A Modest Proposal Study Questions

3 September 2022
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question
What is the "great town" that the narrator refers to in the opening paragraph?
answer
Dublin
question
What is it that bothers those who walk through the streets, according to the narrator?
answer
women and children begging for money
question
Who is intended to be the target of the proposal?
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English landlords
question
What is meant by the phrase, "a child just dropped from its dam"?
answer
a child just born
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What are these words "a child just dropped from its dam"? usually used to describe?
answer
animals
question
To whom does the narrator apply the term "breeders"?
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women able to have children
question
What "livelihood" do poor children allegedly begin approximately at age six?
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thievery
question
At what paragraph does Swift's satiric purpose become quite obvious?
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in the paragraph where he introduces the idea of eating babies
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According to the narrator, for whom will infants be "proper" food?
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English landlords who have already "devoured" the parents
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What secondary---and, supposedly, desirable---effect will the eating of Catholic children have, according to the narrator?
answer
a reduction in the number of Catholics
question
What purpose is the skin to serve?
answer
as gloves for ladies and boots for gentlemen
question
What additional proposal is made by "a very worthy person, a true lover of his country"?
answer
that girls and boys aged 12-14 be sold for food
question
According to the narrator, what might scrupulous people think of the proposal discussed in question 12?
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they may think it bordering on cruelty
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Why isn't the narrator concerned about getting rid of the "aged, diseased, or maimed"?
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they are dying as fast as can be reasonably expected
question
What are three of the suggested advantages of the proposal?
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Choose from these four---fewer Catholics, tenants can use the payments from children to pay rent, new dish for "refined" tables, inducement for marriage, increase in care and tenderness of mothers
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What are two examples of proposed solutions to Ireland's problems that the narrator believes should not be used?
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Choose from these three---taxes for absentee landlords, use of Irish-only produced goods, reduction of external strife
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Why are these methods, taxes for absentee landlords, use of Irish-only produced goods, and reduction of external strife not used?
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the narrator does not believe that there have been sincere attempts to practice them
question
What is ironic about the last paragraph of the selection?
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the narrator claims that he has nothing to gain-no young children and his wife is too old to have more
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How does the narrator try to demonstrate that he is reasonable, objective, and practical?
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the use of statistics, a logical argument is built, and he repeats the word "humbly"
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Because this is a satire, how would Swift's values differ from those of the narrator he created?
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they would be the opposite
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What is the significance of the use of the word "modest"?
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it's used in the title and is the opposite of "outrageous"
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How do the narrator and Swift differ?
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Swift values life and children and does not see them as grievances
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Why did Swift write this? What is he exasperated with?
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he is angered by the lack of help for the poor
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Is satire an appropriate avenue of persuasion? Why or why not?
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if you were outraged by this proposal, then it was because that is what is Swift was trying to accomplish---to make you aware and sympathetic to the plight of the poor
question
Do you think that Swift is skilled in the use of satire? Why or why not?
answer
because of the the logic and persuasive ability of Swift in his proposal he is the best-known satirist in English literature