Category: A Modest Proposal

In his satirical essay A Modest Proposal, Swift intends to showcase the absurdity of the economic state at the time, and the suffering already resulted from the income gap. At the same time, this essay can be interpreted as a metaphorical argument for veganism. However, with most of the population not adhering to vegan standards, it begs the question of which meat is worse to consume. Swifts suggestion highlights the obvious issue of choosing who is to be eaten. Since all people possess an equal right to life, cannibalism should not be a better option. Currently, humans and other animals enjoy different rights  and human rights supersede others. However, this hinges on assuming that a human is inherently superior to other species. Placing humankind atop the species ladder seems unjust since it is remarkably anthropocentric. I believe that in a situation of a critical need, like being trapped in a snowed-in cave, cannibalism may be the only option for survival and, therefore, justified. In other situations, where a need is not as acute, I believe that killing animals is hardly better than cannibalism.

A second, more technical argument is that cannibalism is so intuitively horrifying because it goes against the innate, hard-wired evolutionary strive to survive and reproduce. The entire course of natural selection shapes the species for prioritizing those of the same kind over others  the populational interest is at stake. A concept like cannibalism, which would naturally undermine the populations survival and the human species, decreases future chances. Hence, from an evolutionary point of view, eating other species is much better than eating ones own species.

Lastly, there is a question of conscience and the ability to feel and comprehend pain. The argument is that since humans are highly intellectually developed beings, they are entitled to various rights that exempt them from suffering. However, other animal species can feel and comprehend pain, too, to various extents. Perhaps, one can arrange a priority consumption ladder, where jellyfish are much better for consumption than apes, and so on. In this framework, cannibalism is worse than consuming other animals meat, but the difference varies. Overall, the questions of need, evolutionary advantage, and intellectual superiority create a mixed picture. My ultimate conclusion is that cannibalism is worse than eating other animals, but how drastic the gap is varies depending on the circumstances.

Work Cited

Swift, Jonathan. A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burden to Their Parents or the Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Country. The United Kingdom, for Weaver Bickerton, 1730.

Since one of the core features of any human activity is standardly purposefulness and meaningfulness, it appears reasonable to seek purpose and meaning in particular in works of literature. For centuries on end, works of fiction have been created by writers either to reflect the existing reality or to create a new, more desired one. Reflection of reality in literature can be instigated by such motives as a wish to praise and glorify the perfection of what is perceived on the one hand, or to point out the negative phenomena in order to stimulate its improvement on the other hand. In certain times the latter criticism of reality could be given a hostile reception by censure of the governing circles; thus it had to be disguised appropriately, with one of the ways to array criticism being irony and sarcasm. A veiled lunge against the injustice of the time could pass unnoticed in form of allegory or pamphlet. In modern times, when freedom of speech and freedom of press became more widespread in civilized society, irony and sarcasm do not lose their importance. They remain an efficient way of appealing to society, since they produce quite a profound impact attracting attention, amusing and instructing at the same time. It seems therefore curios to trace how irony and sarcasm are made use of by two writers of different periods on the example of Jonathan Swifts pamphlet A Modest Proposal dating back to the first half of the eighteenth century, and Judy Bradys essay I Want a Wife published more than two centuries later, in 1971. Apparently, despite the time gap and a series of individual peculiarities, Swifts and Bradys works demonstrate a striking semblance in the issues they focus on, the sarcastic rendition of the topic, the persuasive approach bolstered with numerous examples by both authors.

The first similarity that strikes the reader is that between the issues brought to light in the works of fiction discussed. Both Jonathan Swift and Judy Brady bring to light the urgent problems of their time. For the Irish satirist, the situation of economic, political and religious oppression of his country by the British Empire appeared so outraging that he published his anonymous pamphlet as a mockery of the British policy with a possible solution to the problems of his country. The idea of social oppression of the poor streams throughout the whole piece, with the hopeless situation emphasized by thorough descriptions of the scarce choice paupers have: & helpless infants [&] as they grow up either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes (Swift 297). A whole range of misfortunes forms a closed circle for those poor people and their offspring, and Swift openly talks about all the possible misery that accompanies them during their lives:

& the oppression of landlords, the impossibility of paying rent without money or trade, the want of common sustenance, with neither house nor clothes to cover them from the inclemencies of the weather, and the most inevitable prospect of entailing the like or greater miseries upon their breed for ever. (Swift 306)

In Bradys essay the reader finds a reflection of another type of social oppression, this time carried out not on financial grounds but stipulated by social gender stereotypes. The narrator of the essay speaks on behalf of a whole class of people known as wives and enlists an enormous range of tasks an exemplary wife has to perform (Brady 57). The drama of the situation is not simply in the amount of work itself but rather in the attitude the male part of the society assumes towards the female part of the population. As if supporting the general trend of the time towards emancipation of women, men take advantage of the situation and load the woman with both the housework and the role of the main breadwinner in the family. A wife who will work, a wife to take care of my children, a wife who will keep my house clean, a wife who is a good cook, a wife who will take care of the details of my social life, a wife who is sensitive to my sexual needs  the enormous list of the wifes duties astonishes by its comprehensiveness and involvement into every possible aspect of human life (Brady 5759). But even more one is stunned by the widely accepted consideration that the wife should not be assisted in any of the listed tasks, and should readily and gladly accept the entire load prescribed to her by the social norms. Moreover, in case there appears a more attractive candidacy for the man to choose as a wife, the former wife should not complain and should willingly obey sparing the husband the trouble of caring for his offspring and leaving him free (Brady 59).

