A Modest Proposal

What are the social problems Swift addresses?

poverty, unemployment, and overpopulation

Who are the principle breeders of the nation?

Catholics

Net profit from a child

8 shillings

What is the age children are sold

1 year

Swift suggests that WHO would be happy to "eat up" our whole nation even without salt?

England

Evidence that the author offers that he will not benefit from his proposal:

his children are too old; wife cannot have more

Of the children who will be allowed to survive, percent of them to be males

25%

ladies' gloves and mens' boots

Made out of skin of butchered infants

Who will be the primary consumers of human flesh?

the rich

Age a child can begin a career as a thief

6

Swift's purpose in the first paragraphs.

to describe the misery and extent of poverty in Ireland

Swift's main purpose in his essay

to force the government to help the poor in Ireland

How do we know, even before Swift reveals his plan, that his essay is not serious?

the title

What is Swift's solution to the problem?

eating and selling the babies

Who does Swift blame Irish poverty on?

England

Why does Swift use so much animal imagery?

people care less about poor people than animals

Why does he include statistics? Are they accurate?

probably not, used to make it sound more legit and believable

What does the speaker call women?

Breeders

What benefits does the speaker's proposal offer his country?

Food, less people to take care of, money for mothers, business owners, cooks, give poorer tenants something valuable to have, relieve children of a horrible future, etc.

Why does the speaker believe poor people would be accepting of his proposal?

They will be glad to not have to live like they do anymore. Death will be a relief.