Can We Decrease Homlessness

Dr. Jonathan Swift’s purpose while writing “A Modest Proposal,” was to shock and to inform the public about his idea to sell children of poor families to be eaten. In the book, Satire: A Critical Reintroduction, Dustin Griffin

Cannibalism was very familiar in 1729. More than a few in the world practiced it, even to their own children. Times now cannibalism isn't even in consideration. We call that murder. From then to now we have several different ways of a living style. People were not only desperate but very sickly back then. Love didn't matter then. Loving your children wasn't a decision. Cannibalism was a way to fight poverty in that time. Jonathan’s thoughts were to market the babies to stay economically independent. The “A modest proposal” is stated to be a coldhearted and gloomy proposal. The statement "I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children" was stated by Jonathan, insinuating that the poverty-stricken families of Ireland are slaves to their landlords. With the way Jonathan mentioned his cannibalism thesis, different people can and will

The idea of A Modest Proposal is there are many families that are too poor to afford enough food for their families so Jonathan Swift comes up with an idea to improve the country’s growing population and decreasing food supply; his proposal was they should start using the newborn children for food to feed the nation. Instead of the country working towards producing more food they will turn into cannibals. He came up with his idea in order to save his own life from the future famine. Swift sees nothing wrong with his idea of eating babies because he has no relation to any of the babies that would be turned into

(Swift, par. 33) Of course, Swift was not serious in his proposal, but he was serious about helping improve the situations of the poor in his country. By directly addressing the situation, Swift addressed the issue of homelessness in a manner that was both bold and effective. It was bold in that it was a very controversial way of dealing with the problem. No rational human being would propose cannibalism as a solution to homelessness, but it s use is effective as a voice that stands out and causes people to think about what he is dealing with. By suggesting cannibalism, Swift draws on one of the most wide spread taboos in the world to repulse his audience into realizing that homelessness was a serious problem. Swift was tired of hearing ideas proposed to deals with the poor, in his opinion there was too much talk and not enough action: But as to myself, having been wearied out for many years of offering vain, idle, visionary thoughts, and at length utterly despairing of success, I fortunately fell upon this proposal, which, as it is wholly new, so it hath something solid and real, of no expense and little trouble (Swift,par.31) By stirring up such strong reactions to it, Swift cause people to really think about the problem of homelessness and ways to help deal with the problem. In the novel Naked Lunch, written by

When one thinks of the phrase “A Modest Proposal,” does one come to think of fattening babies so they can sell as meat. In Jonathan Swift’s essay “A Modest Proposal,” Swift uses satirical writing to communicate with the reader to expose the critical situation of the poor people of Ireland. Whom besides going through a tough period of famine have to endure the overwhelming taxation rates of the English empire. The author’s proposal intends to convince the public of the incompetence of Ireland’s politicians, the lack empathy of the wealthy, the English oppression, and the inability of the Irish to mobilize themselves against this situation. Johnathan proposed an outrageous solution that the Irish folks eat their children at the age of one or sell them in the market as meet. Finally, he manifests to be open to other suggestions to help overcome the country’s crisis. The proposal was made strategically using several different parts: the text, author, audience, purpose, and setting to persuade the tax to go lower.

Although I realize your concern, you have missed the point of this well thought out essay completely. Despite what you may think about A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift, this essay is a satire master piece filled with irony. Swift’s essay was not intended to convince people to eat babies, but to call attention to the abuses Catholic’s face from their well-to-do Protestants. He only uses eating babies in his essay to explain to the reader the impossible burdens the Protestants are imposing on the Irish Catholics and by making their life hard, they are making a life of a new born impossible.

