Swift intentionally uses the essay to draw attention to the horrible economy in Ireland and how oppressed it was by England. ... Taking advantage of this, Swift decides to come up with an absurd proposal to catch the reader's attention. ... The risk of bringing up the topic did pay off a bit though because it unconsciously causes the reader to think about how much the economy actually affected households during this time. ... Using his false proposal as a plot device, he was able to keep the readers' attention and their unpleasant interest of hoping he was only joking about mutilati...

• Word Count: 863
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

He proposes an idea so outlandish, so unorthodox, that it cannot help but catch his readers" attention. ... In saying that there was a new source of "venison" for the "gentlemen" of the country, he mentions that the rich young men have "of late destroyed their deer", giving it a barely controlled, annoyed quality, making the audience, if at least a bit intelligent, realize how subtly he hints of their wastefulness. ... He adds that there are plenty of both sexes in every country "ready to starve for want of work and service", signifying the unemployment problems, causing the reader to visuali...

• Word Count: 592
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate