Is More About Too Many Children Being Born Into Poverty Jonathan Swift

The Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift is about deprived people in Ireland in the seventeenth hundred years. Swifts purpose for his argument was to promote knowledge of poverty. Swift said that the poor Irish should kill their children and they should eat them to liquidate Irelands number of covetous citizens. In this time frame Ireland was in extreme poverty there was a wide gap between poor and rich. All throughout the essay swift tries to persuade his audience by trying to propose a sever and immoral solutions, so he can persuade others to come up with a realistic solution. Swift wants to make sure everyone knows how low class so Ireland can come up with a social and moral reform for Ireland. The Catholic population had most of the destitute

Swift wants the reader to describe the persona he adopts as one with a deep understanding of the deplorable circumstances in Ireland, so that he is deemed reasonable in his proposed solution for the state of the kingdom. He successfully achieves this by incorporating thorough descriptions of his plan, such as in the explanation having 20,000 poor children reserved for breeding and the remaining 100,000 used as sustenance for the rest of the populace. Swift also forms a solid argument by appealing to pathos in addressing heartbreaking topics such as, “the mothers who, instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in strolling to beg sustenance for their helpless infants,” which promotes sympathy in the readers, thereby influencing them to agree with his proposal to counteract such unfortunate circumstances.

“A young healthy child well nursed is… a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food….” Swift begins his proposal by suggesting the children should be given another use, or rather; have them help the rest of their country by contributing during these difficult times. However, later on in his proposal, it is evident he does not want to offer a way for children to help, but

In analyzing the texts, the reader can tell right away that both authors take very different approaches to their topic. Swift creates this elaborate plan to end poverty in Ireland by selling children to the upper class for food. It is an extremely satirical essay using irony and logic to try and sway the reader towards his absurd idea, but even goes as far to say that it is not against the hierarchy to do something so extreme, “And besides, it is not improbable that some scrupulous people might be apt to censure such a practice, (although indeed very un-justly) as a little bordering upon cruelty…” (Swift 149). He used various examples of logic and statistics stating how he has already analyzed the different factors to make his idea logical, “I have already

Swift begins his essay by describing walking down a street in Ireland. He describes how you would see, “beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms” (Swift, Para. 1). This gives the reader a mental

As the essay continues into its last paragraphs, the author states: “I desire those politicians who dislike my overture… that they will first ask the parents of these mortals whether they would not… have been sold for food at a year old… and have avoided such perpetual scene of misfortunes…” (2597). This statement is ironic in its suggestion that Irish citizens would have rather been a luxury entrée, than grow up to become “beggars” in order to provide for their families. The utilization of irony in this statement portrays Swift’s satirical bitterness within his proposal, but it also serves as a reminder that things were in dire need of help; help that England was neglecting to

In addition to the use of Irony,Swift also uses appeal to emotions in his essay to make the people reading his context to be ashamed of themselves.In the very beginning of the essay,Swift states how "it is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town,when they see the streets,the roads and cabin doors crowded with beggars of the female sex,followed by three,four,or six children " (Swift 1-3).The author talks about the many beggars and undernourished citizens who are "forced to employ all their time in strolling to beg sustenance for their helpless infants" (Swift 5-6) which immediately makes the readers lament the fates of these poor mothers and children.By stating the terrible sight that one would see in the streets of Ireland,the author is able to make the reader feel the terror,which would evoke a sympathy in reader's mind.In addition, the author makes use of harsh and bitter words to address the citizen such as "bastard children"(Swift 31).Swift also states that "a young healthy child well nursed makes a delicious,nourishing ,and wholesome food whether stewed,roasted,baked or boiled." (Swift 62-63),which he considers to be "somewhat dear,and therefore very popular for landlords,who,have already devoured most of the parents"(Swift 79-80).The author is cleverly using these horrific words and imagery to make the people,especially the rich citizens of Ireland,who in any manner have not shown any sign of humanity towards the poor,to feel

He suggests that impoverished Irish families should sell their children as food to wealthy landlords and English gentlemen. Swift writes, "I have been assured by a very knowing American... that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food" (Swift, 1729). This outrageous proposal serves as a scathing indictment of the callousness and indifference of the ruling class toward the plight of the poor. Third Paragraph - In "A Modest Proposal," Swift employs satire and irony to drive home his message.

Swift suggests that Irish women should sell their children as food and other necessities to the rich populace in order to benefit the economy and fight the problem of overpopulation. To specify, Swift proposes if the children are sold, there would be many more utilizations of the children instead of having to survive on the streets scraping for money. He uses this ridiculous example in hope that it will benefit the rich population as well as solve the predicament of overpopulation. As he states, “Those who are more thrifty (as I must confess the times require) may flay the carcass;

Beginning with an examination of the subtitle, the stance of the narrator and his views of the poor are evident immediately. “…For 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." (Swift Para.1). This example is a distinct instance of irony; in which Swift uses such long, elaborate sentence to summarize his main proposition. By referring to

Swift’s plan is an ironic attempt to "find out a fair, cheap, and easy Method"(503), for converting the starving children of Ireland into "sound and useful members of the Commonwealth” (503). His “solution” is to sell a child, after he or she reaches one year of age. “Instead of being a charge upon their parents, or the parish, or wanting food and raiment for the rest of their lives, they shall, on the contrary, contribute to the feeding and partly to the clothing of many thousands”(503). From Swift’s perspective using the children, as food is the most efficient and cheap way to make the children a contribution rather than a burden.

Born short after the English Civil War, Swift noticed the instability of the Irish government and decided to provide criticism to show that the Irish society cares more about the society as a whole more than an individual. Swift provided a solution to the Irish society in hopes to fix their current crisis. Swift presents the idea “that a young healthy child, well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled.” (Swift 485) Swift implies to society, that all of society should eat their babies as a solution to the current crisis in Ireland. Swift’s ideas completely criticizes the beliefs of his time period, which results in the arguments and conflicts toward his writing.

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.

In his biting political satire called ?A Modest Proposal,? Jonathan Swift seeks to create empathy for the poor through his ironic portrayal of the children of Irish beggars as commodities that can be regulated and even eaten. He is able to poke fun at the dehumanization of the multitudes of poor people in Ireland by ironically commenting on what he sees as an extension of the current situation. Swift?s essay seeks to comment on the terrible condition of starvation that a huge portion of Ireland has been forced into, and the inane rationalizations that the rich are quick to submit in order to justify the economic inequality. He is able to highlight the absurdity of these attempted

Swift immediately sets the groundwork for his essay with an exemplary use of pathos to set the scene of Ireland during this time. He talks of how the streets are crowded with beggars, especially “beggars of the female-sex, followed by three, four, or six children..” (Paragraph 1) as well as how the children, “as they grow up, either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country..”(Paragraph 1) He weaves his essay’s empathic credibility into the scenes of poverty, anguish, misery, begging, and general dismal scene that Ireland proved to be at that time. He uses the kairos of the situation in Ireland to establish his pathos, and then uses the pathos of his essay to establish his ethos when he states he has a solution. He truly masterfully understands the situation, and while to be truly effective it counts on the reader understanding the situation properly, even just how he sets the scene can be enough