IMAGINE YOUR FREEDOMS TAKEN AWAY…SLOWLY... An Intro to A Modest Proposal “Satire is a sort of glass wherein beholders do eternally discover everybody’s face but their own.” Jonathan Swift

A QUESTION  Why would someone strip you of your rights slowly over time, rather than all at once?

INTRO TO THE PENAL LAWS  As we look at the different acts that were passed over the course of several hundred years, which only affected the Irish Catholics, I want you think of the reasons why the laws were passed. How did they benefit or protect England at the time?

DISCRIMINATORY ACTS  All Catholic clergy must leave the country.  Eventually, some low level clergymen could stay but had to register (pay large sums of cash) and had to stay within x number of feet away from major cities at all times.  Cannot possess any weapons

MORE DISCRIMINATORY ACTS  If you are Catholic, you cannot: Cannot buy or inherit land Cannot lease anything for longer than a term of 31 years Your children cannot be educated in the country

EVEN MORE…  Cannot practice law  Cannot hold a government office  Cannot be a part of a jury  Cannot join/serve in the military  There can be no gatherings of more than five people, unless those people are related.

SWIFT’S REASONING  The consequences of these laws and the state of the Irish Catholics are what he addresses in “A Modest Proposal”.  He sees that no one is doing anything to change the conditions (starvation, poverty, overpopulation, etc.) so this is his call to arms.

SWIFT’S PROPOSAL  Instead of revisiting the facts that everyone already knows he arms himself with the tools of satire and he writes a serious essay with a preposterous/monstrous solution…but hidden within the essay are actual real solutions…  Why would he do it that way?

SO WHAT IS SATIRE?  In satire, problems, vices, abuses and shortcomings are held up to ridicule or scrutiny with the intent of shaming an individual or society itself, into improvement.  Satire is meant to be funny, but ultimately to be successful, it must be constructive social criticism, hoping for change.  Satire is more popular now than ever, where do we see it today?

TOOLS OF SATIRE  Strong irony/reversal- sounds like a serious argument but you take the opposite side that you’re hoping for in hopes of showing that the argument is ridiculous

PARODY  make fun of it by trying to emulate it

EXAGGERATION  statement represents something better or worse than it really is…

OTHER TOOLS  Comparisons- comparisons that are necessary and flattering  Juxtaposition- Two things being placed side by side for contrasting effects  Reversal- To present the opposite of the normal order (e.g., the order of events, hierarchical order).

INCONGRUITY  To present things that are out of place or are absurd in relation to its surroundings.

DOUBLE ENTENDRE  a word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually risqué or indecent.

SATIRE VS SARCASM  Be careful: sarcasm is different than satire. Sarcasm is praise that is really an insult and often puts one down with malice. Satire is the expose of follies/vices of an individual, group, or society, with a view to correct it.

WHAT’S BEING SATIRIZED?

WHICH SATIRICAL TOOLS ARE BEING USED HERE?

WHAT’S BEING SATIRIZED?

BEFORE READING  Look at the full title…”A Modest Proposal: For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland from being a burden to their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the public”  What are we supposed to believe that Swift’s essay is trying to prevent?

DURING THE READING  Things to Consider during your reading: What problems are identified? What will his plan prevent? What is ridiculous about his plan? What role do children play in his plan/argument? What are 6 benefits of his plan?

NOW YOU WILL READ… A MODEST PROPOSAL Complete for homework.

AFTER READING  We will discuss during class tomorrow Swift’s outrageous proposal to do away with poverty and starvation for the Irish Catholics in Ireland.

AND NOW IT’S TIME TO CREATE YOUR OWN EXAMPLE OF SATIRE

ANOTHER STUDENT EXAMPLE

ANOTHER EXAMPLE…

YOUR TURN TO CREATE SATIRE:  How you will be graded:  Your project must be presented in a magazine layout and be neat, colorful, and aesthetically pleasing.  Title: appropriateness  Article Titles: originality, appropriateness, satirical element clear.  Article Titles’ Statement: originality, appropriateness, satirical element clear, enhances meaning of satire  Illustration: 7 points (colorful, neat, connects to satirical idea)  Paragraph: 10 points (solid conventions, clearly explains topic of satire, fully connects how magazine uses satire, clearly states desired outcome from satire.)  Total: 40 pts.

 Illustration: colorful, neat, connects to satirical idea.  Paragraph Response: solid conventions, clearly explains topic of satire, fully connects how magazine uses satire, clearly states desired outcome from satire.