How far are we willing to go to solve the problems that our society faces? This question is the epitome of what Jonathan Swift presents on the surface of “A Modest Proposal,” while underneath Swift is thoroughly criticizing the society of England during his time period. Throughout “A Modest Proposal” Swift makes use of sarcasm and immorality to illustrate the poor living state of the peasantry, specifically beggars. Swift also brings attention to the lack of involvement of the well-off citizens to improve the state of the poor. He does so through his proposal that the poor mothers unable to provide for their children should instead sell their newborn for the nourishment of the people. This proposal is made abundantly sarcastic and is a nightmare to any and all who can only take a writing literally. Swift’s way of writing demonstrates his distaste for what was at the time seen as moral. This distaste seeps through “A Modest Proposal” as Swift slights all the “norms” of his society.

Swift rebuffs of society are done largely through his use of sarcasm. One of his earlier sarcastic statements is seen even before his plan becomes clear to the reader. When Swift starts to shift from talking about the issue to his solution he says how his proposal “is of a much greater extent.” This statement as we go further shows how from the beginning readers will need to look further into the text in order to find the intended meaning of Swift’s text. Another example of Swift’s use of sarcasm can be found in his use of the word “our.” His use of this word brings up the question of who is included and who is not. This is seen when Swift refers to “those who demand our charity in the streets.” This use of “our” paints a better picture of who his intended audience is. This distinction is important because it shows just who he intended to criticize. In this case those he intended to criticize are also the audience he presents his proposal to, the educated elite who care not for their starving peasantry and can only see them as an issue to their livelihoods. Swift’s choice of using “our” indicates how these elites separate themselves from the rest of the citizens of Great Britain. 

This idea of separation and sarcasm is later highlighted in Swift’s remarks about how one of his friends had taken his ideas to an extreme by proposing that older children should be hunted for sport in order to replace the dwindling number of deer. In this case Swift does to his friend as the elite have done to the poor. He makes sure there is a distinction between them and himself and then he condemns the thoughts of his friend, just as the elite cut off the poor their prosperous lifestyle. This act adds to the persona that Swift creates in order to imitate the wealthy elites. His disdainful attitude toward his friend mirrors the very gaze of those wealthy elites towards the peasantry.

 This overwhelming sense of immorality is created in order to further connect the wealthy elites acts of injustice to those characteristics portrayed in “A Modest Proposal.” The characteristics portrayed seen in the wealthy elites are similar to those in Swift’s essay in the regards that both act as though they sympathize with the peasantry but inevitably lack depth in their understanding of what the peasantry truly want. Also both depict themselves as though they are above the issues of those they are trying to coerce and only choose to involve themselves out of the prospect of enhancing their own state.

Throughout “A Modest Proposal” the theme of immorality taken to the extremes is fervently portrayed. From the proposal itself to the detailed inhumanization of the infants to be used for the proposal the idea of immorality is pushed so evidently that many readers have trouble looking past the immorality to see what Swift is truly attempting to portray. Examples of Swift’s use of immorality are almost ever present throughout his essay. His use of the term “breeders” for the mothers expected to sell their children off to be eaten heightens the sense of immorality in “A Modest Proposal.” Not only does his diction add to his essay’s immorality also the analytical tone he takes when he is talking about the benefits of eating infants as nutritious, economical, and politically beneficial. This tone that Swift chooses to take up is used to intensify the already unconscionable ideas existing throughout the pages of his essay

The persona Swift dawns as he delves into this essay substantially adds to the result that Swift was trying to create through creating this essay. That result being to slight and disavow the wealthy elites that he displays his persona to be similarly to. In Swift’s essay his use of sarcasm and exaggeration are deployed successfully making the contempt Swift feels towards the wealthy elites feel all the more intense. While his use of sarcasm and exaggeration was used to directly insult the aristocracy, Swift’s use of immorality is used in a more meandering way. He uses the disgust that the wealthy feel towards cannibalism to show just how much greater the disgust he feels towards the aristocracy and their way of treating their fellow countrymen is. Swift’s use of these elements effectively elevates the purpose he had in creating “A Modest Proposal” and enhance the eloquence of his writing style.