Sunday, October 6, 2013
A Satirical View
We all know that the satire in "A Modest Proposal' by Jonathan Swift is meant to shock the reader. He uses this strategy so that his other proposal now seem much more reasonable and productive. It is also used as a wake up call for all the people. The outrageous makes them shy away form even the idea of eating babies, so they start to think of any other solution that this extreme. What other ways does Swift use to illustrate the problem in his Modest Proposal? We are all writing a satirical piece for this class, so how is this satire useful? How is it detrimental? What causes it to be so effective, and what are the dangers of it being effective? Authors use satire to make a point. Is there easier ways to get their point across? Sure! Then way use satire and run the risk of others not understanding that it is indeed satire?
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Swift uses many ways to convince his audience. He includes many facts within the proposal which adds to his argument. Satire can be useful by convincing people to believe a normally absurd viewpoint. Satire can have very negative effects if it is taken literally. None of us would want someone thinking it's okay to eat babies just by reading "A Modest Proposal." It becomes increasingly effective when facts are included that relate the proposal to the real world. It also becomes more effective when the solution is compared to something even more out of this world. I find satire as a way to express an outrageous thought without getting extremely criticized for it. It seems to be a way to express one's feelings openly even if they are extreme.
ReplyDeleteThe use of facts at the beginning of the argument is solely used to blindside the audience into thinking that the author has a logical argument. I agree that satire can be more detrimental instead of helpful when taken literally. Things would be much different if people believed Swift's argument and actually started eating their children. I like how you thought that satire is a way to state a thought without being criticized for it. But, I don't think that is always the case. Why would Swift publish his argument anonymously if he was not afraid of the criticism that would come along with it by those who did not understand the underlining meaning.
DeleteLike Sarah said, your point about how using satire is a good to not be criticized could go either way. Swift did publish anonymously, in order to, I'm assuming, not be thought a crazed man by family and public for publishing his article, or to not become the figurehead for a baby-eating nation. However, with topics not so far fetched, satire can work just fine as a way to not be criticized. I've seen satire on the current GOP debate in the Senate about the government, and it wasn't exactly material that could be criticized.
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ReplyDeleteSatire is used to prove a point... not only to prove it, but to really, REALLY prove it, so it sticks in the readers' minds as they go about life. "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift does just that; he mortifies his audience with an absurd and gruesome idea which helps to highlight the actual issue and bring forward the logical solutions to the problem. Why use satire? It is (most of the time) super effective. Not only is it effective, but it is also fun! Swift highlighting such an absurd thought of eating babies made his piece much more exciting and interesting than if he were to plainly state the problem and explain all of the ways that this problem can be solved. One danger of satire having so much effect is that some people may jump with full throttle into an argument, yet they don't have any facts to support their claim besides that an author proved a really good point that he or she agrees with.
ReplyDeleteYou make such good points about satire. You discuss how satire is used to bring issues forward and make them known to the public. This is definitely implemented through Swift's Proposal because he is making it easy for more people to know about the issues taking place in Ireland with both starving population and the religious conflicts. You also state how satire is "fun." I most certainly agree with this claim because it was very difficult to be bored reading "A Modest Proposal." The whole time the audience just wants to keep reading to see what else this crazy, cannibalistic man is going to say. The topic was cruel, but it was intriguing because it is dramatic and humans love to soak up some drama. Satire is a strong way to get messages across and to keep the audience on their toes.
DeleteSwift uses statistics to show that there is a problem. The statistics allow the reader to think that this article might actually have a plausible solution. This is part of the satirical tactic. The actual absurdness of his proposal stops the audience and forces them to look deeper at what he is really saying. It is this reason, the shock and awe, that satire is effective. On the other hand, misunderstood satire can create an uprising of emotions because the main point was missed by certain members of the audience. I think that when using satire, the writer has to know the audience well enough for the audience to completely miss the point.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that his satire really allows the reader to look deeper. The solution stated in "A Modest Proposal" causes people to stop and think about the actual situation. This really puts a different light on the subject than before. In order for satire to be effective, people must realize that it is satire. The satirical essay is almost purposeless if the reader does not see the satire and think beyond the text. I think that Swift does know his audience very well by knowing that they can catch on to his satirical viewpoint.
DeleteSwift's certain style and way of using satire in his article makes his point more effective by making the public think about the good of the public in the beginning and wanting to know his solution by the end of the first few paragraphs. Once he actually puts his idea on paper, the public shies away from it, but still has the good of the people in mind, and therefore would possibly find a different way of dealing with the problem laid out by Swift. The detrimental effect of Swift's satire is that some of the public may have actually thought that he was serious and could have possibly wanted to pursue the idea. But Swift's satire was used to make the problem become a thorn in the public's side causing them to think about it until something is done. Swift ran the risk of those uneducated in the ways of satire but were still able to read actually thinking that this anonymous man actually wants them to sell babies to the English for meals and either rioting the ideas placed on the sheet of paper or going along with them.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, I agree; a detrimental effect in "A Modest Proposal" is that some readers could have not caught onto the satire in Swift's essay, and thought that his proposal was a good idea. I think also that Swift's satire portrays a sort of sarcastic tone. Sarcasm is commonly misinterpreted for being a serious tone, just as Swift's use of satire is. Confusion and fright must have been rushing through many readers' heads as they first read Swift's "A Modest Proposal."
DeleteSatire, in this case, is very extreme. The extremity of the idea of the cannibalistic eating of babies is an unimaginable thought for the readers at first. It, like you stated, shocks the readers. I know that when I read it, I was taken by surprise and my world was flipped upside down. It was not until later in the piece that I remembered that I was reading satire. I realized I had been tricked into thinking he was serious and then it was when his proposal got more ridiculous that it occurred to me he was not being for real. He uses this trick of building up to make his work flow. He shot his audience out of the water by dropping the cannibalism bomb and then he keeps adding to his story and building up the insanity. This then creates a platform for the reader to understand that the writing is too ridiculous to be real, so it is then easy for them to recognize the satire.
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