Both Swifts and Bradys choice of means for rendering the problems of social exploitation and oppression falls on sarcastic way of presentation. Swift employs a number of lofty epithets that are called to strengthen the authority of the people he is referring to: a very knowing American, very worthy person, true lover of his country, whose virtues I highly esteem,  but in fact those epithets only show all the cruelty and brutality of the treatment suggested by his American friend (299 and 301). Sarcastically ridiculing the ways the British treat the Irish, Swift compares the attitude of the former to the latter to that of treating animals: I rather recommend buying the children alive, and dressing them hot from the knife, as we do roasting pigs (301). The seemingly beneficial proposal of solving the Irish problem of overpopulation appears to be ghastly cynical and the latter quality is emphasized by Swift in his discussion of treatment of teenagers: & it is not improbable that some scrupulous people might be apt to censure such a practice (although indeed very unjustly), as a little bordering upon cruelty (301). The paradox of the situation is developed through a phrase I believe no gentleman would repine to give ten shillings for the carcass of a good fat child& as any reasonable person understands that no gentleman or lady would ever involve in such a dubious affair as eating babies, and moreover, they would not assess the financial costs of nurturing a baby for such ends (Swift 300).

Similar to Swifts semiserious tone of discussion, Brady employs a generous share of sarcasm in order to render the ridiculous state of wives in the society of the time. As if quoting a manual for ideal wives, she presents the wifes duties as something sacred, a code obligatory to follow and forbidden to break. The role of the husband according to such code is that of an inviolable and reverend idol, whose interest and multiple needs are to be respected, satisfied and never neglected. Every little thing, starting from the husbands nutrition and sexual life and finishing with arranging his leisure and social image, is the responsibility of the wife: she takes care not only of the house and the children, but also of the husbands doctor and dentist appointments, picking up the mess after him (Brady 5758). Moreover, if she fails, she is obliged to let her man leave her with no objection, assuming the care for their children on her fragile shoulders (Brady 59). It appears that the wife never needs any help, any understanding and sympathy, any desires of her own, or any moment of rest. She is not supposed to talk too much, though should listen to whatever her husband may want to tell her; she should not express a desire to make love when she wants it, but should satisfy her husband whenever he wants; she should always bear a pleasant atmosphere around whatever she does; and even the time of rest is designed not for her but for her husband (Brady 5759). The most striking thing is that for all this effort the maximum gratitude she can get is mere condescending tolerance on her husbands part if due to overload of housework she gets a cut in her salary: I guess I can tolerate that (Brady 57). All this codex of wifes role, though so smoothly written, appears hideously slanted in favor of the man, and thus is the paradoxical effect achieved by stating the sanctimonious ideas that can never be acceptable in any slave-free society.

In addition to parallel ideas and attitude in their writings, Swift and Brady appear to employ a similar persuasive tactics of rendering their message. Swift resorts to obviously phony statistic, calculating meticulously the number of poor people available for breeding, the quantity of children they could produce annually, the costs it would involve, and the benefits the participating sides draw (298). He provides logical arguments in order to persuade the reader of the rightfulness of his proposal. Stemming from the suggestion that the poor are one of the main problems in Ireland, Swifts brilliant idea is bolstered with a whole range of positive consequences its implementation may bring (Swift 302303). If those are not the arguments to persuade a reasonable person, then anything is vain and Ireland has no hope for a better future. Such is the paradox and the bitter irony of Swifts logical reasoning.

Judy Brady in her persuasive attempts follows the objective of convincing the reader of everybodys necessity for a wife. Depriving wife of any human needs, desires or status, Brady presents her as a machine for satisfying ones needs; she even says she would have a wife herself (57). Brady categorizes the wifes activities into several spheres and employs numerous examples of the wifes practicality and makes it obvious and quite logical that a wife constitutes an essential device for securing a calm and happy life for anyone.

Though created several centuries apart from each other, Swifts and Bradys works appear to be congenial in their satiric treatment of exploitation and inequality issues, as well as in logical argumentation of their point. They constitute an example of how satire works as a persuasive instrument for attracting the attention of otherwise indifferent society to problems that demand solution. Therefore, the future of satire may be envisaged as that of fruitful service for the purposes of triumph of justice.

Works Cited

Brady, Judy. I Want a Wife. The Seagull Reader: Essays. 2nd ed. Ed. Joseph Kelly. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2007. 5759. Print.

Swift, Jonathan. A Modest Proposal. The Seagull Reader: Essays. 2nd ed. Ed. Joseph Kelly. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2007. 297307. Print.

“A Modest Proposal” is a satirical story written by Jonathan Swift in 1729. The story proposes to solve the problem in Ireland of tenant farmers who cannot feed their children because the owners are adamant about the lease. After discussing the problem, he suggests a new solution: parents should sell their children to rich landowners so they can eat them. Many Swift contemporaries did not understand the satirical intent of Swift’s essay and received criticism for his writing. The author’s objective was to confront Irish society with the deplorable conditions of day laborers and peasants in his country. His vehicles of transmission were sarcasm, irony, and black humor. The work has become an indisputable reference of the essay genre.

Swift’s proposal is to solve the misery of the poor peasantry of Ireland by accepting to eat their children, and thus improve the diet of the rich landowners, because, undoubtedly, these are people condemned to misery. Representing a form of political and social criticism of the values of modernity, references to this work have made it commonplace to represent sarcasm with political incorrectness, as a practical strategy of enunciation. Swift’s proposal plays with exacerbating the valuation of the human within the axis of possession of the land and work of the peasants, taking it to the radical extreme as if it were the relationship between meat and hunger. That is why I think he went too far. However, his discourse democratizes political criticism by giving access to the voice of the other, opening the field of political discourse to the interpellation of “those below” on the social reality imposed ‘from above.

