jonathan swift questions for the pamphlet “a modest proposal”

Jonathan Swift

Questions for the

Pamphlet

“A Modest Proposal”

Question #1 (p581)

What details

In the first paragraph

RELATE

To contemporary social issues?

ANSWER:

Homelessness

Hunger

Poverty

Unemployment

QUESTION #2 (p581)

What is

Swift’s

PURPOSE

For writing this Essay?

ANSWER:

To help HALT the Cycle of Poverty,Turning ‘street urchins’ into productive

members of society (Swift claims about 85% poverty based on

these early statistics)

QUESTION #3 (582)

Swift uses two words to describe groups that seem rather derogatory:

BREEDERS and STROLLERS

What is the purpose in the selection of these words?

ANSWER:

To MIMIC the attitude of people who show NO SYMPATHY. Makes essay seem more COLD-HEARTED.Breeders- derogatory towards womenStrollers- (beggars)- saying that they are

able to ‘get by’ and do this LAZILY.

QUESTION #4 (583)

What methods of SATIRE does Swift use in discussing ‘the market value

of children’?

What method does he propose for dealing with the children?

ANSWER:

Methods of SATIRE include:Understatement: putting value on a

human life

Verbal Irony: Society’s most valuable resource is rendered worthless

Situational Irony: Suggestion is more outrageous than

‘modest’

Exaggeration: (for effect)

Parody: mimics Scientific Method

QUESTION #5 (583)

How does Swift play on the meaning of

the word devoured?

ANSWER:

Devoured refers to ‘eating’Since the rich already

consumed the parents resources, they are more than entitled to be the ones to ‘eat’ the children.

QUESTION #6 (583)

In noting Swift’s allusion to Lent, in which he explained that by eating fish Catholics were intentionally increasing their level of fertility, what does Swift see as another positive outcome of this proposal??

ANSWER:

FEWER ROMAN CATHOLICS, since the

children would be ‘eaten’

QUESTION #7 (583-4)

How to the MATHEMATICAL and STATISTICAL references enhance the IRONY of the essay?

ANSWER:

Makes proposal seem:PRECISESCIENTIFIC

GIVES A SHOCKING SOLUTION

PROVIDES AUTHENTICITY TO A PROPOSAL THAT IS FACETIOUS

NOTES CONCERNING SWIFT

Additions to #7:Swift continues to EMPHASIZE class

structure in Great Britain which provided for the ruling class at the expense of the working class Manipulation of tenant farm system used to

make subordinates poor intentionally A farmer could work all year and owe more than

profited from farm.

SIX BENEFITS OF THE ESSAY

Fewer Catholics

Poor Tenants having value

New Dish/ More money in circulation

Less burden on the poor- they get $$$

New food will bring about new customs

Marriage- more care and concern due to having more financial

resources

QUESTION #8 (586-7)

The italicized passage:This reveals some of the BIASES of the

18th Century: noting the cynical references to

Laplanders Brazilians Jewish People

ARE THERE CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS LISTED IN THIS PASSAGE?

ANSWER:

The ‘expedients’ listed ARE constructive

THE PROBLEM IS

ALL OF THE

IDEASHAVE BEEN REJECTED!

QUESTION #9 (587

WHAT CLUES TELL THE READER

SWIFT’S TRUE FEELINGS???

ANSWER:

VISIONARY THOUGHTS

He hints that he favors suggestions given previously---

SEEMS TO BELIEVE SOCIETY LACKS

UNITY AND

DETERMINATIONTO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE POOR

QUESTION #10 (587)

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE

FINAL PARAGRAPH OF

SWIFT’S ESSAY?

ANSWER:

TO ADOPT A POSITION OF AN UNBIASED ADVOCATE

TO DISCLAIM ANY SELF-INTEREST REGARDING THE PROPOSAL

TO SOUND RATIONAL, WHILE PROPOSING THE IRRATIONAL IDEA

TO PROVIDE A HYPOCRISY SUGGESTING HIS FAMILY WOULD NOT

BE AFFECTED BY THIS PROPOSAL