1. Questions for the Pamphlet “A Modest Proposal”
Jonathan Swift
Questions for the
Pamphlet
“A Modest Proposal”

2. To contemporary social issues?
Question #1 (p581)
What details
In the first paragraph
RELATE
To contemporary social issues?

3. ANSWER:
Homelessness
Hunger
Poverty
Unemployment

4. QUESTION #2 (p581)
What is
Swift’s
PURPOSE
For writing this Essay?

5. ANSWER: To help HALT the Cycle of Poverty,
Turning ‘street urchins’ into productive members of society
(Swift claims about 85% poverty based on these early statistics)

6. QUESTION #3 (582)
Swift uses two words to describe groups that seem rather derogatory: BREEDERS and STROLLERS
What is the purpose in the selection of these words?

7. ANSWER:
To MIMIC the attitude of people who show NO SYMPATHY. Makes essay seem more COLD-HEARTED.
Breeders- derogatory towards women
Strollers- (beggars)- saying that they are able to ‘get by’ and do this LAZILY.

8. QUESTION #4 (583)
What methods of SATIRE does Swift use in discussing ‘the market value of children’?
What method does he propose for dealing with the children?

9. ANSWER: Methods of SATIRE include:
Understatement: putting value on a human life
Verbal Irony: Society’s most valuable resource is rendered worthless
Situational Irony: Suggestion is more outrageous than ‘modest’
Exaggeration: (for effect)
Parody: mimics Scientific Method

10. How does Swift play on the meaning of the word devoured?
QUESTION #5 (583)
How does Swift play on the meaning of the word devoured?

11. ANSWER:
Devoured refers to ‘eating’
Since the rich already consumed the parents resources, they are more than entitled to be the ones to ‘eat’ the children.

12. QUESTION #6 (583)
In noting Swift’s allusion to Lent, in which he explained that by eating fish Catholics were intentionally increasing their level of fertility, what does Swift see as another positive outcome of this proposal??

13. FEWER ROMAN CATHOLICS, since the children would be ‘eaten’
ANSWER:
FEWER ROMAN CATHOLICS, since the children would be ‘eaten’

14. QUESTION #7 (583-4)
How to the MATHEMATICAL and STATISTICAL references enhance the IRONY of the essay?

15. ANSWER: Makes proposal seem: PRECISE SCIENTIFIC
GIVES A SHOCKING SOLUTION
PROVIDES AUTHENTICITY TO A PROPOSAL THAT IS FACETIOUS

16. NOTES CONCERNING SWIFT
Additions to #7:
Swift continues to EMPHASIZE class structure in Great Britain which provided for the ruling class at the expense of the working class
Manipulation of tenant farm system used to make subordinates poor intentionally
A farmer could work all year and owe more than profited from farm.

17. SIX BENEFITS OF THE ESSAY
Fewer Catholics
Poor Tenants having value
New Dish/ More money in circulation
Less burden on the poor- they get $$$
New food will bring about new customs
Marriage- more care and concern due to having more financial resources

18. QUESTION #8 (586-7) The italicized passage:
This reveals some of the BIASES of the 18th Century: noting the cynical references to
Laplanders
Brazilians
Jewish People
ARE THERE CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS LISTED IN THIS PASSAGE?

19. ANSWER: IDEAS The ‘expedients’ listed ARE constructive THE PROBLEM IS
ALL OF THE
IDEAS
HAVE BEEN REJECTED!

20. QUESTION #9 (587
WHAT CLUES TELL THE READER
SWIFT’S TRUE FEELINGS???

21. ANSWER: VISIONARY THOUGHTS
He hints that he favors suggestions given previously---
SEEMS TO BELIEVE SOCIETY LACKS
UNITY AND
DETERMINATION
TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE POOR

22. QUESTION #10 (587)
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE FINAL PARAGRAPH OF SWIFT’S ESSAY?

23. ANSWER: TO ADOPT A POSITION OF AN UNBIASED ADVOCATE
TO DISCLAIM ANY SELF-INTEREST REGARDING THE PROPOSAL
TO SOUND RATIONAL, WHILE PROPOSING THE IRRATIONAL IDEA
TO PROVIDE A HYPOCRISY
SUGGESTING HIS FAMILY WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THIS PROPOSAL