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Pathos In A Modest Proposal

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“A Modest Proposal” was written in 1729 by Dr. Jonathan Swift and is based on his “solution” to the total economic ruin in Ireland and its affects on society. His opinions on the matter are rather outlandish and truly test mankind's morals. Although his ideas were controversial they were possibly, when taken seriously with all humanity aside, a solution to the problems Ireland was battling. The controversial aspects of this paper raise several emotions within the reader, which appeal to the three aspects of writing; ethos, logos, and pathos. Pathos is used to pull at the reader's heart strings, it stirs up their emotions for a powerful reaction. An example of Swift using pathos is when he describes how a mother selling her child for slaughter …show more content…

Swift pulls on ones heart strings by making the subject of his paper the consumption of infants and small children as a way to boost the economy. An example of this is when he states that women cannot have abortions (Swift, par 5) but could sell their children to be slaughtered and served on a platter, much like livestock (Swift, par 10). For Swift to express such a hypocritic opinion was extremely risky, but served its purpose since it surely stirred up the emotions in many readers. The idea of a family sitting down and devouring an actual infant child for supper creates a disturbing image, but the image of a mother selling her infant creates a unique reaction. One’s first response to this would be absolute disbelief, which in a way helps establish the papers validity by causing the reader to second guess why one would do such a thing. Swift continues to use pathos throughout his proposal, but doesn’t leave his readers pondering the answer to their question very …show more content…

He begins by breaking down Ireland's population by splitting it between those who have had children and those who have not. From the group of those who have had children, he splits them again into those who can and cannot maintain their children, then subtracts the number of miscarriages he predicts will occur The number of those who maintained their children are miniscule compared to those who could not. According to Swift, this imbalance is the root of the downfall in Ireland. He states that the amount of children being produced was a “very great additional grievance” (Swift, 1) to his country, and that those children grew up to be criminals due to lack of work (Swift, par 1). By talking down the subjects of the issue, Swift makes his solution to Ireland's issues much more probable, causing the reader to accept his proposals

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Swift does a good job using ethos, pathos, and logos to describe the Ireland’s economy and how he thinks it can be improved. All of his references to the killing of innocent children were just a way to open up the eyes of their society to how the Irish poor beggars were not being given any type of aid. He uses ethos in the best way and also does a good job using logos. Swift has ideas that are not that ethical but does an interesting way to get his ideas

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Swift makes extensive use of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos within the first eight paragraphs to create a strong initial argument that captures the audience’s attention and provide assurance that the information presented is viable. Swift starts with an appeal to Pathos by describing the state of Ireland: “the Streets, the Roads, and Cabin-Doors, crowded with Beggars of the female Sex, followed by three, four, or six Children, all in Rags, and importuning every Passenger for an Alms” (Swift, 1). The description of Ireland leaves a gloomy effect on the audience, as they are met with a somber tone set forth by a description on how thousands of people are affected by the poverty in Ireland. Swift continues this appeal to Pathos by describing the state of families within this poverty: “this prodigious number of Children, in the Arms, or on the Backs, or at the heels of their Mothers, and frequently of their Fathers, is in the present deplorable state of the Kingdom, a very great additional grievance” (Swift, 2). This description of the melancholy state of Ireland creates an emotional appeal because, the thought of having mass amounts of children being forced to cling to their Mothers and Fathers in a desperate struggle for survival, is a morose image.

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He makes children seem like they are useless to society and will just end up living a life of crime or being weak and leaving their country. This makes the audience feel emotionally for the children. Swift uses pathos to generate strong emotions towards the children-emotions that attack his argument. Swift uses ethos by quoting his barbaric friend from London is saying he has been having the same the idea of killing the kids to make the audience

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He says by selling the children, it will take a burden off of the parents, it will even stop mothers from having abortions. Swift says that his proposal will stop the horrible things that mothers do to their children to hide their shame like sacrificing innocent children. The irony to this is Swift’s proposal would have innocent children be sold, slaughtered, and eaten by the wealthy. Which is pretty much the same thing as

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