposal unless it should be urged that the number of people will be thereby much lessened in the kingdom”. The expression is slight, but trenchant. Meanwhile, Swift uses many ironies to increase the emotional offensive. For example, “A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends; and when the family dines alone, the fore and hind quarter will make a reasonable dish” (para.10), “will make admirable gloves for ladies, and summer boots for fine gentlemen” (para.15). When we realize that the naive “adviser” wants us to believe he is telling the truth, the frightening effect of irony is thrilling.
There is no doubt that “A Modest Proposal” expresses what Swift wants to talk about, the sympathy from