Question
That the remaining hundred thousand may, at a year old, be offered in sale to the persons of quality and fortune, through the kingdom, always advising the mother to let them suck plentifully in the last month, so as to render them plump, and fat for a good table.
–“A Modest Proposal,”
Jonathan Swift
What false premise does Swift rely on to build his argument in this passage?
There are many impoverished children in Ireland.
The wealthy will be willing to buy and consume children.
Children will be cheap enough for people to buy.
Women should have more children in order to build Ireland’s workforce.
–“A Modest Proposal,”
Jonathan Swift
What false premise does Swift rely on to build his argument in this passage?
There are many impoverished children in Ireland.
The wealthy will be willing to buy and consume children.
Children will be cheap enough for people to buy.
Women should have more children in order to build Ireland’s workforce.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The false premise that Swift relies on to build his argument in this passage is **"The wealthy will be willing to buy and consume children."**
Swift's satire rests on the absurdity of suggesting that it is acceptable to sell children as a food source, highlighting the dehumanization and exploitation of the impoverished in society. His proposal is intentionally outrageous to provoke thought and critique the attitudes of the wealthy toward the poor.
Swift's satire rests on the absurdity of suggesting that it is acceptable to sell children as a food source, highlighting the dehumanization and exploitation of the impoverished in society. His proposal is intentionally outrageous to provoke thought and critique the attitudes of the wealthy toward the poor.