A Modest Proposal: Two Major Techniques

Proposal, Pages 2 (485 words)

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Johnathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” exploits two major techniques that clearly make it a satire. One technique used constantly was exaggeration by stating that the only way to prevent poverty is by eating the children of the poor people. The other one is connotative language used to grab the reader’s eyes on the burden that the poor children bring upon their poor parents. The bigger picture of this paragraph is to explain how Swift exaggerated the social and political issue of poverty and the connotative language that is expressed in the pamphlet used to address the issues.

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The questions asked many times throughout this is how could this be prevented? The Modest Proposal gives the views of Swift’s way to end poverty numeral times. He exaggerates the point by saying “the roads and cabin doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, maybe six children all in rags, importuning every passenger for alms.” This tells us that there are many women who cannot afford to provide for their children who need help because they’re constantly begging on the street with their children.

The main topic is supported due to Swift’s constant exaggeration of the number of children the poor women have so the society can feel like they need to make a difference. In addition to many children people must realize a mother must care for her babies and in order to do that she will have them on the street begging.

Swift also exaggerates the matter of why eating babies would benefit. One quote that really caught my attention was when he said, “Those who are thriftier may flea the carcass; the skin of which, artificially dressed, will make admirable gloves for ladies, and summer boots for fine gentleman.”

The meaning behind this is that babies will maintain benefits like providing clothes as well as ending poverty. By presenting this ignorant way to fix the issues, Swift encourages the society to find ways to end poverty that doesn’t involves killing and eating children. Although he used the thought of using children for resources, he also included using them for food as well saying “I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for the landlords, who as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children.”

One of the thing’s keeping the Irish so poor was the bond between the land ownership. He satirically used a real-life situation by asking, “You already eat most of their labor so why not eat their children too?”. His conclusion is that the execution of this project will do more to solve Ireland's difficult social, political, and economic problems than any other measure that has been proposed.