A Modest Proposal And Angela's Ashes Comparison

The vision of Irish poverty resonates in both works,“A Modest Proposal” and Angela’s Ashes. Yet both works present Irish poverty in similar ways that also differ from one another, in regards to Irish poverty through the utilization of narrator, tone, imagery, and historical situation.

Both writings show an aspect of Irish poverty caused by the events happening during their era. For example, Swift states that “ … it is well known, that they are everyday dying, and rotting, by the cold and famine, and filth, and vermin, as fast as can be reasonably expected” (Swift 145-146). In this case Famine is a major situation in “A Modest Proposal, which cause the inhabitants of Ireland to suffer from Starvation, malnutrition, and disease. In comparison

to Swifts situation, the Irish in Angela’s Ashes deal with the effects of World War II, like starvation, malnutrition, disease, and limited opportunities of work. McCourt and his family experience all the effects of World War II, for example his father has no opportunity for good job, which causes him to “ … go to england… [because] there's plenty of work for willing men” (Swift 218). Their works share similar effects cause by the state their eras are in. However, it is obvious that famine and war are totally different, but they are both told from different perspectives of society. Swift is of a higher status witnessing the atrocities of famine, while McCourt is of the poor class experiencing the poverty firsthand. Swift then goes further into his explanation by stating that the Irish youth “ … consequently pine away from nourishment… by the time they are accidentally hired… they have no strength to perform it” (Swift 148-151), meaning by the time they get a job, they have not the strength to perform their work, because of how poorly nourished they are. In contrast to Swift’s statement, Frank McCourt, even though very unnourished and infected eyes, obtains a job. Even though he was very weak, he performed his trade to the fullest of his ability. But ultimately forced to retire due to his mother’s concern, by stating he “ … can’t be delivering coal with the state of [his] eyes. The dust will surely destroy them” (McCourt 261). Both quotes show how health issues get in the way of performing a position in a certain field. However, Swift seems to acknowledge that the youth in Ireland at the time of famine, can not whatsoever perform any type of occupation with the condition they are in. But McCourt seems to disproves that, as he is facing the same challenges as the youth in Swift's era and still manages to obtain a job.
Other major comparisons and contradictions in both works are the point of views of which the works are being told. Both are told in first person point of view, but Swift does not experience the penury he describes in his writing, like Frank McCourt in his novel. For example Swift states “It’s melancholy object to those, who walk this great town…when they see the streets…” (Swift 1-2), this shows he bares witness to the poverty he sees in the streets of Ireland rather than actually experiencing it.McCourt, in the other hand, has to deal with poverty and to deal with his mother wondering where she will “... get money for a week's rent” (McCourt 275). He experiences the hardship of poverty during the time period of World War II. Yet both of their works show historical events and how they caused great hardship in Irish society. Famine was one of Swift’s main concerns in “A Modest Proposal.” He has witnesses death by starvation and purposes that his idea of an alternative food source “ … will be somewhat dear …” (Swift 84). Yet with this remark the reader can clearly tell he has not had an experience of the Irish poverty. But in McCourt’s work, depression and World War II are a key factor to Irish poverty that he experiences. For example his mother was forced to “ … give the twins their bottles of water and sugar… till she gets money from dad” (McCourt 26), because they lacked financial stability. Yet both quotes show how authors, under certain circumstances, introduce alternative food sources unheard of during their time.
Other than the narrator's point of view their, tone in both article and novel show certain similarities and differences, in which represent the vision of Irish poverty.

Swift and McCourt use tones like despondency to present the poverty that either is being witnessed or experienced. Swift shows despondency by stating that “ … mothers instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time stroling to beg sustenance…” (Swift 5-6). He utilizes this tone to show how far people stoop to get by during the period of Famine in Ireland. McCourt also bestows such a tone in his novel when he states “When I look back at my childhood I wonder how I survived at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood… Worse than the ordinary childhood is the miserable Irish childhood…” (McCourt 11). Despondency is well utilized tone in both these quotes because they describe how horrendous Irish poverty in both present times. The differences in between the two is the point of view in which they are told and how McCourt represents his childhood in a nonchalantly way, while swift represents his experience in total seriousness. Swift also uses humor as tone in his writing. As addressed early starvation is one of the main effects of famine, to the point that swift purposes that “ … a young healthy child … at one year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food…” (Swift 66-67). His proposal is somewhat disturbing, however it is comical. No one in a right

state of mind would ever go through with such an absurd idea, which brings humor to the reader. In comparison to Swift’s tone, McCourt also uses humor in his novel but in a childlike state of mind. He replaces the word sexual intercourse with “knee-trembler” when he is his younger self. He describes knee-trembler as an “act itself done up against a wall, man and women up on their toes, straining so hard their knees tremble…” (McCourt 15). This shows a humorous aroma, even though the act itself is unpleasant to think of and the start of Frank McCourt’s hardship. However, he does present a childlike comical tone, unlike Swift whose comicals tone is dark.
Imagery also helps convey the vision of Irish poverty in both works.

Similar to one another, they both excellently describe Irish poverty at the time. Swift describes in his work that he witnesses “ … in the country… streets, the roads, and cabbin-doors crowded with beggars…” (Swift 2-3). This bestows the reader with a vivid image of the struggle of the residents of Ireland, whom suffer of poverty. Like Swift, McCourt also uses imagery to define Irish poverty by describing a friend who “ … has no shoe to his foot, his mother shaves his head to keep lice away, his eyes are red, his nose always snotty” (McCourt 120). This image describes how most of the young Irish poverty, like McCourt, appear in Angela’s Ashes. This quote also helps the reader understand the depth of Irish poverty. Even though this does not describe McCourt himself, he still faces this aspect of poverty in his land. Unlike McCourt, Swift, an observer to the events happening in his era, has no experience whatsoever of destitution. Swift then goes further into detail of the setting of Ireland during the Famine by describing “ … beggars of the female sex followed by 3,4, or 6 children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms” (Swift 3-4). Swift elegantly uses imagery to present the populace of Ireland at the time, which also causes melancholy to the

reader.
In conclusion both works show similar aspects of of Irish poverty, but also differ from one another. Both Authors utilize narrator, tone, imagery, and historical situation to aid them convey the vision of Irish poverty. Their works are in first person point of view, but are told through the perspective of two different classes of people. Their tones of despondency and humor aid further to the representation of Irish poverty. Both the authors elegantly use imagery to give a vivid image of the poverty happening in both eras. Historical situation is the most important tool into explaining the causes of Irish poverty.