In Swift's essay A Modest Proposal he uses diction, assumption and organization to develop his position. In this essay Swift is attempting to bring to light the awful treatment the Irish were receiving after the drought. Swifts choice if words among the essay helps reveal to the reader the point he is trying to make. In paragraph 21 he says "papists, with whom we are yearly overrun, being the principle breeders of the nation." The quote clearly shows, through the use of the words "overrun" and "breeders" that he thinks of families as just a unit to provide more people. By using overrun it seems as though he is considering the population as papist and Protestants, and that there needs to be more Protestants if not a balanced population. Overrun also implies a relation to beings more like animals. Instead of using words like "overpopulated" and "out numbered" Swift chooses to use "overrun" to show the lack of emotion towards the papists besides hate. Another choice of words that show Swifts diction is the use of the word emulation. Emulation by definition means the effort to act like someone else. Swift says "we should see an honest emulation among the married women," which would normally be considered strange. The common stereotype is that ever mother loves her children, and this paragraph mainly contradicts that by implying that children are considered a burden. .
Assumption is used many times throughout paragraphs 20-26 and help the reader understand his point of view. From the beginning he is making the assumption that's the papists are bad and it would be better if there were less of them. He states that "it would greatly lessen the number of papists, with whom we are yearly overrun, being.our most dangerous enemies," which clearly shows his distaste for the papists. Using this assumption he is playing up the prejudice of his audience. Because of the poor treatment of the Irish by the English, the people reading this would most likely be delighted by the idea of fewer papists.
