In a Modest Proposal, by Jonathan Swift, the main objective was to draw :: English Literature

In a Modest Proposal, by Jonathan Swift, the main objective was to draw attention to the plight of the Irish people and motiva In a Modest Proposal, by Jonathan Swift, the main objective was to draw attention to the downfall of the Irish people and motivate readers to find a workable solution. Unlike most essays, this is written for the reader to see through what the narrator is expressing. Swift shows the readers his proposal mainly through irony. Irony can be defined as expressing the opposite of what is meant. This is a great technique of the sense of humor and sarcasm used in the proposal and in Swift. One of the voices that are present throughout the story is that of irony. The story itself is ironic since no one can take Swift’s proposal seriously. This irony is clearly demonstrated at the end of the story; Swift makes it clear that this proposal would not affect him since his children were grown and his wife unable to have any more children. It is a great contradiction and absurdity that a husband and father propose the idea of cannibalism. The narrator does not want the reader to agree that the solution to overpopulation and poverty in Ireland is to eat babies; he wants the reader to see there needs to be a practical solution. Although something seems one way to the narrator, Jonathan Swift wants the reader to see it in an opposite light. Swift's opposition is indirectly presented. 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 are living. He demonstrates there is a serious problem with a great need for a solution. He then suggests a solution and then lists a whole list of advantages. His proposal of eating the Irish babies is followed by advantages such as "by the sale of their children, [the parents would] be rid of the charge of maintaining them after the first year". To a poverty stricken person this would take a huge load off of their shoulders by not having to raise a child, while at the same time making money off of them to better support themselves and lifestyle. â€Å"I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the kitchen† is a quote that shows a