Is it worth eating children? Even if it that means it could save the country, especially in a time of oppression? According to A Modest Proposal, by Johnathan Swift, the narrator believes this to be true. Through fair-mindedness, credibility, and extended definition, the narrator successfully shows ethos, logos, and pathos throughout his writing in why he is reliable for giving his statement about what to do with children. The subject of this story is what to do with the amount of children and the burden they have on their parents. The speaker of this story is a narrator that Swift created. The reason Swift wrote this letter was because the English was oppressing Ireland, and he wrote this for the British Landlords who will take him seriously.
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His friend “was pleased in discoursing on this matter to off a refinement” (Swift Par 17) of his scheme. Swift is open minded to hearing the thoughts of “a very worthy person, a true lover of his country” (Swift Par 17) whose virtues he highly esteems. The refinement to his scheme was that “the want of venison might be well supplied by the bodies of young lads and maidens, not exceeding fourteen years of age nor under twelve.” (Swift Par 17) The reason why the age group of 12 to 14 year olds should be used is because it would motivate the children to find work. Children would do anything to find themselves work so they don’t become food themselves. This would end up solving the problem of children being a burden on their family. However Swift responds with, “but with due deference to so excellent a friend and so deserving a patriot, I cannot be altogether in his sentiments” (Swift Par 17). Being fair-mindedness doesn’t mean a person has to agree with the other person’s perspectives. The narrator, listens openly, and instead of just disagreeing with his friend, he lists several reason for why he can not “be altogether in his sentiments” (Swift Par 17). The narrator’s rebuttal is reliable because he was assured by an American acquaintance from frequent experiences that the flesh of males was “generally tough and lean” and “their taste disagreeable” (Swift Par 17). Even …show more content…
The narrator states his credibility about the flesh of boys through his assurance by his American acquaintance “that from frequent experience that their flesh was generally tough and lean” and “and their taste disagreeable” (Swift Par 17). The information the narrator uses comes from experience. Experience is the best type of credibility because the person has actually been through the experience and can provide their own evidence. The narrator reports that, “of the 120,000 children already computed, 20,00 may be reserved for breed, whereof only one-fourth part to be males” (Swift Par 10). Swift establishes his credibility by backing up his ideas with numbers. By the narrator having the statistics and showing that it is proven to work, he becomes reliable. He is not just making up random numbers but spent the time to actually think and work it all through. This gives the reader trust in the narrator that he knows what he is talking about. Another statistic that the narrator provides the reader is the “computed the charge of nursing a beggar’s child to be about 2s per annum” (Swift Par 14). During this time frame, statistics had just become a big source of evidence. With the narrator having two different statistics, the reader gains more respect for him because of his credibility shown throughout the entire
His friend “was pleased in discoursing on this matter to off a refinement” (Swift Par 17) of his scheme. Swift is open minded to hearing the thoughts of “a very worthy person, a true lover of his country” (Swift Par 17) whose virtues he highly esteems. The refinement to his scheme was that “the want of venison might be well supplied by the bodies of young lads and maidens, not exceeding fourteen years of age nor under twelve.” (Swift Par 17) The reason why the age group of 12 to 14 year olds should be used is because it would motivate the children to find work. Children would do anything to find themselves work so they don’t become food themselves. This would end up solving the problem of children being a burden on their family. However Swift responds with, “but with due deference to so excellent a friend and so deserving a patriot, I cannot be altogether in his sentiments” (Swift Par 17). Being fair-mindedness doesn’t mean a person has to agree with the other person’s perspectives. The narrator, listens openly, and instead of just disagreeing with his friend, he lists several reason for why he can not “be altogether in his sentiments” (Swift Par 17). The narrator’s rebuttal is reliable because he was assured by an American acquaintance from frequent experiences that the flesh of males was “generally tough and lean” and “their taste disagreeable” (Swift Par 17). Even …show more content…
The narrator states his credibility about the flesh of boys through his assurance by his American acquaintance “that from frequent experience that their flesh was generally tough and lean” and “and their taste disagreeable” (Swift Par 17). The information the narrator uses comes from experience. Experience is the best type of credibility because the person has actually been through the experience and can provide their own evidence. The narrator reports that, “of the 120,000 children already computed, 20,00 may be reserved for breed, whereof only one-fourth part to be males” (Swift Par 10). Swift establishes his credibility by backing up his ideas with numbers. By the narrator having the statistics and showing that it is proven to work, he becomes reliable. He is not just making up random numbers but spent the time to actually think and work it all through. This gives the reader trust in the narrator that he knows what he is talking about. Another statistic that the narrator provides the reader is the “computed the charge of nursing a beggar’s child to be about 2s per annum” (Swift Par 14). During this time frame, statistics had just become a big source of evidence. With the narrator having two different statistics, the reader gains more respect for him because of his credibility shown throughout the entire