One of the thoughts that stood out to me the most was about the doubt related to the human essence, which reinforces the moral sense of satire and demands a higher level for human nature. The fact that the children of the poor can be sold and eaten by the rich deliberately weakens the difference between human and non-human animals. In that sense, the piece opposes also social inequality, a topic that generates a lot of interest in me. The burlesque effect of the piece is the displacement with which the social structure is confused with an opposite structure, which reduces humanity to its natural aspects, in this case, from the most utilitarian point of view: as a food resource. Through the discursive ethos of the author who satirizes breaking with the general moral values that represent the Irish landowners, the contradictions of a social system orchestrated by their interests were exposed.

The Age of Reason was a period of time between the years 1715 and 1789. It is also commonly referred to as the Age of Enlightenment. Jonathan Swift was a writer during this period of reason, in which many individuals became more aware of the world around them and as a result had many intellectual and philosophical awakenings and ideas. It is during this period of reason that the focus of many writings took the shift from more serious work towards those of satire, which can be seen in much of Jonathan Swift’s work.

One of Swift’s most famous works is Gulliver’s Travels. It is noted that this series of books could actually be viewed as a satirical take on many travel books, which were popular during this time period. More specifically, the text notes that that they are a satirical take on the work of William Dampier, who used to record many of his travels in a detailed log. Swift chose to take this same approach when writing Gulliver’s Travels, although many of the locations have fantastical creatures and people that would not have been encountered within the real world. The text notes that within these satirical tales, “Swift… seems determined to keep alive the older belief in a naturally conceited, vain, greedy, lustful human nature… understanding human beings as imperfect allowed him to make fun of all utopian projects and to cast his satirical eye on schemes for social improvement” (268).

I find it interesting that the text also notes how Gulliver is a “naïve narrator” (267). Swift chooses to use Gulliver’s naivety to his advantage when telling the stories of his travels. By having a narrator who fails to notice irony or details, or understand the concept of how things may truly work, Swift is playing further into the idea of satire. He is showing his readers that Gulliver is a reflection of themselves. “One advantage of the gullible perspective is that it allows Swift to make his readers see themselves from an outsider’s perspective: the writer thus makes ordinary life seem strange and prompts us to question what we might otherwise take for granted” (267).

By using this approach, readers can take a step back and realize how alike they may be to Gulliver. Additionally, it allows them to reflect upon the reality that they face every day. By writing out worlds that seem so surreal and unbelievable, but using elements from society during the present time of writing, Swift was able to combine satire into a way that reflected the ideals of the Age of Reason. The Age of Reason allowed individuals to think for themselves, to become enlightened, and to come up with ideas that would have never been thought of before. They were able to realize when things seemed too good to be true, or to recognize when something was going wrong and they should be concerned.

Swift’s work reflected the idea of enlightenment and the Age of Reason by choosing to play at the fact that it took so long for people to come to many realizations, which can be argued to be about the same realizations that they easily come to when reading about Gulliver and his travels. When reading Swift’s work, an individual may wonder how Gulliver does not see things for what they really are or understand what is happening, but will then later reflect back and realize that they have also been in his shoes where they, too, had not been aware of something that was going on.

In Gulliver’s Travels, Swift covers many different topics that were popular during the time period. These topics ranged from the society of England at the time and how it could be viewed from the outside, versus how it truly was on the inside, as well as the history that is presented versus the truth. Gulliver’s Travels also focuses heavily on the idea of humanity; including the true greed and lust for power that plagues many individuals. This book series presents the truth behind many ideas of aspects, showcasing how what is presented is not what is always true, and this idea of satire comes at a time when people are beginning to think for themselves and seek such knowledge.

By presenting the idea within a story that there is always more to be seen that what is presented, Swift is allowing to help awaken those who have not yet experienced the enlightenment found within much of the Age of Reason. He shows how societies present themselves, packaging themselves in a way that seems appealing, but hide away the true, gritty history that they do not want their people or visitors to know. By doing this, societies are working to keep people in the dark, which is what the Age of Reason sought to climb out of. The Age of Reason allowed people to climb out of the darkness and into the light of realization and enlightenment, which allowed them to be more aware of what was going on around them, allowing them to take better action and make better choices as a result.

Swift continues to expand upon his personal idea of satire, while also being able to pave the way for the future of satire, in A Modest Proposal. Instead of focusing on citizens or travelers seeing a society for the first time, this work focuses more on the social planners who were involved with making laws. In an effort to get his point across, he takes a strong, almost radical stance to do so. “Swift takes an extreme position and follows it to its logical conclusion. If the point of social reform is to produce solutions to social problems, maximizing profits along the way, then why not sell the infants of the poor as food for the rich?… Charges of cannibalism… take on figurative force as Swift suggests that the English are in many ways feeding off Irish flesh” (268).

While the people in English society were not truly guilty of cannibalism, as they were certainly not eating babies to solve a hunger crisis, Swift uses this extreme example to open peoples’ eyes up to the severity of the issues in society at the time. Though they are not truly eating people, they are taking food away from other people that could have also eaten it, and causing them to starve. This severe “solution” towards the hunger issue that society was facing at the time opened the eyes of many individuals to how drastic some suggestions were to solve the issue at hand.

A Modest Proposal is introduced as a proposal “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” (315). This introduction already sets up the proposal for a strong start. Swift is making it clear within the first line that the way people view certain situations is drastic and dramatic, and he uses satire to prove this to people and help them become more involved in the enlightening that was occurring during this time period of society.

