ElsaDillman

English2600(BrittanyStephenson)
RhetoricalAnalysis:AModestProposal
July21st,2016
JonathanSwift'sAModestProposalisasatiricalproposaltoresolvepovertyinIreland.
Publishedin1729,duringatimeofgreatoppressionoftheIrish,bothbyBritishpolicyanda
widedividebetweentherichandthepoor.Swifttakesonthepersonaofarichmanwith
essentiallynounderstandingoflifeontheotherside.IntheEssay,Swiftappealstoothersinthe
upperclasswithlogos,thoughheultimatelyshowsthereadernoregardforpathosandflawed
ethos,succeedinginleavingthereaderwithsympathyforthepoor,Irish,anddisgustforthe
richesofEngland.
Swiftwasbornin1667inIreland.Duringhisyouth,hewasleftbyhismothertobe
raisedinIrelandwithhisuncle.HereceivedhisB.A.fromTrinityCollege,thoughwhile
studyingforamasters,thecountrywasimmersedwithpoliticaltroublesandheleftforEngland.
HeeventuallyendedupinIrelandandbeganwritingpoliticalessaysandpamphlets,allofwhich
heusedaseriesofpseudonymsforbecauseoftheirradicalnature.WithAModestProposal,
Swiftaimedtocreateasenseofsocialresponsibilityduringatimeofeconomicdepressionand
unrest.
Theappealtologosissetlargelybythetoneofthepaper.Atfirstglance,Swiftappearsvery
logical,givingthereaderanissueandclaimingthathehasasolutionthatwillultimatelybe
beneficialforallpeople.Asthereadermoveson,however,theyrealizethisisflawedbecauseof
anutterlackofregardtopathos.Throughouttheessay,helistsreasonsthatsellingchildren
wouldbenefitthewholecommunity.Hegivesalogicalbreakdownofthenumbersthereonly
remainsonehundredandtwentythousandchildrenofpoorparentsannually(Swift2).Onthe
5thpage,Swiftbeginshislistofhowthiswillbenefiteveryone;poorwillhavesomething
valuable,thenationwillgroweconomically,parentswillnothavetocareforchildrenthey
cannotafford,therewillbemorefood,marriagewillbebetter,andmanymoreenumerated
advantages.IntheconclusionSwiftexplainsthathisargumentsaresolidbecausehepersonally
hasnothingtogain.Theappealtologosissuccessfulinitspurpose,becauseitdidnotappealto
ethos.Hewasultimatelyclaimingthatthenationwasheartlessandeatingyourchildrenwould
beaviableoptionbecausetheywerefarmoreusefulasfoodandclothingthanasthievesand
futurebeggars.
Thelackofappealtoethosprovidesthereaderwithmostsenseofresponsibility.Swiftcameup
withanideasoradicalandunacceptablethatthosereadingwouldhavetorealizetheirownfault
inthematter.Fromtheveryfirstsentencehereferstobeggarsasobjects.Hegoesontosaythat
thesefamiliesareagrievanceforeveryoneelse(Swift1).Thenotionthatchildrenshould,or
evencouldbeusefulasfoodisaclearlackofempathy,whichisexactlywhatSwiftwanted.
Childrenareasanunspokenruleofsocietyareseenasinnocent,helpless,andsomethingthatis
supposedtobelovedandcaredfor.Theyarethefutureandusuallyprovidejoyandfaithin
humanitytomany.EvenSwiftreferstothemasinnocentandhelpless,onlytosaytheywillgrow
uptobethievesandsellthemselvestoneighboringcountries(Swift1).Swiftusesthislackof
sympathytodemonstratethenation'slackoffaithintheirownfuture.Swiftissaythatifchildren

aren'tcaredfor,whatcouldtheygrowuptobeotherthanthieves.WhileSwiftistryingtogetthe
attentionoftherich,healsograbstheattentionofthebeggars.Hecontinuallyreferstothemin
derogatoryways,voluntaryabortions,murderingtheirbastardchildren,wivesare
breeders,demandingcharity,whichisacalltothem,thattheyarealsonotoffthehook(Swift
2).Swiftdoesnotonlywanttherichtocareaboutthepoor,buthewantsthepoortoseehow
theyareviewedintheeyesoftherich.Heisappealingtothembyshowingthatunlesstheyalso
donttrytomakesomethingwork,alltheywillbeisagrievancetothenation.
Swiftsappealtoethosisperhapsthemostcomicalofall.Toensureheisseenasworthyand
intelligible,hetellsthereaderthatthereaderthroughouthowmuchfaithhehasintheplan,and
occasionallyvaguelygivesthereaderreassurancethatotherindividualshaveheardhisplanand
agreeinitssuccess.ShortlyafterrevealinghisideahereferstoaveryknowingAmerican
acquaintancetoassurethatchildmeatistastyandedible(Swift3).Hethengoesontosayour
nationwontbealoneinconsuminghumanflesh,averyworthyperson,trueloverofhis
countrytoldhimthatinhisnationtheyhavebeeneatingtheplumpteensduetoashortageof
deer(Swift4).ThefinalappealtoethosiswhenSwiftexplaintothereaderthatheistheperfect
candidatetocomeupwithsuchaplan.Hehasnothingtogain,anoldwifeandnoyoung
children,norishepoor,hismotiveisthepublicgoodofmycountry(Swift7).Thereaderhas
nofaithinSwiftsources,astheyarenotgivenaname,andaresolelytrustedonthenotionthat
Swifthimselfisrespectable.Furthermore,whenAModestProposalwaspublished,itwasdone
sounderafakename.Noneofthosetostandbyhisideawouldbeabletobefoundtoeither
confirmordenywhatSwifthadsaid.
AModestProposalisacalltosociety,apleatobeheard,towakeupandtakeresponsibilityfor
thedisturbedstateofbeing.Swiftusessatiricalandcomicalappealstologos,pathosandethosto
showthecommunitywheretheystand.Hegivesimmoralsolutionsanddegradesthepeopleby
insultingthempersonallyandintellectually.FrombeginningtoendSwiftsurprisesthereader
andcallsthemtothinkforthemselvesandthinkaboutthemoralityoftheirownactionsorlack
thereof.

WorksCited
Swift,Jonathan.AModestProposal.NewYork:Grossman,1969.Print.