A Modest Proposal Rhetorical Analysis

In "A Modest Proposal," parody is one of the fundamental components Jonathan Swift uses to clarify how Protestants mishandled Irish Catholics. The audience is attracted by the several literary elements within his unrealistic proposal. Morally, the reader is attracted by the problem in which their country is in. A problem not only caused by the ones in power, but by the common people as well. He leads to having the people critically think about their values when he states that, “It is exactly at one year old that [he proposes] to provide for them in such a manner as instead of being a charge upon their parents or the parish, or wanting food, and raiment for the rest of their lives, they shall on the contrary contribute to the feeding, and partly to the clothing, of many thousands” (Swift 409).

As his aim is to mock the situation, the satire used is known as Juvenalian satire.

His use of satire is a wise method for him to deliver his message. Due to the poverty the Irish families are being forced to live in, he suggests the children be sold. In his opinion, “A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends”(410). The reader will soon notice how Swift’s essay is absurd. With all the cynicism and mockery used by Jonathan Swift, it is obvious the literature piece is everything a satire should be.

Along with the exaggeration, humor, and irony, the reader will notice the tone that the author has. The proposal is full of authoritative tone, so much that the reader may have to re-read the article. After this is done, the reader will notice the satire from the beginning. He performs this to demonstrate how absurd A Modest Proposal really is, being incompatible with the actual meaning of its title. Each of these elements, including the diction used, also demonstrates his style

entirely.
The speaker of A Modest Proposal utilizes rhetoric in several ways. At first it is to form a relationship with the reader, then it turns into an element used to inform them his ideas are not that serious after all. It sort of makes it his appeal to pathos. Swift is rhetorically helping the reader feel sympathy for the mother and children. He lets the reader know that in order to support their children, the mothers have to, "Employ all their time in strolling to beg sustenance" (408). Once the reader feels sympathy towards them, they are introduced to the idea of the children being sold so that the parents do not have to carry so much weight on their shoulders.
To back up his absurd solution to ending poverty, he presents logical information through stats of how many children are ultimately remaining of those poor parents annually. In his essay, Swift breaks down the population of his kingdom to that number, the poor children. This shows the readers he took his time to actually research and introduce the stats. He is able to state his credibility on why he is so sure that selling the children will aid their situation financially. His credibility is introduced when Swift claims having talked to a, "very knowing American", whom said to him, "That a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food." Making it clear to his audience that the American is "very knowing" in order to let them k he trusted the person who gave him the information he provides to his readers.