A Modest Proposal Response

      I found this proposal to the problems in Ireland to be ingenious. The shear wit, sarcasm, and irony that play a part in actually addressing the true issue would probably work better than a completely straightforward proposal if taken seriously. What better way to make a person truly think about their motives- to show your exasperation while at the same time not whining, but actually proposing a solution? Because of course Swift’s proposed solution in this satirical piece is proven to be a good one. Eating babies and selling your children to be food will absolutely help boost family morals and solve all your problems of poverty! It makes complete sense that the father of a family would treat the mother, who bears their new source of income, with greater value! Of course many talented chefs will quickly some up with many delicious dishes to satisfy the palate of anyone who buys a child to feast upon! I mean, hey, the logic behind his argument would seem to be fairly strong; the statistics seem thorough, and the message becomes easier to see as a person reads it, especially in the last paragraph.

Swift, Johnathan. A Modest Proposal. 1729.