In a satirical essay, Swift uses Rogerian strategy along with other rhetorical tactics such as specific diction, nuclear emphasis, and multiple double meanings to effectively surface the horrific treatment of the Irish by the English aristocracy. Rogerian strategy focuses on the “open exchange of ideas directed toward mutual understanding” with emphasis on conceding certain points to gain an understanding of the opposition and in doing so gain ground rather than losing it through a hostile exchange of right and wrong (Cooper/Patton 70). Swift carefully organized his essay so the audience, the English Aristocracy, would not recognize it as satire and dismiss it right away. Swift begins with a quasi-believable tone, one of an economist trying to solve a problem. The current “deplorable state of the kingdom” calculated by Swift consists of one hundred twenty thousand children who need to steel and beg just to remain alive (Swift 298). Many before him tried to provide useful solutions but failed. The Irish now left with nothing but what the English give them suffer mass oppression, the real issue Swift wishes to address.
Swift establishes a mutual understanding with the English from the beginning, an essential part of the careful construction in his essay. He cannot let on the essay will take a dramatic turn after the flip of the second page. Swift does this because he wants to give the impression that he shares the same views on the current condition of the kingdom. He wants the English aristocracy to identify with him and his views. When he states “ I think it is agreed by all parties…” in the second paragraph and in the fourth “As to my own part…maturely weighed the several schemes of other projectors but have found them grossly mistaken in their computation” Swifts uses a small bit of Rogerian strategy (Swift 298). First he agrees with them on a small point so they are not hostile when later he states their past proposals have miscalculations. This bit of Rogerian serves the purpose of warming up the audience so they get used to agreeing with Swift and having an open mind to new suggestions much like an opening act does for the nights main act. Swift continues to warm up the audience by recognizing that these children are “a charge upon their parents” but more importantly to the English “a charge upon…the parish.” All the “warm...
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...eyes and feel sorry for him as well as all the black community suffering from segregation “I can assure you that it would have been much shorter if I had been writing from a comfortable desk, but what else can one do when he is alone in a narrow jail cell…” (King 314).
Both of these essays are well written but this is not the reason they are studied today. Swift’s “Modest Proposal” has survived over two hundred years of students studying it and taking apart his argument. King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” has survived twenty years and most likely will remain around for quite some time. The fact that the two essays are well written keeps only keeps them in the same ballpark as other well-written essays. It is the subject matter with which they address that keeps academia from letting them slip away into the stacks with all the other well written essay’s. These essays deal with the issues of dehumanization, a deep-rooted issue that has gone on since the beginning and will hopefully subside with the help of authors like these. We commend these authors everyday of every year by using their work to educate the youth of today so that they will soon grow into the leaders of tomorrow.
The main rhetorical challenge of this ironic essay is capturing the attention of an audience. Swift makes his point negatively, stringing together an appalling set of morally flawed positions in order to cast blame and criticize
Even the most cursory analysis of "Letter From Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr. and "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift reveals glaring differences between the two essays. Surprisingly, a side-by-side comparison also yields many similarities between the two works.
Martin Luther King’s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is a very sophisticated argument that gets to the point, but in the same time it gets very deep and complex. The letter is a historical and emotional letter that spoke to the hearts of people all across America. It was also well thought out and wrote with great deep meaning. By using three categories of persuasion, ethos, pathos, and logos, King was able to get on a much needed personal level with his audience. Along with letting the reader know that he had valid ideas and reasons. Getting on a personal level would let King explain his view of what was Right and unjust. I believe that King’s letter was the greater argument than Swift’s, because he knew what his argumentative goal was, to get his audience on his side to show them what needed to be changed. From reading "A Modest Proposal" I felt that you had to dig out the goal that Swift was trying to prove. I also felt that Swifts audience did not find the sarcasm he was trying to get across.
Therefore, before an analysis can continue, one has to make the assumption that this is strictly a fictional work and Swift had no intention of pursuing his proposal any further. One of the other voices that is present throughout the entire story is that of sarcasm. In order to understand this further, a reader has to comprehend that Swift, becoming infamous after Gullivers Travels, was a member of the upper-class. Right from the first paragraph, Swift attempts to fool his readers by the sarcasm of the dreary scene that Swift presents. For example, he mentions that it is a melancholy sight to see beggars and their children on the street.
Social work pursues to meet the demands and addresses the changing profession of fighting for human rights, improving social policies, and practice. I agree with the Abramovitz article that we have to know and understand the history of the social work profession. If people go without learning and comprehending the past, people cannot make accommodations for the future. Knowledge of the past will keep history alive, it will guide workers and their efforts to reform. The past also helps society in understanding programs that did not work. Society needs to understand the values that historical knowledge can bring positive changes in the future. Advocates for early social workers and their issues and concerns are still relevant in today's
In 1729, Jonathan Swift published a pamphlet called “A Modest Proposal”. It is a satirical piece that described a radical and humorous proposal to a very serious problem. The problem Swift was attacking was the poverty and state of destitution that Ireland was in at the time. Swift wanted to bring attention to the seriousness of the problem and does so by satirically proposing to eat the babies of poor families in order to rid Ireland of poverty. Clearly, this proposal is not to be taken seriously, but merely to prompt others to work to better the state of the nation. Swift hoped to reach not only the people of Ireland who he was calling to action, but the British, who were oppressing the poor. He writes with contempt for those who are oppressing the Irish and also dissatisfaction with the people in Ireland themselves to be oppressed.
