A Modest Proposal Rhetorical Analysis

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Jonathan Smith’s essay entitled, “A Modest Proposal” is anything but modest. According to Smith, the most obvious and efficient way to resolve Ireland’s economic deprivation and the “present deplorable state of the kingdom,” is to allow the poor of Ireland sell their children to be consumed by the wealthy. On the surface, this outrageous proposal seems to go against all social laws and to lack any sense of morality. However, if one looks deeper within the article, Smith’s true intention becomes clear. The insanity of Smith’s article is intentional. In fact, the objective of Smith’s article is to shock us and to demonstrate the vain attempts that people will arrive at in an attempt to “fix” society.
Smith’s proposition centralizes around the
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A Modest Proposal Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Angel Younghanz Mr.Pitts AP Lang November 13 2016 “A Modest Proposal” Rhetorical Analysis A pamphlet was introduced in the late seventeenth century that mocked Ireland's backward ideology with satirical ideas that reflect the system's attitude towards the lower class citizens . Jonathan Swift the author of “Modest Proposal” addressed the upper class with realistic, but harsh ideas that consist of inhuman thoughts and intentions. He often refers to eating children and exporting their parts…

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not pay attention to them. As a way to take advantage of the overlooked pamphlets handed out, Jonathan Swift author of “A Modest Proposal” sets out to write an over exaggerating proposal to one big problem that was plaguing Ireland. The reason for him writing this proposal is to show the people of his country how bad it is in its economic wealth and social class. Swift’s proposal is to have the “children of professed beggars” (486), sold to the wealthy people of Ireland so that they would “contribute…

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While the argument and nearly all of the content in this excerpt from “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift is satirical, the first specific example of satire is in the title itself. Before reading the entirety of the excerpt, this is impossible to recognize. Once the content of this “modest proposal” is understood by the reader, it is clear that the title is meant to be highly ironic. The proposal- succinctly stated- is that in order to deal with the surplus of unfed infants in Ireland, they should…

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In "A Modest Proposal,” published in 1729, Jonathan Swift proposes a heinous solution to assist with Ireland's economic dilemmas, selling and eating financially-strained children, as he believes that by doing so, it will reduce monetary stress, solve religious disputes, and create stronger social bonds. In order to successfully convey his message, Swift utilizes sarcasm and situational irony while laying out the pros of his suggestion, through ideas such as all gentlemen with "any refinement in taste"…

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In the satirical piece Modest Proposal, Swift points out the problems in seventeen-hundred Ireland in an unconventional way. With all of the poverty and overpopulation in Ireland at the time, he suggests raising poor children as food or delicacies for the wealthy. Swift shocks the reader with this suggestion in order to express the problems of Ireland through satire which is created by formal diction, logical evidence, and irony. Throughout this piece, Swift speaks in a professional tone as if he…

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societies, and questioning one's beliefs. There are many different ways that people satirize popular culture, such as Steven Colbert, The Onion, and Ig Nobel Prize. Satire has also been used in the stories we have read this LP. In the short story “A Modest Proposal” Satire was used when the author said the solution to the issue is the children. He was saying that the children should be eaten. Since the children can’t provide or defend themselves, they will be good food for are the hungry people. Using satire…

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