This work of satire works to mirror the society at the time of writing, but in a more distorted way. Similarly to how Swift worded Gulliver’s Travels, by distorting the reality into something darker and more dramatic, he is catching the reader’s attention more, and allowing them to think more deeply about the message behind his tale. When writing this “proposal”, it is clear that Swift was angered by the way that the Irish people were being treated in society, as he himself was from Ireland. He believed society to be unjust and recognized the fact that many people were suffering, and starving. He addressed this in his proposal by removing the filter from how he felt about the society at the time, and allowing his words to flow through in a way that shocked and awed his readers. However, this lack of filter did what Swift had set out for it to do – it caught the attention of these readers, and opened up their eyes to how ridiculous things can truly be before a person really takes notice. What may not stand out or seem extreme to us at a certain point may do so to others. By giving readers examples of such extreme cases, he is able to showcase this fact.

One of the most important aspects of the Age of Reason is the idea that people were able to finally think for themselves. This is when people began to have their own opinions and make decisions based upon what they believed to be right. Jonathan Swift is a great example of an individual who decided to speak his mind in an attempt to show, and to prove, to others that their time to think and realize had come. He spoke in ways that seemed harsh, or a bit too much, but it was what people needed at the time after having been kept in the dark for so long.

The Age of Reason allowed the people to finally have a voice. When they were able to realize the truth of the world around them, they were angry, and rightfully so. This was also the case with Swift, as he demonstrates his anger in A Modest Proposal, which appears as anything but a modest proposal at all. By finally being able to use the words that come unfiltered, many individuals are able to participate in this age of reason and enlightenment.

Behind every person, object and event, there is a veiled motive, undetectable by the public. Deception is an act or statement which misleads, hides the truth, or promotes a belief, concept or idea that is not true. Appearance leads to the formation of an opinion, which can be inaccurate due to deception. There is a thin line between perception and reality, and a great amount of distinction may lie between the two. In the short stories “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift, “A Story for Children” by Svava Jakobsdottir, and Feng Jicai’s “The Street Sweeping Show”, the theme that things are not always as they appear to be is portrayed through the use of satirical elements and literary devices. In Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”, the use of understatement makes the story seem as if it is uncomplicated and harmless, when in actuality, it is repugnant and cruel. Also, in “The Street Sweeping Show”, irony is used when the mayor and his dignitaries are portrayed as environmentally concerned and involved, when they truly just want the media’s positive attention. Lastly, in “A Story for Children”, Jakobsdottir utilizes exaggeration, believing that serious distress will occur from something trivial. These all delineate the theme that things are not always as they appear to be.

In “A Modest Proposal”, Swift portrays the theme that things are not always as they appear to be through the use of the literary device, understatement. In this work, Swift states he is accepting any offers proposed to him, as long as they are as discreet and fair as his own,“After all, I am not so violently bent upon my own opinion as to reject any offer proposed by wise men, which shall be found equally innocent, cheap, easy and effectual” (Swift 6). Understatement and deception is also present in the title, “A Modest Proposal”. Swift’s proposal is about children being eaten in order to benefit the economy, which is very gruesome and inhumane, yet the way this is said makes it seem as if nothing is wrong, understating it’s brutality. There is a dissonance between the tone of the essay, and what is actually being proposed. The dissonance is very prominent while reading this piece, and informs the reader that the proposal is not as innocent and modest as Swift is depicting. In the title of this essay, the word modest is used, which is unquestionably an understatement considering the context of the essay is children being eaten. This adjective is ill-suited for the title in regards to what the essay is prompting, making it seem as if it will be about a lighthearted and unpretentious matter, when in reality, it is grim and appalling . This resonates with the theme that things are not always as they appear to be. Conclusion

Feng Jicai’s “The Street Sweeping Show” uses irony to convey that things are not always as they appear to be. When the mayor and his dignitaries arrive at the event, they are eager to begin sweeping and clear the little amount of garbage that was there, “The concrete pavement was clean to begin with; they pushed what little grit there was back and forth with their big brooms. The most conspicuous piece of litter was a solitary popsicle wrapper, which they all pursued like children chasing a dragonfly” (Jicai 248). It appears as if they are trying to help the environment, when ultimately, their interest lies in public attention and the positive light it puts on them. The irony of this is that the mayor and his dignitaries are cleaning up an area which is already clean. To the public, it seems as if the mayor’s true intentions are to help clean up the community sacramentally, when in reality, his interest is the self-serving aspect. Irony is effective at exhibiting the theme that not all things are how they appear to be because it shows how little the mayor is actually concerned with the state of the environment, compared to what is being depicted to the media and public eye. There is also irony present when the mayor’s grandson notices his grandfather on television, “Look, Granddad, you’re on TV!” … “It’s not worth watching. Let’s go have dinner” (Jicai 248). The grandson is proud to see his grandfather on television, involved in a seemingly benevolent act. The mayor knows that he is not worth watching on television because it was an ingenuine act being publicized. This resonates with the literary device of irony because he does not want to set a false example and deceive his grandchild, yet his motive to attend the street sweeping event was to do just that to the public. He will be praised, idolized and thought to be authentic by those watching the media for a personna he has put on, not his true self. This characterizes the theme that things are not always as they appear to be.

In the short story, “A Story for Children”, Jakobsdottir uses exaggeration to portray the theme that not all things are how they appear to be. While the mother is reading a story to her children, she comes to the realization that supper will be ready later than usual, which to her, seems like a serious concern, “She was just about halfway through the story when it occurred to her that one of the other children might suffer psychological harm from not getting supper on time” (Jakobsdottir 382). The mother is concerned that not feeding her child supper at the usual time will result in a negative impact on their mental well being. It is very unlikely for one to actually believe that their child will experience psychological harm from something as simple as this. This unlikeliness introduces a dramatic tone, giving the reader insight that the story is not to be taken on a literal level and that it may not be exactly as intense of a context as it seems to be. Exaggeration is used to exhibit this

My imaginative piece, crafting the viewpoint of a homosexual participant within a gay conversion therapy program, uses the influence of Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger and Jonathan Swift’s satirical essay, A Modest Proposal to reinforce the created voice of dissent. Opposing religious belief, societal norm and the totalitarian like the dominance of leading service figures, the narrative draws upon language techniques inspired by both texts in order to convey a “stream of consciousness” literary style writing piece.

