A Modest Proposal Rhetorical Analysis

In Jonathon Swift’s, A Modest Proposal, he identifies a major dilemma happening in
Ireland. The problem is that there are children all over Ireland starving and begging for food. He
realizes that the subject is not the most comfortable of which to speak, so Swift uses satire to
explain. This changes his entire approach, showing the detachment from normal human
affection. This makes this piece interesting and ironic. He uses examples of how people do not
care for or about the poor and their children.
In paragraphs two and four, Swift states, “…whoever could find out a fair, cheap, and easy
method of making these children sound…” and “…dropped from its dam...” The first comment
shows that he refers to the children like they are not human. In the second comment, Swift
implies that

infants are not born of a mother, but an animal or some kind of object. He makes it
clear that he is speaking of children, but the problem is that he discusses them like they are not
human beings, but some kind of political issue that should be handled.

Thus, mocking the people
who show no sympathy or care for the poor and needy.
“…professed beggars…” and “…lawful occupation of begging…” are statements used in the
third and fourth paragraphs. When Swift writes “professed beggars” he implies that starving to
death is a choice the poor people made and opted to live by, which is far from the truth. By
saying, “…lawful occupation of begging…” means that beggars have a legal right, obligation,
and choice to beg for money, instead of being forced to do so. These comments suggest that
seeking charity is what these people planned to do with their lives instead of that just happening
to them.
The last paragraph indirectly states that stealing is a requirement to living and a respectable way
to survive by saying, “they can very seldom pick up a livelihood by stealing, till they arrive at six
years old.” Children were forced to steal at that time, because they were desperate to live. These
children and their families had little to nothing, and stealing happened to be the only way

they
could hold on to life, and provide for their loved ones. Swift used satire and gave the impression
that these children’s obligated occupation was to steal for the rest of their lives.
Swift used satire, masterfully, throughout this whole piece to highlight the very important
dilemma of starving and impoverished children, their mothers and fathers. This political issue is
a social ill that requires emotions to be charged. In particular, this problem should be shocking
and should overwhelm someone with sadness; Swift knew this, so he used satire to take some of
that discomfort away.