This is a place for us to discuss openly and honestly the literature we are reading. Here we are all just communicating our thoughts on what we are reading. There are no right and wrong answers. However, you are expected to be polite, mature, and on topic.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
INDIGNATION
When we read "A Modest Proposal," we laughed as satires are supposed to make us, but what was Swift's main propose and, in all honesty, did you feel anger to the degree that you would act? Explain.(This post closes at midnight on August 19th.)
Swift’s main purpose in writing “A Modest Proposal” was to cause, through the ridiculous idea of eating babies, outrage at the immobile state of England’s overpopulation problem. Swift hoped that his work would move people to action. Truthfully, while I found Swift’s main point effective, I was not angered to the point of action. Many statements staggered me, but I never felt compelled to act. This is because I knew Swift’s essay was not serious and that Swift did not actually believe that devouring children was a good solution. However, had I been living in the time when “A Modest Proposal” was written and been exposed to the begging children myself, I believe the writing would have “hit home” and I would have been more inclined to act.
As I was reading "A Modest Proposal" with the class, I initially became enraged with Swift's proposal. I then realized it was only a satire about the overpopulated area, and I understood that Swift was only trying to enlighten the reader of the problem. It also made me come to the realization that citizens of a country should not complain about the government's solutions towards a problem, unless the citizens have a better proposal. Swift's story made me want to act because I realized how the children and parents were very unfortunate. Although I would act, it would only be out of sympathy and not anger. GG-0
As Mustachios! and Ginny have already said, Swift's main purpose through this satire was to encourage people to find a solution to the overpopulation of poor, begging, starving children. He was very successful in his satire because it was extremely funny in many parts. However, I was somewhat disturbed by the level of logic that he put into this proposal. Though I thought most of the satire was just sarcastic comedy, some segments made me feel like a really "sick" person for even reading such a revolting proposal. My primary feeling was more of disgust than anger because I could not find a way, other than the moral argument,to overcome his proposal and to propose a better solution. Because Swift's proposal is so grotesque and blunt, I can easily imagine the furious, rapid opposition his satire recieved in the era of its publication. Like Mustachios!, I was not angered into action. Swift's "modest proposal" did not deeply affect me because it did not target any stereotype that I take offense to. However, I do believe that if I had been a member of one of the targetted groups, I would have more initiative to fix the current problems of my own society.
3 comments:
Swift’s main purpose in writing “A Modest Proposal” was to cause, through the ridiculous idea of eating babies, outrage at the immobile state of England’s overpopulation problem. Swift hoped that his work would move people to action. Truthfully, while I found Swift’s main point effective, I was not angered to the point of action. Many statements staggered me, but I never felt compelled to act. This is because I knew Swift’s essay was not serious and that Swift did not actually believe that devouring children was a good solution. However, had I been living in the time when “A Modest Proposal” was written and been exposed to the begging children myself, I believe the writing would have “hit home” and I would have been more inclined to act.
JJ-0
As I was reading "A Modest Proposal" with the class, I initially became enraged with Swift's proposal. I then realized it was only a satire about the overpopulated area, and I understood that Swift was only trying to enlighten the reader of the problem. It also made me come to the realization that citizens of a country should not complain about the government's solutions towards a problem, unless the citizens have a better proposal. Swift's story made me want to act because I realized how the children and parents were very unfortunate. Although I would act, it would only be out of sympathy and not anger.
GG-0
As Mustachios! and Ginny have already said, Swift's main purpose through this satire was to encourage people to find a solution to the overpopulation of poor, begging, starving children. He was very successful in his satire because it was extremely funny in many parts. However, I was somewhat disturbed by the level of logic that he put into this proposal. Though I thought most of the satire was just sarcastic comedy, some segments made me feel like a really "sick" person for even reading such a revolting proposal. My primary feeling was more of disgust than anger because I could not find a way, other than the moral argument,to overcome his proposal and to propose a better solution. Because Swift's proposal is so grotesque and blunt, I can easily imagine the furious, rapid opposition his satire recieved in the era of its publication.
Like Mustachios!, I was not angered into action. Swift's "modest proposal" did not deeply affect me because it did not target any stereotype that I take offense to. However, I do believe that if I had been a member of one of the targetted groups, I would have more initiative to fix the current problems of my own society.
BS-0
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