Through the use of first-person narration, as inspired by the writings of Salinger, personal connections and empathy to the targeted audience are created. Therefore, evoking a sense of intimacy in regards to the emotional state and vulnerability of the protagonist. In the likeness of Caulfield, thoughts and reactions of the main character are expressed through internal monologue, in which expose readers to the experienced situation, the severity of power imbalance and further justifies the defying view of the protagonist. Additionally, the syntax of sentence flow within the creative piece emphasizes subtle actions of disagreement, seen within the quote ‘Just to stop lying. Once I get started, I can go on for hours if I feel like it. No kidding. Hours.’ of the first prescribed text and “The only gift reminding him of the tender touch of domesticity absent. Damaged. It was the first time I had smiled in a while.” as influenced. Present within the 1951 novel, repetition across paragraphs conveys the mentally fixed state and overthinking tendencies of Salinger’s character. Building psychological depth to the characterisation of the dissenting voice suggested through ‘Boy, did I feel rotten. I felt so …lonesome.’ and the later line, ‘I got to feeling so lonesome and rotten’. A continued motif is evident within Catcher in the Rye, describing the fear of change held by the main character. This literary device is mirrored through the descriptive and recurring imagery of a brighter environment outside the confines of the conversion institution. Assisting in creating an image of the unjust encounters experienced.

Additionally, A Modest Proposal explores the socio-economic turmoil experienced during the 18th century Ireland, challenging political views within the context. Greatly inspired by Swift’s provocation, my imaginative piece examines the identity of a homosexual man in disagreement with societal acceptance of heteronormativity. Within the satirical essay, the author uses allusions to further establish historical conditions, support the argument of the narrator and form a particular perspective – this technique carried into the created narrative. Through the creative choices present within the imaginative piece, inspired by J.D Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye and A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift, I have been able to create an inspired narrative in which encapsulates a strong dissenting voice towards heteronormativity and underlying bigotry of religion. Successfully exemplifying the chosen quote “The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.”

Enlightenment vs. Romanticism shows two different aspects of history. In the Enlightenment period (1685-1800) the world was more focused on decisions that were rational not emotional, whereas in the Romanticism period (1800-1850) it dealt more with the emotional aspect of writing. Even though these are two separate time periods the writing texts do have similarities. In A Modest Proposal written during the Enlightenment period by Swift, focuses on how to solve an overpopulation of Ireland. Though in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave which was written during the Romanticism period discusses the life and treatment of Frederick Douglass as a slave. Both of these texts are similar as they represented postcolonialism due to them both showing how social structure and economic dominance are impacted during this time.

Social structure must first be addressed as decisions and comments are made in the texts due to the standings the writers had during the time. In both texts there is something called Marxism which essentially identifies that there is an upper (Bourgeoisie) and lower class (Proletariat). With that there is a set of beliefs that are expected of that social class. For example the bourgeoisie must oppress the proletariat. This example can be seen in both A Modest Proposal and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. The bourgeoisie in A Modest Proposal are the British as they move to Ireland to take over hundreds of acres away from the proletariat also known as the “Irish peasants.” Swift says that his proposal will “incur no danger in disobliging England…would be glad to eat up our whole nation” meaning that with his proposal England would not be upset as Swift is referring to England taking over Ireland for its own. Even though A Modest Proposal is a satirical piece it is written to prove a point to the British that there is an issue with society. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave it also wants to show the issue with the class system. The bourgeoisie are the slave owners and the proletariat are the slaves. Frederick Douglass discusses some of the abuse that occurred during his life as a slave “I must have perished with cold, but that, the coldest nights, I used to steal a bag which was used for carrying corn to the mill …My feel had been so cracked with the frost, that the pen with which I am writing might be laid in the gashes.” This quote shows that Douglass and most likely every other slave might not have much due to what their “owners” give them.

That shows that there is an economic dominance that the bourgeoisie have over the proletariat. A Modest Proposal shows how the British are trying to gain a profit over the Irish who have little to give. So in order to make ends meet for their families most of the mothers/ females become beggars to try and help their children. While the children grow up they “either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country, to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes” to try and help/ survive themselves. Swift also addresses “that a boy or a girl before twelve years old, is no saleable commodity, and even when they come to this age, they will not yield above three pounds, or three pounds and half a crown at most, on the exchange; which cannot turn to account either to the parents or kingdom, the charge of nutriments and rags having been at least four times that value.” Meaning that raising a child takes a lot of resources that the Irish don’t have, but keep getting farther into the hole because they are trying their best. In order to provide they have to take the risks that could either set them even further in the hole or get them out. The weak/children without the proper nutrition will not survive.

