How does the title of "A Modest Proposal" indicate that Swift is writing a satire?

a. Readers know that Swift is being serious because he humbly says that his proposal is "modest."

b. Swift does not mean what he says when he calls his proposal "modest" or moderate; his proposal is actually extreme.

c. Swift calls his work a "proposal," but readers do not know if the proposal will be approved by the Irish parliament.

Question

Mills

English

1 April, 05:05

How does the title of "A Modest Proposal" indicate that Swift is writing a satire?

a. Readers know that Swift is being serious because he humbly says that his proposal is "modest."

b. Swift does not mean what he says when he calls his proposal "modest" or moderate; his proposal is actually extreme.

c. Swift calls his work a "proposal," but readers do not know if the proposal will be approved by the Irish parliament.

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Answers (2)

Know the Answer?

Gloria Pham · Answer 1

Answer: B) Swift does not mean what he says when he calls his proposal "modest" or moderate; his proposal is actually extreme.

Explanation: edg 2020

Brennen Hood · Answer 2

b. Swift does not mean what he says when he calls his proposal "modest" or moderate; his proposal is actually extreme.

Explanation:

Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" is a long pamphlet of trying to propose a new and yet productive means to solve the solution for the country's ever growing population and increasing poverty and social problems of the country. In it, he also gave a solution on how to make use of the starving children of Ireland be a good citizen for the Commonwealth.

Swift's title indicates that it is a satire when he terms the proposal "modest" for there is nothing modest in his proposal. Everything that he suggested are all too extreme, like the use of children's meat as a replacement for the meat consumption of the country, and also using them as a means of relieving poverty and at the same time providing a steady income for their families.

This use of the word "modest" is in itself a satire for satires are a means of projecting an ironical yet strong parody of an exaggerated theme or issue. By projecting his proposal as something that is plausible, yet 'barbaric and extreme', Swift perfectly portrays the social condition of the people of Ireland.