The Juxtapositions of the Proposals

The Juxtapositions of the Proposals

Political injustice is the central theme in both Martin Luther King’s essay “Letter in Birmingham Jail” and Jonathan Swift’s essay “A Modest Proposal.” King’s essay is powerful and uplifting. King’s stylistic use of pathos, logos, periodic sentence and anaphora’s sets a tone that is confident, respectful and passionate. The reader naturally sympathizes and is persuaded by King’s argument. By contrast Swift’s essay is a humorous satire. It is both cynical and confident in tone. Swift incorporates logos, ethos, hyperbole and irony in his essay. The narrator’s use of logos is masked by the comedic tone of the “proposal”. This author believes that King’s message is powerful and uplifting whereas Swift’s stylistic approach, while making a strong point, does not allow the reader to feel passionately towards Swift’s cause.

The full title of Swift’s essay is, “A modest proposal for preventing the children of poor people from being a burthen to their parents, or country, and for making them beneficial to the plublick.” In this satire Swift essentially turns Irelands problem into its solution. Swift argues that at age one parents can sell their babies to wealthy landowners. He offers many reasons as to why this would benefit the country. His proposal will combat social, economic and political difficulties. He concludes by stating that his proposal will do more to resolve Ireland’s problems that any other solution that has been put forward.

“A Modest Proposal” is narrated through Swift’s pretentious and cynical persona. This causes the reader to be left with an outrageous and memorable impression of the essay. Through the use of satire, he depicts the impoverished state of the Irish people. At the start, Swift writes in a sympathetic style and describes the common scene of a mother sitting on the street with her children dressed in rags. However, as the essay continues, the message is given through the eyes of a cynic who proposes fatting up the poor children of Ireland and feeding them to the gentry as a means of providing income for the impoverished. The narrator offers many statistics as to how this would be beneficial to the country and how to construct this system. Due to his authoritative tone, the reader is compelled to continue reading. Swift ends his essay by using ethical factors as a form of persuasion, “I have not the least personal interest in endeavoring to promote this necessary work, having no other motive than the publick good of my country…I have no children, by which I can propose to get a single penny…” However, it is through the use of satire that the reader is left with an extremely unforgettable and unique reading experience. Nevertheless, due to the ironic tone of this essay, the cause can be masked by the hyperbole; the reader can become detached from the horrific events that