Survival is also critical in Douglass’s text as in order to survive one must rely on the master. His text shows the economic dominance as the slave owners in order to show how wealthy they must have more slaves. More slaves means more money that one must make in order to provide the bare minimum for them. To do this, owners only gave out food provisions once each month and clothes out once a year to every slave. The adult slaves were given “eight pounds of pork, or its equivalent in fish, and one bushel of corn meal” for their monthly food provisions where as “Their yearly clothing consisted of two coarse linen shirts, one pair of linen trousers, like the shirts, one jacket, one pair of trousers for winter, made of coarse negro cloth, one pair of stockings, and one pair of shoes, the whole of which could not have cost more than seven dollars.” Now for children survival was even harder. Adults could work to make up for the money and food that was provided for them whereas children were unable to work. So children were only given “two coarse linen shirts per year. When these failed them, they went naked until the next allowance-day.” Children also were not given their monthly provisions, instead it was given to their caretakers. Usually all the children would eat something called mush which was made by their caretakers than “was put into a large wooden tray or trough, and set down on the ground. The children were then called, like so many pigs, and like so many pigs they would come and devour the mush; some with oyster-shells, others with pieces of shingle, some with naked hands, and none with spoons.” The children that got the best spots by being strong and eating fast usually left full while other usually didn’t. This shows that the ones that are weaker or couldn’t keep up with everyone else would not survive.

These two texts show postcolonialism as it shows the impact of colonizing people and their land. A Modern Proposal shows how it is connected to postcolonialism by talking about how the British took control over Ireland. Which caused a social class of the British being better than the Irish. Whereas for the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave it shows its connection to postcolonialism for similar reasons the slave owners, usually white Americans, are forcing the slaves to do the slave owners bidding. Both A Modern Proposal and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave are discussing how another colony is taking advantage/making use of a colony that they have taken over, which the colony taking over treats the original colony like they are less than what they are.

References

1. Douglass, Frederick. “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave.” The Norton Anthology World Literature, Shorter Third ed., vol. 2, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2013, pp. 517–539.
2. Swift, Jonathan. ”A Modest Proposal.”

Abstract

The essay by Fred Stenson, ‘In Search of a Modest Proposal’ cricizes the current education system and how the curriculum is delivered to children.

Key words

Curriculum, Education system, displeasure, formula, inefficiency, deterioration, literary styles.

Rhetorical Review of “In Search Of A Modest Proposal

The essay by Fred Stenson, ‘In Search of a Modest Proposal’, borrows from Jonathan Swift’s work ‘A Modest Proposal’. On the side of the page, there is a box with writings reveals that the author of the article implies that the author may be a teacher by profession. As a consequence, the reader expects the experience of an essay with a sympathetic point of view as far as academia is concerned.

The reader expects to see the thesis statement in paragraph one. It is not provided but the author implies it when expressing his ‘gratitude’ to the education system (Stenson, 2004 p.14) – defending teachers who are perceived to be under attack also implies a thesis statement in the first paragraph. The author uses different literary styles including satire and irony which can only be seen when the reader gets to paragraph four. He uses irony to express his dismay at the way the current education system is deteriorating, especially the education curriculum. For example, he uses irony to reveal that the teacher agrees with him on the way they are teaching the curriculum saying that it is the only way how the test will be conducted on students.

It is also ironical that the teacher has some concerns regarding the curriculum, but only doing what she has been asked to do by the curriculum. Similarly, it is ironical that he is defending teachers but criticizing how they are delivering the curriculum at the same time by saying, “whenever teachers were attacked in my earshot, I rose to defend them” (p.14). This statement contradicts his sentiments when he mentions that “he confronted his daughter’s teacher (p.15). Anyway, it is impressing to realize that he can defend and confront at the same time.

He also uses satire to express displeasure with how the curriculum is being taught in public schools (p.14). He pokes fun at the formula of writing essay when he drew the attention of the reader by following the formula himself: he highlights the flaws in the transitional words by writing them in italics, for example, nonetheless (p.15). He criticizes current education system and how it is failing children.

Stenson also uses humor to make a comparison of how his daughter is being taught in school versus how he was taught in school to write an essay: he was taught ‘great literary form’ of writing the essay, but his daughter is being taught a ‘formula’ to argue and persuade the reader as far as essay writing is concerned (p.15). However, it is an obvious absurdity and questionable nature of Stenson’s work that makes the reader want to get the real meaning and purpose of his literary work after giving it much thought a condition that creates suspense.

Alternatively, it is obvious as well to note that there is not a teacher anywhere that will accept a literary work without a purpose. Using this mindset, the reader can identify that Stenson wanted to expose the inefficiency of the curriculum and failure of the education system to live up to its purpose- emancipating the minds of the learners. He provides facts, for example, how the curriculum is taught and how the children are being taught to write essays. From that standpoint, Stenson derives his absurd proposal, logically, of mocking the current education system and the way the curriculum is delivered. For instance, he mentions that ‘a formula. I have to stick to, or I will flunk’ to satirize the inflexibility of the current curriculum (p.15). The deeper meaning of this statement is that bad as the process is, the teacher still has no option but to follow it.

Further, Senston employed humor and satire in transitioning and developing his essay, especially the second half of the essay. Through these two styles, he pokes fun both at the teacher, for example, by calling her pleasant and able-seeing woman and at himself as well. To himself, he is seen buttering his concerns about the way essay writing is being taught to his daughter (p.15). However, he also reveals that the teacher agrees with him on the way they are teaching the curriculum saying that it is the only way how the test will be conducted on students.

In conclusion, Stenson’s essay is a concern about the deteriorating education system and the poor delivery of the curriculum- education whose purpose is long forgotten by the curriculum development. For him to achieve his goal, he uses different literary styles like humor, satire, irony, repetition, and comparison with another written concern. He is sending a warning to the relevant bodies and agencies as well as individuals that the future of their children is compromised through the deteriorating education system and the poor delivery of the curriculum.

