Jordan Aronson
1/27/19
AP Lang
5.03
1. Swift wrote "A Modest Proposal" under a pseudonym, so who is the speaker here?
The speaker of “A Modest Proposal” is a protestant as well as being an upper-class Irish man.
2. Discuss the tone of the piece. Pull examples from the text to support your discussion.
The tone in this piece of literature is distrustful as Swift feels a sense of disgust for the people who want
to beg rather than care for themselves. These Irish men would do anything expect do what’s necessary
for themselves. Swift talks about this where he states, “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…” Swift feels extremely disgusted that this is there mind set towards life and their
children.
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.
Swift utilizes pathos by stating and calling attention to the issue and questions why it is the general
society's obligation to deal with the poor families when they began a family they couldn't care for. Swift
utilizes ethos and pathos by using a dull tone alongside strict judgment. The word usage Swift uses helps
his belief and him portraying the Irish citizen’s conditions. He needs things to change yet needs change
from everyone. The manners in which he worded the phrases and fuses his style about Irish individuals
effects the audience and triggers feelings.
4. Explain the irony in Swift's title, "A Modest Proposal."
The irony is Swift’s title, “A Modest Proposal” is actually very ironic because his text is not modest at all.
Swift aims in “finding out a fair, cheap, and easy method” for helping the hungry, homeless kids living in
Ireland. Swift proposal is the opposite of modest, as he’s proposing to feed these kids so they get fat, and
then sell them to rich owners in Ireland to eat. Swift claims this would aid in overpopulation in the world.
These children would be sold in meat markets and eaten at very young ages, by rich property-owners in
Ireland.
5. Where does this essay fit on the continuum (Horatian to Juvenalian)? Explain and support your
position.
A writer that is a Juvenalian is bound to see the point of the satire as intending to be mischievous to
society, and to assault them with the goal of hurting their character and trying to bring them down. Swift
does precisely this throughout his proposal to his audience. He doesn't just scrutinize the Irish for doing
nothing to help themselves, however he additionally reveals insight on the false information towards the
English wealth and government.
6. Why is "A Modest Proposal" an effective satire? What techniques does Swift use effectively?
Support your answers with examples from the text.
Swift utilizes satire along with irony to express what is on his mind. His proposition and his depictions are
very strange, and his focal thought goes hand and hand with him discussing cannibalism. He gives
This study source was downloaded by 100000858936669 from CourseHero.com on 01-19-2023 01:10:09 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/46620109/0503-A-Modest-Proposaldocx/
1/27/19
AP Lang
5.03
1. Swift wrote "A Modest Proposal" under a pseudonym, so who is the speaker here?
The speaker of “A Modest Proposal” is a protestant as well as being an upper-class Irish man.
2. Discuss the tone of the piece. Pull examples from the text to support your discussion.
The tone in this piece of literature is distrustful as Swift feels a sense of disgust for the people who want
to beg rather than care for themselves. These Irish men would do anything expect do what’s necessary
for themselves. Swift talks about this where he states, “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…” Swift feels extremely disgusted that this is there mind set towards life and their
children.
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.
Swift utilizes pathos by stating and calling attention to the issue and questions why it is the general
society's obligation to deal with the poor families when they began a family they couldn't care for. Swift
utilizes ethos and pathos by using a dull tone alongside strict judgment. The word usage Swift uses helps
his belief and him portraying the Irish citizen’s conditions. He needs things to change yet needs change
from everyone. The manners in which he worded the phrases and fuses his style about Irish individuals
effects the audience and triggers feelings.
4. Explain the irony in Swift's title, "A Modest Proposal."
The irony is Swift’s title, “A Modest Proposal” is actually very ironic because his text is not modest at all.
Swift aims in “finding out a fair, cheap, and easy method” for helping the hungry, homeless kids living in
Ireland. Swift proposal is the opposite of modest, as he’s proposing to feed these kids so they get fat, and
then sell them to rich owners in Ireland to eat. Swift claims this would aid in overpopulation in the world.
These children would be sold in meat markets and eaten at very young ages, by rich property-owners in
Ireland.
5. Where does this essay fit on the continuum (Horatian to Juvenalian)? Explain and support your
position.
A writer that is a Juvenalian is bound to see the point of the satire as intending to be mischievous to
society, and to assault them with the goal of hurting their character and trying to bring them down. Swift
does precisely this throughout his proposal to his audience. He doesn't just scrutinize the Irish for doing
nothing to help themselves, however he additionally reveals insight on the false information towards the
English wealth and government.
6. Why is "A Modest Proposal" an effective satire? What techniques does Swift use effectively?
Support your answers with examples from the text.
Swift utilizes satire along with irony to express what is on his mind. His proposition and his depictions are
very strange, and his focal thought goes hand and hand with him discussing cannibalism. He gives
This study source was downloaded by 100000858936669 from CourseHero.com on 01-19-2023 01:10:09 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/46620109/0503-A-Modest-Proposaldocx/
