

Connecting the dots between different pieces of literature is crucial when developing ideas and meanings. By acquiring a good base of knowledge for one story, that helps you build understanding and meaning towards another. Two works that stood out to me this year were, Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” and Wendy Molyneux’s “I Am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a Comedy Piece.”  Analyzing these two works individually allowed me to grasp a deeper understanding between the author’s different meanings of the works, while also realizing the common elements in both pieces. These two works are both satirical and use extreme forms of exaggeration to get their message across, but were written to convey two drastically different meanings and motives. 

Both Swift and Molyneux use intense irony and absurd exaggeration to enhance their arguments, although their reasons for writing are considerably different. In 1729 Swift anonymously published “A Modest Proposal” hoping to grab the attention of government and bring to light the horrible conditions that surrounded Ireland. Swift mocks the poor and by doing this he is also criticizing the British policy brought unto the Irish during this time. Swift hoped that by going to such an extreme people would finally realize what was happening and make a change. The initial, in your face, glimpse into Swifts proposal is as stated,

“I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled, and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or a ragoust” (Swift 515). 

Obviously, Swift does not ever plan on actually killing, cooking and consuming children as sustenance. Throughout, Swift makes multiple claims suggesting the butchering and selling of small children to the rich to help the poverty-stricken community. For example, Swift proposes “…give ten shillings for the carcass of a good fat child…:” (Swift 516), which would provide the families with money to pay their tenants and stop wasting money on worthless children. As Swift progresses through his work it is evident that real issues are presented and solutions to follow. Towards the end of “A Modest Proposal” Swift justifies his irrational proposal by saying, 

“I profess, in the sincerity of my heart, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavoring to promote this necessary work, having no other motive then the publik good of my country, by advancing our trade, providing for infants, relieving the poor, and giving some pleasure to the rich. I have no children, by which I can propose to get a single penny- the youngest being nine years old, and my wife past child-bearing” (Swift 520). 

By choosing to conclude this way Swift is letting the public know that although, some aspects of his piece were irrational, the facts that he presented were, indeed, real and necessary for the well-being of their country. All in all, Swifts writing style and crazy ideas were crucial to the community to start conversation and get people talking about the issues. His ultimate goal was to grasp the reader’s attention and create change within a struggling society.

 In contrast, Molyneux’s “I Am Sorry That I Didn’t Write a Comedy Piece” was written as a response to a piece published in Vanity Fair talking about how women are not funny and are not capable of being funny. Throughout time there has been a common misconception regarding women and their humor. Christopher Hitchens, a columnist for Vanity Fair, wrote an article claiming women are not funny. Wendy Molyneux took obvious offense to this article, and decided to write a response. Molyneux, like Swift, uses hyperbole and irony in her piece but also incorporates gender stereotypes to prove Hitchens wrong. Molyneux begins her article by describing how she wants to write a comedy piece, but every time she tries to begin she is faced with a “feminine” problem. By implementing stereotypes Molyneux purposely writes, 

“I walked into my closet, which is gigantic because women love to wear lots of expensive clothes and shoes all the time, and I thought, “I know what will make me feel better! I will feel better if I try on all my clothes and shoes to the tune of an upbeat Motown song such as “My Girl.” And so, I did that”’ (Molyneux 522).

This quote was a complete dig toward Hitchens and his misogynistic stereotyping of women and their lack of humor. After she is done trying on all her clothes, she immediately has a second break down. She desperately admits, “I totally started to cry again, because I am so fat. I cried for a little while on the floor while my cats crawled all over me, purring and being symbols of how lonely I am. My cats love to be symbols of my loneliness” (Molyneux 522). This is the perfect example the stereotypical “cat woman.” Her exaggeration towards her cats love being symbols of her loneliness is when the desperation becomes completely funny and obvious. As the stereotyping progresses the situations become so extremely accurate, relatable and obvious that the whole piece is comical. Some may think that Molyneux is being offensive and negative towards women but that fact that she is  personally attacking Hitchens and proving him wrong makes it acceptable. For example, she writes, 

“I mean I probably shouldn’t even try to write a comedy piece since Christopher Hitchens wrote an article in Vanity Fair saying that women just aren’t funny. He’s probably right. And even if he isn’t, I think it’s great that we live in a country where you can say anything you want, like that women aren’t funny or that Christopher Hitchens is a huge douche who runs a successful child pornography business and has an inability to get an erection unless he’s reading Nazi literature” (Molyneux 522 and 523). 

The way Wendy Molyneux completely obliterated Hitchens in such a not serious, playful, hilarious way, it was accepted throughout the literary community.  

Ultimately, both Swift and Molyneux use satirical literary devices, hyperbole and extreme forms of exaggeration to thoroughly and effectively further their arguments but do so in a way that distinguishes their intent and motive. By using satire to bring their topics to light Swift and Molyneux effortlessly and eloquently criticize society and make the changes they sought out. Swift uses his influence to urge the government to make the necessary changes the country so desperately need, where Molyneux wanted to disprove and bury the commonly misguided stereotype that women are not and cannot be funny. All in all, satire ,whether it be to make a drastic change in a society or to simply prove a hater wrong, can be extremely hilarious and effective no matter the outcome.  
