Tentative Thesis Statement & Introductory Paragraph

                                                                                                              

     

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Tentative Thesis Statement

“A Modest Proposal” by author Jonathan  Swift is a satirical comment on the current state of economic, social and ethical morays held by the genteel and landholding classes of the early 1700s which demonstrates an extreme level of shear frustration through the use of obvious extremes of Juvenalian and Horacian satire to both build up and shame those Swift feels are able to rectify the situation yet are doing nothing.



Introductory Paragraph

By using the grotesque imagery of cannibalistic social policy as a way to deal with overpopulation and poverty in Ireland in the early 1700s and then justifying such a policy with almost eloquent reasoning through the use of  irony Swift allows his audience to make light of the situation in public yet feel truly disturbed in private.  Through his combined Juvenalian and Horacian style approach Swift is allowing the genteel and landholding classes that he feels are responsible for causing and providing the solution of the circumstances at hand to wrestle with themselves.  This, in turn, will allow his audience to come to a self-determined decision as to how they can affect the circumstances presented as opposed to his audience feeling attacked and defensive.