A Modest Proposal Rhetorical Analysis

In “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift, he proposes that a way to decrease poverty and economic problems would be to sell children along with eating them. Although Swift makes reasonable points as to why that would work, the whole story is satire. Swift uses ethos, pathos, and logos in order to make the reader believe what he is saying is true and convincing. Starting with ethos, Swift uses authority to make sure the reader knows who has the power in society. The idea of selling and eating children would affect everyone except those with authority. One example of ethos being used is stated in the story, “A very worthy person, a true lover of his country, and whose virtues I highly esteem, was lately pleased, in discursing on this matter, to offer a refinement upon my scheme” (Line 105-107).

In this paragraph there also seems to be irony because as it continues it talks about letting children starve. Next is pathos which applies to emotions and an example would be as stated, “But as to my self, having been wearied out for many years with offering vain, idle, visionary thoughts, and at length utterly despairing of success, I fortunately fell upon this proposal, which as it is wholly new, so it hath something solid and real, of no expense and little trouble, full in our own power, and whereby we can incur no danger disobliging England” (Line 222-226). These lines try to make the reader feel what the writer is feeling. He states that he is in despair, worried, and that his thoughts are vivid. Lastly is the logo which appeals to logic and the author states, “I believe no gentleman would repine to give ten shillings for the carcass of a good fat child, which, as I have said, will make four dishes of excellent nutritive meat.” (Line 92-94). This applies to logic because he knows that if kids were used as food, they would make a good meal for those in