1. An analysis of Tone Daipaul, Jake, Kalira, and Tristan
A Modest Proposal
An analysis of Tone
Daipaul, Jake, Kalira, and Tristan

2. Background Information
During this period of time, Ireland was under the control of England
The Irish faced trade restrictions and lacked many resources
In response to this, Swift made this satirical essay

3. Tone
Tone is the writer’s attitude or feeling about the subject of his text
Swift uses multiple tone shifts throughout the passage in order to make his proposal seem more “appealing”.

4. Swift’s Usage of Tone (Example 1)
In a Modest Proposal, Swift presents an idea to deal with the poverty in Ireland.
In the second paragraph, Swift states that his idea was a“Fair, cheap, and easy method of making children sound, useful members of the commonwealth.”

5. Analysis of Example 1
In this second paragraph, Swift creates a very casual diction through his usage of a nonchalant tone. This tone is most likely used to make his proposal sound more appealing despite his true satiric intentions.

6. Swift’s Usage of Tone (Example 2)
In the sixth to last paragraph, Swift states, “Let no man talk to me of other expedients: Of taxing our absentees at five shillings a pound:Of using neither clothes nor household furniture, except what is of our own growth”

7. Analysis of Example 2
At this point, Swift is purposely using an extremely condescending tone when describing other methods of dealing with poverty in Ireland. This is most likely supposed to display the true voice of reason as asinine in comparison to his own

8. Swift’s Usage of Tone (example 3)
In the very first paragraph Swift expresses, “These mothers, instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in strolling to beg sustenance for their helpless infants: who as they grow up either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbados”

9. Analysis of Example 3
This quote comes across as having a rather serious tone. We find this serious because there is nothing funny about a struggling mother desperately trying to provide food, shelter, and other basic needs for their infant. These hardships resulted in children turning towards thievery, or selling themselves as war soldiers.

10. Swift’s Usage of Tone Example 4
In the last paragraph, Swift states “I have no children by which I can propose to get a single penny; the youngest being nine years old, and my wife past child-bearing.”

11. Analysis of Example 4
In this quote, swift uses a benevolent (well meaning and kindly) tone because he is saying that he would not benefit from the proposal that he is making. He is also saying that he wouldn’t do something similar to the proposal.

12. Overall Analysis of Tone
-Throughout the entire passage,
Swift switches between casual,
sympathetic, serious, condescending, and benevolent types of diction, in order to create an overall nonchalant and appealing tone.
-Swift’s usage of tone helped to create one of the most iconic forms of satire in English literature.