Swift's opposition is. indirectly presented in the report. The author uses satire to accomplish his objective not only because he is able to conceal his true identity but also because it is the most effective way to awake the people of Ireland into seeing their own deprivation. Firstly, the narrative voice begins the essay by describing the horrible conditions in which the Irish peasants live. He demonstrates there is a serious problem with a great need for a solution.
Throughout A Modest Proposal Swift uses verbal irony, diction, and sentence structure to achieve his purpose. His purpose of calling attention to all the terrible things England has done to Ireland is clearly stated throughout A Modest Proposal with the help of these three devices. His purpose of drawing attention to the problems throughout society has been described through A Modest Proposal. The dire poverty in Ireland is clearly expressed in the satire A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift.
In Jonathan Swift’s satire, “A Modest Proposal”, Swift writes about the starving people of Ireland in the early 1700’s. He makes a wild and absurd proposal to help remedy the problems of overpopulation and poverty. Swift wants to make a political statement by using the “children” as satire to grasp the attention of the audience - the English people, the Irish politicians and the rich – and make them aware of the political, moral, and social problems. In “A Modest Proposal”, Swift’s arguments are presented effectively by using pathos (emotional appeal), ethos (ethics and values), and logos (logic reasoning and facts).
This essay will have no value unless the reader understands that Swift has written this essay as a satire, humor that shows the weakness or bad qualities of a person, government, or society (Satire). Even the title A Modest Proposal is satirical. Swift proposes using children simply as a source of meat, and outrageous thought, but calls his propo...
Numerous of individuals have played an important part in the social work field. However, Jane Addams is an important historical figure in the Social Work field. Jane Addams accomplished many things and it is dynamic to appreciate her life contained by the perspective of society. “Social Work profession is a legacy of Jane Addams” (Johnson, 2005, p. 319). To understand how Jane Addams played important part a person must understand her background. Many individuals do not know who Jane Addams is coming into Sociology or Social Work. Jane Addams was born in Cedarville, Illinois on September 6, 1680 (Jane Addams Hull House Museum, 2009). Social work is more than adoption, or child protection service, child support. It is about changing lives and giving your client support and the appropriate resources not limiting their options. The backgrounds of social work are traced to Jane Addams (Johnson, 2004).
The notion of personal honor is prevalent throughout the Iliad. The honor of every person in Homeric culture was important, but to the hero, his honor was paramount. He could not endure insults, and he felt that he had to protect his reputation — even unto death. The hero 's duty was to fight, and the only way he had of gaining glory and immortality was through heroic action on the battlefield; thus, he continually prepared his life for the life-and-death risks of battle. The Homeric hero believed that men had to stand together in battle; men had to respect each other; and they had to refrain from excessive cruelty. This last condition was critically important for the Homeric hero. He loathed deliberate acts of cruelty and injustice. If he were ready to kill a victim, he believed that he should do it quickly; he was not to mutilate him, as Achilles does with Hektor 's body. By following this code, a hero gained a sense of dignity and a reputation for honor that would ensure his place in the social memory of his community.
Jonathan Swift, a well-known author, in his essay “A Modest Proposal,” implies that the Irish people should eat children so that they can better their chances of survival. Swift supports his implication by describing how his proposal will have many advantages such as, eliminating papists, bringing great custom to taverns, and inducing marriages. He comes up with an absurd proposal to eat and sell the children to the elite so the Irish can have a brighter future. His purpose is to show that the Irish deserve better treatment from the English. Throughout his essay, Swift uses sarcasm, satire, and irony.
The Iliad portrays fate and destiny as supreme and ultimate forces. The Iliad presents the question of who or what is finally responsible for a man's destiny, yet the answers to this question are not quite clear. In many instances, it seems that man has no control over his fate and destiny, but at other points, it seems as if a man's fate lies in the consequences of his actions and decisions. Therefore, The Iliad reveals a man sometimes controls his destiny.
The profession of Social work is a unique and diverse field in that it has the capacity to reach many different individuals in many different aspects of their lives. Growing up with six siblings and being confined to a small three bedroom apartment, while my mother worked multiple jobs to provide for her children, often times I became reliant on others to guide me. In retrospect of my childhood, I have personally been affected by social workers, and each of them treated my family with such professionalism. These individuals who impacted my life, did not realize the blessings they were bestowing upon me. Little did they recognize, they forever enriched my life. I desire to do the same for others. I yearn to not only become a professional at promoting the well-being of others, but also making a long-term difference for others.