A Modest Proposal Study Questions – Flashcards
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What is the "great town" that the narrator refers to in the opening paragraph?
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Dublin
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What is it that bothers those who walk through the streets, according to the narrator?
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women and children begging for money
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Who is intended to be the target of the proposal?
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English landlords
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What is meant by the phrase, "a child just dropped from its dam"?
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a child just born
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What are these words "a child just dropped from its dam"? usually used to describe?
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animals
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To whom does the narrator apply the term "breeders"?
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women able to have children
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What "livelihood" do poor children allegedly begin approximately at age six?
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thievery
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At what paragraph does Swift's satiric purpose become quite obvious?
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in the paragraph where he introduces the idea of eating babies
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According to the narrator, for whom will infants be "proper" food?
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English landlords who have already "devoured" the parents
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What secondary---and, supposedly, desirable---effect will the eating of Catholic children have, according to the narrator?
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a reduction in the number of Catholics
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What purpose is the skin to serve?
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as gloves for ladies and boots for gentlemen
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What additional proposal is made by "a very worthy person, a true lover of his country"?
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that girls and boys aged 12-14 be sold for food
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According to the narrator, what might scrupulous people think of the proposal discussed in question 12?
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they may think it bordering on cruelty
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Why isn't the narrator concerned about getting rid of the "aged, diseased, or maimed"?
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they are dying as fast as can be reasonably expected
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What are three of the suggested advantages of the proposal?
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Choose from these four---fewer Catholics, tenants can use the payments from children to pay rent, new dish for "refined" tables, inducement for marriage, increase in care and tenderness of mothers
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What are two examples of proposed solutions to Ireland's problems that the narrator believes should not be used?
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Choose from these three---taxes for absentee landlords, use of Irish-only produced goods, reduction of external strife
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Why are these methods, taxes for absentee landlords, use of Irish-only produced goods, and reduction of external strife not used?
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the narrator does not believe that there have been sincere attempts to practice them
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What is ironic about the last paragraph of the selection?
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the narrator claims that he has nothing to gain-no young children and his wife is too old to have more
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How does the narrator try to demonstrate that he is reasonable, objective, and practical?
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the use of statistics, a logical argument is built, and he repeats the word "humbly"
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Because this is a satire, how would Swift's values differ from those of the narrator he created?
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they would be the opposite
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What is the significance of the use of the word "modest"?
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it's used in the title and is the opposite of "outrageous"
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How do the narrator and Swift differ?
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Swift values life and children and does not see them as grievances
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Why did Swift write this? What is he exasperated with?
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he is angered by the lack of help for the poor
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Is satire an appropriate avenue of persuasion? Why or why not?
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if you were outraged by this proposal, then it was because that is what is Swift was trying to accomplish---to make you aware and sympathetic to the plight of the poor
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Do you think that Swift is skilled in the use of satire? Why or why not?
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because of the the logic and persuasive ability of Swift in his proposal he is the best-known satirist in English literature
