A Rhetorical Analysis Of Swift's Proposal By Jonathan Swift

How does Swift want the reader to view his speaker? That is, how would Swift want his reader to describe the persona he adopts? Swift wants the reader to view the speaker as a reasonable, compassionate and rational person who has a genuine interest in solving the problems of the poor Irish. In the beginning of the essay, the speaker appears to be a concerned person who demonstrates a keen insight into the issues he addresses. However, this is contrary to the fact that the speaker predominantly relies on random and absurd statistics and logic to present his solution. By acting as someone compelled to solve the plight of the poor Irish, the unknown speaker makes his words more effective and establishes himself as someone who would never make the outrageous proposal that follows.

At what point in the essay did you recognize that Swift’s proposal is meant to be satiric? Do you think a modern audience would get the joke faster than Swift’s contemporaries did? It becomes obvious that the author was employing sarcastic and humorous ideas in his proposal when

Swift suddenly offers the solution of women killing, selling, and eating their own babies in order to fix the poverty in Ireland. It seems likely that Swift does not actually condone this ridiculous idea, but is merely satirizing the absurdity of many solutions proposed in the past. I think modern audiences would understand this joke faster than Swift’s contemporaries because it is much more obvious to people nowadays that no humane person would kill their baby for food or money. Because in the past solutions were very limited, people would probably view this idea is their last resort, but would not completely dismiss it.

Note Swift’s diction in the first seven paragraphs. How does it show quantification and dehumanization? Explain the purpose of Swift’s specific word choices. In the first seven paragraphs, Swift continuously uses insulting language when describing certain people. For example, by calling women who are unable to support their families “savages”, Swift employs cruel and harsh diction to dehumanize them. Moreover, in Swift’s perspective, parents are nothing but the “breeders” behind this situation. Additionally Swift refers to children and parents solely through an economic perspective. Swift is able to dehumanize Irish and families through quantification. Swift views children as nothing but “burdens” until they are sold and turn into sources of wealth. By looking through his economic lens, Swift is only seeing people as statistics and not human beings.

At the beginning of the essay, Swift explains the anticipated results before revealing the actual proposal.

Explain the rhetorical purpose of such a strategy. In the beginning of the essay, Swift explains the anticipated results before revealing the actual proposal for several reasons. One possible reason is that Swift wishes to have his speaker stimulate positive reactions among the audience by delaying the outrage until later in the essay. Swift first sets up his proposal in a positive light, which makes him less likely to offend the reader several paragraphs later when he introduces a ridiculous solution. Another plausible motivation is that Swift persuades his audience that the proposal will have positive results so that they will become inclined to support this initiative. Swift's strategy in beginning the essay with his anticipated results is meant to immediately sway the reader into supporting his

proposal.

In paragraph 9, why doesn't Swift end the sentence after the word food? Explain the purpose and effect of the modifiers included there. By not ending the sentence after the word “food”, Swift prevents his readers to pause and contemplate the outrageous nature of such a statement. By electing not to stop after the word “food”, Swift seems to qualify the statement possibly to deflect the audience’s attention from the action of eating and cannibalism to the method of preparation, which might be more tolerable to the audience.

Identify examples of appeals to values such as thrift and patriotism. Explain the rhetorical strategy behind each example. By referencing the treachery of supporting the pretender in Spain in the first paragraph, Swift simultaneously appeals to patriotism and to religious prejudice. Moreover, in the latter sections of paragraph 2, Swift makes a similar appeal to patriotism, by suggesting that anyone who could solve the problem of poverty could “have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation.” Swift again appeals to patriotism in paragraph 17 with the “very worthy person, a true lover of his country.” Swift actively distinguishes between economy and the efficient use of resources, and thrift throughout much of the speaker’s proposal. Additionally in paragraph 17, Swift brings attention to a much more extreme proposal as offered by a very worthy man. Here, Swift’s rhetorical strategy is to present a claim or argument more extreme than one's own, which makes one’s proposal seem more reasonable.

Consider the additional proposal that Swift mentions in paragraph 17. Explain the rhetorical strategy at work in that paragraph. The speaker begins the paragraph by assuring the audience of the "virtues" of his friend who has offered a proposal he considers a "refinement upon his scheme." Swift believes that he can enhance the credibility of his friend by assuring readers that he is "a true lover of his country" and by highlighting his friend’s expertise on the subjects of children and meat production. Later, this seemingly knowledgeable friend suggests that a lack of venison can be resolved by consuming children.

Which targets does Swift ironically identify in paragraphs 21 and 22? Note the rhetorical progression of paragraphs 21-26. By using such a method, what is Swift satirizing? In paragraph 21, Swift takes aim at the English Protestant landowners and at their prejudices against the Papists or Catholics. In fact, the Baptists comprise most of the Irish peasantry. In addition, Swift addresses the absent landlords who are largely responsible for the awful existing conditions among the poor and homeless Irish, in paragraph 22. As the essay progresses, Swift blatantly satirizes the nature and ideas of a proposal itself. A legitimate proposal should purely and rationally provide a quantitative solution. Such qualities do not apply to the speaker’s solution to a human problem.

What are the assumptions behind each of Swift’s claims in paragraphs 21-26? Explain them. There are several assumptions to Swift’s claims in paragraphs 21-29. One of the major assumptions is that the people are overwhelmingly poor and usually cannot afford to pay their rent even if they were desperate. Another major assumption is that fewer Papists would be beneficial for the public. By making an assumption likely to be considered reckless by many, Swift clearly appeals to the prejudice of his audience. Another important assumption is that the proposal would help the breeders themselves, since a flourishing economy will relieve them of their responsibility for raising children. Furthermore, Swift makes an assumption that domestic production of goods, the increase in trade, and the refinement of taste are well desired among the Irish.

Read carefully paragraphs 29-31. What are the “expedients” that Swift discusses there? How does irony serve his rhetorical purpose in this section? In paragraphs 29-31, the “expedients” included rejecting foreign luxuries, curing the vices among women, instilling values of patriotism, taxing domestic products, taxing the absentees, and promoting prudence, honesty, industry, and skill.

To what do the “vain, idle, visionary thoughts” (para. 31) refer? What is Swift’s tone here? In paragraph 31, the “vain, idle, visionary thoughts” refer to the reasonable proposals that Swift and other concerned citizens and observers had had for quite some time. Swift develops a humorous tone by presenting some of these reasonable proposals as “expedients” in the following paragraphs.

How does the final paragraph of the essay contribute to Swift's rhetorical purpose? The final paragraph contributes to Swift’s rhetorical purpose in a couple of ways. Perhaps Swift included the paragraph to clarify his innocence. In the final paragraph, Swift anticipates the reader’s suspicions as if a reader might challenge him. Swift essentially wanted to excuse himself from the selfish motives the reader might suspect of him after devoting a large portion of the essay to discussing such heartless proposals. Because Swift has no children which he could sell and have eaten by the cannibals, he can't be accused of having a motive in making the horrible suggestions he has been making throughout the essay.