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Assignment - 5.03 A Modest Proposal

The document provides 10 questions about Jonathan Swift's satirical essay "A Modest Proposal". The questions probe how Swift uses techniques like irony, exaggeration and logic to criticize British policies towards Ireland through his absurd proposal to sell Irish children as food. For example, question 3 discusses how Swift appeals to logic, emotion and satire to encourage action on poverty. Question 6 analyzes how techniques like humor, exaggeration and vivid imagery make the satire effective.

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Ayanna Thelusma
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512 views

Assignment - 5.03 A Modest Proposal

The document provides 10 questions about Jonathan Swift's satirical essay "A Modest Proposal". The questions probe how Swift uses techniques like irony, exaggeration and logic to criticize British policies towards Ireland through his absurd proposal to sell Irish children as food. For example, question 3 discusses how Swift appeals to logic, emotion and satire to encourage action on poverty. Question 6 analyzes how techniques like humor, exaggeration and vivid imagery make the satire effective.

Uploaded by

Ayanna Thelusma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Your Assignment

After reading Swift’s essay, please answer the following questions:

1. Swift wrote "A Modest Proposal" under a pseudonym, so who is the speaker here?

The speaker in "A Modest Proposal" is not Swift himself, but rather a persona he created to deliver the satirical
proposal. The pseudonym used by Swift was "M.B. Drapier."

2. Discuss the tone of the piece. Pull examples from the text to support your discussion.

In "A Modest Proposal," Swift uses humor and exaggeration to demonstrate the absurdity of his idea. He proposes
selling children as food to end poverty in Ireland, which is clearly a disturbing notion. This creates a satirical tone
for the essay, and Swift's use of straightforward language and understatement also makes it ironic.

3. As you know, effective argumentation appeals to logic (logos), ethics (ethos), and emotions (pathos).
Please discuss how Swift uses all three appeals and how these tools impact his purpose.

In "A Modest Proposal," Swift uses logic, emotion, and satire to criticize British policies and encourage the Irish
people to take action against poverty. He argues that selling children as food is a practical solution to poverty in
Ireland. Swift establishes his credibility and appeals to the reader's emotions by vividly describing the plight of the
poor. By using satire to highlight the absurdity of his proposal, Swift makes a serious point in a memorable way.

4. Explain the irony in Swift's title, "A Modest Proposal."

In "A Modest Proposal," Swift's title is ironic because his proposal is not actually modest. He suggests selling
children as food to end poverty in Ireland. The title suggests a moderate solution, but the proposal is highly
satirical and exaggerated.

5. Where does this essay fit on the continuum (Horatian to Juvenalian)? Explain and support your position.

"A Modest Proposal" is closer to Juvenalian satire, which is darker and more biting compared to the lighthearted
and gentle Horatian satire. Swift's essay is a sharp social commentary that shows how absurd the British
government's policies towards Ireland were. Although Swift's proposal is not meant to be taken seriously, it aims to
shock readers into realizing the seriousness of the situation. This is a typical example of Juvenalian satire, which
uses harsh and often dark humor to expose and criticize societal issues.

6. Why is "A Modest Proposal" an effective satire? What techniques does Swift use effectively? Support
your answers with examples from the text.

In "A Modest Proposal," Swift uses humor, exaggeration, and irony to demonstrate the absurdity of the British
government's policies toward Ireland. He proposes selling children as food, which is obviously not a real solution to
poverty. However, by presenting it as a reasonable idea and supporting it with logical arguments, Swift compels
people to take notice of the dire situation in Ireland and the lack of action taken by the British government.
Additionally, he employs vivid and shocking imagery to elicit sympathy for the impoverished in Ireland. The use of
simple language and understatement in the essay creates an ironic tone, which further emphasizes the
ridiculousness of the situation.

7. Swift enumerates six reasons why his proposal will work. Discuss how these paragraphs impact his
purpose.

Swift gives six reasons why his proposal will work to add realism and logic to his extreme proposal. By using these
arguments to support his proposal, Swift draws attention to the British government's inaction and criticizes its
policies towards Ireland. Furthermore, by presenting the proposal as a serious solution to poverty, Swift
emphasizes the severity of the situation in Ireland and shocks readers into recognizing the need for change.

8. Toward the end of the essay, locate the paragraph that begins "I can think of no one objection that will
possibly be raised..." How is this paragraph different from the rest of Swift's essay?

In the paragraph that starts with "I can think of no one objection that will possibly be raised...", Swift changes his
tone compared to the rest of his essay. Instead of using humor and exaggeration, he answers possible criticisms
of his proposal in a serious and thoughtful way. This serious tone highlights how realistic his idea is and shows
how ridiculous the situation in Ireland truly is.

9. Re-read the final paragraph. How does this paragraph contribute to Swift’s purpose?

In the end, Swift says he doesn't have a personal interest in the proposal and it won't affect his children. This
makes his argument stronger by showing that the proposal is not meant to be taken seriously. Instead, it's a
humorous way of criticizing how the British government treats Ireland. Swift uses irony and exaggeration
throughout the essay to show that the proposal isn't a real solution to poverty. This last paragraph makes it even
clearer that the proposal is ridiculous and reinforces the main point of the essay.

10. When "A Modest Proposal" was originally published, some readers were outraged by Swift’s proposal. At
what point is it clear to you that "A Modest Proposal" is a satire?

The essay "A Modest Proposal" is a satire, as indicated from the start. Swift employs exaggeration and absurdity to
propose that children be sold as food to address poverty in Ireland. However, this is not a serious proposal.
Furthermore, he uses understatement and matter-of-fact language to add to the ironic tone of the essay, which
emphasizes the absurdity of his suggestion.

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