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  • Essay / Use of Rhetorical Devices in A Modest Proposal by Johnathan Swift

    Introduction: Jonathan Swift was a political essayist and pamphleteer, but certainly the author of “A Modest Proposal,” a Juvenalian satirical essay often called a masterpiece work of irony. The full title is “A modest proposal to prevent the children of poor people in Ireland from being a burden to their parents or their country; and for making them beneficial to the Publick. It was written and published anonymously in 1729, during the Enlightenment, by Swift. He used different types of rhetorical devices in his essay to compare the problems of Ireland. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Jonathan Swift used satire as the tone for his essay to make his point about poverty and overpopulation in 1700s in Ireland. Topic Sentence: Swift wanted to draw attention to Ireland's problems by being sarcastic and descriptive about children. Evidence and quote: “A very competent American I know in London assured me that a healthy, well-fed young child is, at the age of one year, a most delicious, nourishing and wholesome food …”. Topic Sentence: Swift gives an unusual insight, referring to the child as a healthy meal. Swift mentions that a one-year-old would be a healthy meal in the face of a lot of poverty at the time. Comment: Who would joke that a child is a healthy meal? Only Swift would do it, it shows how times were very difficult and no one was doing anything about it. Until Swift decided to write her proposal for people to see and open their eyes to reality. One of Swift's friends quotes: "confirms Swift's position as a 'copycat man,' ambivalently frustrated and invested in the colonial power structure that determines much of his life." In other words, he writes "an escape from unprofitable political activity into pure irony" or one that could "escape" from what is generally associated with his satire. Swift wrote this essay so she could escape society for a moment and reveal the truth in a satirical way, without consequences. Background: At this time, Ireland was going through an economic crisis and oppression. Many women were abandoned by their husbands because divorce was illegal. Letting men abandon their wives and children without any consequences. This was the case for many families. It was very difficult because women had no rights. Many would fall into prostitution, begging, mistreatment, etc. This is why Jonathan Swift claims mothers as reproducers. Use diction relating to animals. "It is true that a child who has just left his mother can be sustained by her milk for a solar year with little other food...". Topic Sentence: Swift uses a figure of speech called metaphor, a type of rhetorical device, referring to the child's mother as a mother as if she were an animal supporting children with her milk. This is also an example of satire, a very harsh way of comparing a woman to a female animal. Due to the fact that women have no rights in Ireland.Topic Sentence: The logo is also seen in Swift's proposal. He states that there is an overpopulation of children in Ireland and that the Irish people should make good use of the children by selling and eating them. In this case, families will begin to escape poverty by selling their children to the rich to eat. It will be equally effective for everyone. Fourth, the constant breeder, in addition to the annual rights gain,.