How far are we willing to go to solve the problems that face our society? This question is the epitome of what Jonathan Swift presents in “A Modest Proposal”, at least on the surface. Underneath this idea of sacrifices made for the “greater good” 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, especially beggars. Swift 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 families unable to provide for their children should instead sell their newborns for the nourishment of the people. This proposal is made abundantly sarcastic and is a nightmare to any and all who can only take his writing for what it says on the surface. Swift’s sarcastic way of writing and immoral theme 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 in an attempt to change what was seen as normal.

A large portion of Swift’s rebukes are done through his use of sarcasm. Early on in Swift’s proposal, even before his plan becomes clear to the reader Swift notes that his solution to his societies overpopulation and starvation “is of a much greater extent”. This statement shows how Swift uses exuberant diction to push his belligerent proposal as the answer to the wealthy citizens’ dilemma. When in fact Swift’s decision to state how his proposal appeals to the wealthy is his way of showing how twisted and wicked the ruling class was during his time period. Another example of Swift’s use of sarcasm can be found in his choice of diction. I find this especially evident in his use of the word “our”. His use of this word brings up the question of who is included and who excluded. 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 sarcasm is intended to criticize.  In this case those he intended to criticize are the very audience he presents his proposal to, the educated elites who abuse their starving peasantry. These same elites can only see them, the peasantry as an issue to their livelihoods because they seek to obtain their money and no less by begging out on their streets. 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 his friend and himself and then he condemns the thoughts of this friend, just as the elite cut off the poor from their prosperous lifestyle and abundantly make clear the class difference between the poor and themselves. This act adds to the persona that Swift creates in order to imitate the wealthy elites. His overly critical attitude toward his friend mirrors the very gaze of those wealthy elites towards the peasantry.

 The overwhelming sense of immorality created in Swift’s proposal is done in order to further connect the wealthy elites acts of injustice to the characteristics portrayed in “A Modest Proposal.” The characteristics 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. In other words, the wealthy contribute to the poor only in order to better control them.

The theme of immorality is taken to the extremes it is fervently portrayed throughout “A Modest Proposal”. From the proposal itself to the detailed inhuman treatment 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 Swift choice of tone when he is talking about the benefits of eating infants as nutritious, economical, and politically beneficial aid in heightening his audiences’ sense of immorality. The analytical and unsympathetic tone that Swift chooses to take up is used to intensify the already unconscionable ideas existing throughout the pages of his essay. His tone is able to do this by showing just how immoral one becomes when they think only of self-elevation just as the wealthy elites had done during Swift’s time.

The persona Swift dawns as he delves into this essay substantially adds to the result that Swift was trying to create through 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.