1 Swift wrote "A Modest Proposal" under a pseudonym, so who is the speaker here?
In my opinion, I feel as though the speaker is a Protestant, who is a member of the
Irish upper class.
2 Discuss the tone of the piece. Pull examples from the text to support your discussion.
The tone here can be described as condescending. In one example, Swift talks
about the women and children. He says, “These mothers 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, who, as they grow up either turn thieves
for want of work, or leave their dear native country to fight for the Pretender in
Spain.
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.
I feel as though Swift appeals to logic by stating the issue and asking why it is the
public’s responsibility to care for the families dealing with poverty when it was
the same families who knew they couldn’t afford children already. It appeals
because it makes you think, and it uses a blunt tone about it. Also with ethics and
emotions it appeals by the diction that he uses to describe the Irish community
condition. He wants change for them. Also it takes a toll on your emotions but it
also makes you think of your morals.
4 Explain the irony in Swift’s title, "A Modest Proposal."
I feel like it is ironic because the proposal was far from modest. It was an attempt
to create a cheaper and easier method for converting the starving children of
Ireland into useful members of their Commonwealth.
5 Where does this essay fit on the continuum (Horatian to Juvenalian)? Explain/support
your position.
This essay fits on the continuum of Juvenalian, because it’s more likely to target
those of his satire as evil or harmful to society. This is exactly what Swift does
throughout his proposal. He not only condemns the Irish for doing nothing with
themselves.
6 Why is "A Modest Proposal" an effective satire? What techniques does Swift use
effectively? Support your answers with examples from the text.
He uses irony and satire to get his points across. Satire is used by making their
society notice the problems. Irony is used by him saying it is “A Modest
Proposal” when it really wasn’t.
7 Swift enumerates six reasons his proposal will work. Discuss how these paragraphs
impact his purpose.
To me, Swift provides valid support for every reason he presents in favor of his
proposal. Logically, everything he says makes sense. And this effect has a huge
impact on the paragraphs because the idea becomes less of a thorough one and
This study source was downloaded by 100000858936669 from CourseHero.com on 01-18-2023 11:18:45 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/20943216/Swift/
In my opinion, I feel as though the speaker is a Protestant, who is a member of the
Irish upper class.
2 Discuss the tone of the piece. Pull examples from the text to support your discussion.
The tone here can be described as condescending. In one example, Swift talks
about the women and children. He says, “These mothers 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, who, as they grow up either turn thieves
for want of work, or leave their dear native country to fight for the Pretender in
Spain.
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.
I feel as though Swift appeals to logic by stating the issue and asking why it is the
public’s responsibility to care for the families dealing with poverty when it was
the same families who knew they couldn’t afford children already. It appeals
because it makes you think, and it uses a blunt tone about it. Also with ethics and
emotions it appeals by the diction that he uses to describe the Irish community
condition. He wants change for them. Also it takes a toll on your emotions but it
also makes you think of your morals.
4 Explain the irony in Swift’s title, "A Modest Proposal."
I feel like it is ironic because the proposal was far from modest. It was an attempt
to create a cheaper and easier method for converting the starving children of
Ireland into useful members of their Commonwealth.
5 Where does this essay fit on the continuum (Horatian to Juvenalian)? Explain/support
your position.
This essay fits on the continuum of Juvenalian, because it’s more likely to target
those of his satire as evil or harmful to society. This is exactly what Swift does
throughout his proposal. He not only condemns the Irish for doing nothing with
themselves.
6 Why is "A Modest Proposal" an effective satire? What techniques does Swift use
effectively? Support your answers with examples from the text.
He uses irony and satire to get his points across. Satire is used by making their
society notice the problems. Irony is used by him saying it is “A Modest
Proposal” when it really wasn’t.
7 Swift enumerates six reasons his proposal will work. Discuss how these paragraphs
impact his purpose.
To me, Swift provides valid support for every reason he presents in favor of his
proposal. Logically, everything he says makes sense. And this effect has a huge
impact on the paragraphs because the idea becomes less of a thorough one and
This study source was downloaded by 100000858936669 from CourseHero.com on 01-18-2023 11:18:45 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/20943216/Swift/