References

1. Stenson, F. (2004). In Search Of A Modest Proposal

“It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads and cabbin-doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms.” Swift starts with these lines in his essay in “A Modest Proposal.” This work of Swift is said to be one of the most efficacious satires in the history of English Literature. The work is all about sympathy and searches for a solution. Through this proposal, Swift wants to create an idea about the ways through which there can be a decrease in the number of abortions, which are done by poor mothers. He also does the calculation of the number of infants born in Ireland and gives an idea about what can be done.

Talking about the infants, Swift says that they are not fit for employment and are too young to do the stealing. The only option, according to him, is to eat them when the infants reach the age of one year. He also states that the weight of the infants will determine the dish— the kind of and for how many— they are suitable. He even says that every part of the infant is useful—for example, their skin will be used for making gloves for women.

A friend of Swift, “a worthy person,” suggests that children of fourteen can be a potential food. Later on, he gives the six reasons that suit the most for the proposal to be adopted. First, he says that it will decrease the count of Catholics. Second, the proposal will provide the poor with some property. Third, the proposal will increase the overall wealth of the nation. Fourth, the children will no longer be the burden for the mother as the mothers will be free of bringing up their child/children. Fifth, the proposal will give way to the new food. And the last, the sixth one, the proposal will uplift the importance of marriage where women will take care of their child and the men of the family, in return, will take care of the women as the mothers will make more babies which will get them money and food.

Towards the end of the essay, Swift says that he does not have any children, which will get him no profit. While analyzing the text based on satire, we will come across the following matters. The stereotypes or conventional thoughts against the Irish Catholics can been seen. By using satire, Swift charges on the Catholics that they tend to have many children and through this proposal, it will decrease the number of Catholics. Through satire, he says that the rich will become dependent on the poor. He also uses the theme of prejudice against the poor or the lower class by saying that the skin of the poor children will be used for making the gloves for women and clothing. By talking about his friend, “a worthy person,” he uses satire on the upper class, which means that the rich people or the people of the upper class are very much disconnected with the poor people or the lower class and they will think the proposal as bizarre.

Now let us discuss the satire in “Candide” by Voltaire. The novel starts with the “Castle of Westphalia.” The text starts from “In a castle of Westphalia, belonging to the Baron of Thunder-ten-Tronckh, lived a youth, whom nature had endowed with the most gentle manners. His countenance was a true picture of his soul. He combined a true judgment with simplicity of spirit, which was the reason, I apprehend, of his being called Candide.” The basic point over here for the satire can be “optimism.” Throughout the novel, we will see “optimism” in the characters like Candide, the hero of the novel and Pangloss

Pangloss is the character who is the utmost optimist, and he remains optimist until the end of the novel. According to him, ‘since everything was made for a purpose, everything is necessarily for the best purpose.” We will find that the author, Voltaire, has also use absurdity, which is through hyperbole— for example, we will read that when James was drowning, and Pangloss says that he has been destined to drown. Talking about religion as a satire we will read that a friar does the stealing, a prostitute is being bought by a monk, and a sex slave is being bought. Candide finds the world as the worst place, and for him, there is no kind God, and it is one’s foolishness that he believes that a kind God exists. We will also find that there is a criticism or say satire on power and politics. Through satire, he focuses on the inconsistency of the government and lack of ability of rulers— for example, Buenos Ayres has been given different names to show his pride and conceit. Candide meets different people and their suffering shows the failure of leadership. Through the words of Martin, who says, ‘I can only hope to presume that there are millions of people on this earth who are many times more to be pitied than King Charles Edward, or Emperor Ivan, or Sultan Achmed,” it becomes more clear.

Moving towards the other example of satire we will find a discussion of social ladder irrespective of religion, class, or politics. Throughout the novel, we will find the contrast between the upper class and of those, whom Candide meets, strengthen the satire in the novel.

Now, let us compare the use of satire in “Candide” by Voltaire and “A Modest Proposal” by Swift. In both the works, we will find the similarities in the satire. In Swift’s work, there are satires on class, government, leadership, religion, and wealth whereas in the novel by Voltaire, satire is being used in the same way; that is, class, government, leadership, religion, and wealth. We will also find that these two authors share a common goal of social ladder or we can say class hierarchies. In “ A Modest Proposal,” Swift says that the poor are being suppressed by the upper class and by giving the proposal of eating their child will make the rich to be dependent on the expense of poor; even the skin of the children can be useful. In “Candide,” Voltaire talks about class order or social ladder. We will find that the upper class has foibles and the suffering of the lower class or the poor people, through the eyes of Candide, is being contrasted. Another common goal shared by these two authors can be the failure of government and leadership. In “Candide,” Voltaire says that it is the failure of the government or the lack of ability of the leaders or rulers has resulted in such conditions By giving the example of the governor, who has several names, shows the false pride and conceit created by the authorities. In Swift’s work, “A Modest Proposal,” the government has failed to look after the suffering of the poor, and by giving the proposal. Swift has used satire on the government and leaders, which is a basic characteristic of “satire”(already discussed at the beginning of this answer).

According to me, the most effective for initiating social reform would be “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift because this work has sympathy and also gives a solution, which is a weird solution but it should not be read with literal meaning. As we know, it is a satire, and eating one’s child should not be believed. Things are done to criticize the government and those who opt for abortion. The satire is on those who think that by doing abortion one will not have to take care of their child, and there will be a decrease in the liability. By targeting the Catholics, he charges on the upper class of the society and the Irish government. With the use of satire, the Irish Catholics become an easy target. Due to the increased population, the resources cannot be equally distributed, and the Catholics tend to have many children, which, become the subject of satire. He also targets the landlords, to whom the tenants have to pay the rent. It will help them to pay the rent to the landlords by selling their kids to the rich, for which he says the following lines:

“Secondly, The poorer tenants will have something valuable of their own, which by law may be made liable to a distress, and help to pay their landlord’s rent, their corn and cattle being already seized, and money a thing unknown.”

