A Modest Proposal Rhetorical Analysis

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Corrupted Society and Economic Oppression in Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”

During the time period in which Jonathan Swift wrote his proposal, the disoriented economic state of Ireland had the citizens--to a certain extent--uninformed of governmental actions, and were mostly self-reliant or dependent on those of higher social status. Women often resorted to begging as an occupation to feed their children.
“It is a melancholy object to walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads, and cabin doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags and all importuning every passenger for an alms.” (Swift, 2)
The poor people of Ireland are so oppressed …show more content…

Similarly, in L. Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz,” although the superficial presence of Munchkin Land was a beautiful, well-kept community, the internal conflicts of the Munchkin people were so oppressed that despite this superficial layer of luxury they resided in, they hated the Wicked Witch of the East.
“There was once a Munchkin girl in my life who was so kind and beautiful that I soon grew to love her with all my heart. She, on her part, promised to marry me as soon as I could earn enough money to build a better house for her; so I set to work harder than ever. But the girl worked for an old mean woman who was widowed and did not want her to marry anyone, for she was so lazy she wished the girl to remain with her and do all the cooking and the housework. So the old woman went to the Wicked Witch of the East, and promised her two sheep and a cow if she would prevent the marriage. Thereupon the Wicked Witch enchanted my axe..." (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,

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