Indeed the proposal to eat the poor is a shocking statement, but what adds to the shock value is the delivery. For example, take the last statement regarding a fricassee. This statement is not necessary for the point, but it certainly adds to the appalling nature of the quote. The sarcastic nature puts Swift so far above the poor subjects that it evokes an extremely humorous response. Swift digresses and uses sarcasm numerous times in the essay, to emphasize truisms in a manner that tries to be less than direct, but has the ultimate effect of clarity. For example Swift proposes that some one of the uses for the children would be to

I am writing in response to your request of the elimination of Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” from the classrooms, libraries, and the school system as a whole. Let me begin by telling you that I took what you said into deep consideration, but after discussing with the work with some of the English teachers at Martin’s Groves Junior High School and conducting research on my own time, it’s become clear that Swift’s purpose of writing is not to encourage people to eat children, because it is satirical writing. I can reassure you that if Swift was really promoting cannibalism, I would remove it immediately from the curriculum. It is

In A Modest Proposal, it talks about bringing awareness to the starved people in Ireland. This passage by Jonathan Swift contains satire to help bring awareness to the problem by “eating babies”.

In A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift challenges the Neo-classical period by creating a sense of instability in their way of thinking. He attacks the society by carelessly endorsing cannibalism in hopes to help Ireland through their economic crisis. He demonstrates this by humbly proposing and assuring "that a young healthy child, well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food."

Swift shows his despair from the rejection he has experienced from every caregiver or leader in his own life, just as the poor have been rejected by society, forcing them to resort to begging. He feels that something drastic will have to happen in order for things to change, otherwise the misery of being devoured by society will be upon the poor “breed for ever,” as well as himself (Swift). Perhaps this drastic change that would have to occur is already too late for Swift. Perhaps his unresolved childhood complexes are too far past that they can never be resolved, but he is still trying to resolve them through his proposal that is trying to resolve society’s large problem of poverty.

Jonathan Swift, in his essay “A Modest Proposal”, effectively utilizes an extended metaphor in order to convey his message that we must take action against widespread poverty. The satirical point employed suggests that poor children be eaten in order to decrease the surplus population, and is efficacious due to the fact that in such a terrible state of affairs, cannibalism can be logically defended as a viable solution. Swift’s essay, written in 1729, clearly precedes the existing social programs in effect throughout much of the first world. However, the ominous reality is that Swift’s essay can just as effectively be used as a comparison, albeit a figurative one, to modern day society, if our current welfare spending continues.

Swift’s development of the absurd proposal for eating young children so that “the poorer tenants will have something valuable” or that there “would be constant customers for infants flesh” is enhanced by numerous examples of biting irony. Such irony exists even in the title: “A Modest Proposal.” Upon reading the text, the audience can agree that Swift’s proposal is far from modest and such irony servers to enrage and puzzle the readers to the point that they question why he would be using such shifting, ironic diction. Swift’s use of absurd logic to his proposal supplements the effectiveness of verbal irony, since no one would believe that children should be eaten to improve “in the art of making good bacon”. The aforementioned examples illustrate Swift’s craftiness and the use irony to almost mock the audience. In true Juveliean fashion, such techniques are designed to arouse the reader to anger and suspicion of what is trying to be said. A satire based on the Horatian type wouldn’t use such blatantly offensive irony. Rather, the tone of voice would be “gentler, more good humored and sympathetic” (“Horatian Satire”).

Jonathan Swift wrote “A Modest Proposal”, which was the best known as an effective satire in the English language. In his essay, Swift discusses the Irish population for spending all their time trying to feed their vast families. He is proposing them to fatten up their children, so they can sell them to rich English landowners as a food. Swift talks about killing and eating children so generously and without any guilt. He also accuses women for keeping having children, and that they were unable to take care of them; therefore Swift says that it is a major reason why these kids were useless. On the other hand, he also blames politicians for having poor living conditions in Ireland. In this article irony is his effective weapon, and he also efficiently uses sarcasm and rhetorical exaggeration to express his irritation to overall people of Ireland and England, which makes this reading notable.

My first acknowledgment to Swift 's view on cannibalism was through “A Modest Proposal” in The Norton Anthology of English Literature. When I initially read “A Modest Proposal”, I had only viewed the article as how it was literally: A man proposing to make Ireland a better country by feeding off the children of the poor, specifically the poor Irish. After some time, I carefully analyzed the document and noticed a hidden motive implying a change for Ireland and its wellbeing. One piece of information that caught my attention was how Swift introduced “A Modest Proposal” before actually giving his proposal; Swift describes the poverty and way of life within Ireland as