The horrific concept by Swift is in a way that seems logical, and it targets the readers without letting them know. Through his work, he tries to expose the reality of Ireland; however, it is not only the condition of Ireland but also the situation prevailing all around the world. The solution for the problem seems to be absurd as he says that the poor should sell their child to the rich as they will a good or tasty meals for the rich and through this, it will provide the poor with more and more money to carry out their expense. It can be understood from the following line from the text:

“I do therefore humbly offer it to publick consideration, that of the hundred and twenty thousand children, already computed, twenty thousand may be reserved for breed, whereof only one fourth part to be males; which is more than we allow to sheep, black cattle, or swine, and my reason is, that these children are seldom the fruits of marriage, a circumstance not much regarded by our savages, therefore, one male will be sufficient to serve four females. That the remaining hundred thousand may, at a year old, be offered in sale to the persons of quality and fortune, through the kingdom, always advising the mother to let them suck plentifully in the last month, so as to render them plump, and fat for a good table. A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends, and when the family dines alone, the fore or hind quarter will make a reasonable dish, and seasoned with a little pepper or salt, will be very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in winter.”

Swift further critiques on the upper class and says that the skin of the children can also be used for making boots for gentlemen and gloves for women, for which he says, “Those who are more thrifty (as I must confess the times require) may flea the carcass; the skin of which, artificially dressed, will make admirable gloves for ladies, and summer boots for fine gentlemen.”

Politicians, religious leaders, and group leaders alike have preyed on the weaknesses of their constituents and taken advantage of their disposition to be persuaded easily into circumstances with the lack of rational thinking and reasoning. In his controversial essay “A Modest Proposal”, Jonathan Swift, through his use of satire and logos, expresses the dangers of relying on speculative reason to solve problems which may lead to thinking the unthinkable rather than following what should be more natural and humane.

Despite the dire and vulnerable state of Ireland, Swift introduces his audience to his unrealistic solution to poverty and famine which he uses satirically to exemplify the dangers of allowing desperation and speculative reason to solve their problems. While the reader is hooked and begins to formulate a stance on the issue, Swift intelligently gets the reader to accept and reject the proposal when he states “I am assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London; 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, and I make no doubt, that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or ragout”(Swift pg.207). This is by far the most famous line of the whole text because it grounds his satirical tone by proposing that they shall consume their babies. This is intended to shock the audience, create outrage and utter rejection of Swift’s previously established credibility. This use of satire mocked the haughty and desperate attitude of the Protestant Aristocracy as well as the apathy of the impoverished Irish. It is meant to emphasize the debilitated and desperate condition Ireland was in and encouraged the reader to block out Swift yet remain immersed because of their curiosity. Because of their weakened state, Swift takes advantage of their desperate nature to convey the problems that can arise when society allows itself to be polarized. This polarization is easily created when society as a whole permits its desperation to take over morality and rational thought. He wants to make sure his audience learns to think for themselves and not be misguided through irrational persuasion and processes, as seen by other countries in similar situations at the time.

In order for any speaker to be listened to and to have his words have any effect whatsoever, credibility and trust must be established between the audience and speaker first. Swift acknowledges this and acts upon it effectively through his use of logos throughout his essay. The essay begins innocently by establishing Swift as another citizen concerned with the wellbeing of his peers who is genuinely sympathetic to the Irish poor, whose suffering he describes with melancholy. Sensitive, knowledgeable, and confident- all are characteristics which Swift utilized to present himself in his ability to resolve through rational, logical analysis. Once he established a basic sense of trust between him and the audience, he continues to build on it through logical reasoning when he states “ I subtract thirty thousand couples…there will remain a hundred and seventy thousand breeders…subtract fifty thousand…only remains one hundred and twenty thousand children.”(Swift pg. 208). This is an example of logos because it uses statistics and numerical reasoning to apply Swift’s theme of how one may go to extremes to draw attention to the issues in society. Swift uses these statistics to show the audience the number of families that could be saved from the burden of their children as well as being rescued from their impoverished conditions. His strategic use of logos and logical analysis allows him to lure his audience in and to make unrealistic, hyperbolic claims sound like legitimate reasoning. However, while on the surface the speaker argues for the reader to agree with his proposition, the reader is supposed to be in outrage by his proposal and reject it. Swift, is essentially attempting to teach the vulnerable, poverty-stricken people of Ireland a lesson about the hazards their gullibility and fascination with numerical reasoning can pose to their decision making. His use of logic essentially bypasses the questioning of the morality of the proposal by discussing the benefits to the economy and society through statistics and sheer, emotionless numbers. The power of this logical appeal warns Swift’s hopeless audience to not allow themselves to be persuaded into a state of polarization where there is a lack of rationale and moral thought behind every action.

The exploitation of human flaws for power and personal gain has been exercised ever since the first social and socio-economic classes were created. Jonathan Swift, in his essay “A Modest Proposal”, addresses the widespread poverty and famine in Ireland and proposes a satirical and unrealistic solution that involves using and consuming babies in order to create balance and order. Swift adopts the position of a politician and demonstrates the dangers of speculative reasoning to solve issues that can lead to the neglect of moral and natural values through his use of satire and logos. When, as a group, one is faced with adversity and debilitating circumstances, it is essential that one maintains morality and rational reasoning to reach decisions as often others take advantage of one’s desperate condition to set themselves into positions of power. This can be seen all around the world through cults, some religions, and a handful of countries that have created polarized groups through exploiting the desperate who have lost their individual and rational thinking amongst a fleet of unanimous followers.