The first thing that went.
through everyone's mind is that this man is crazy. Cannibalism? That is.
disgusting. Yet he continues on as if he said something completely.
rational and sane. According to his proposal, twenty thousand children may.
be reserved for breeding which is more than they allow to sheep, black.
cattle and swine. He is comparing humans to animals again. The rest,.
being one hundred thousand being sold to persons of quality and fortune.
Persons of quality? What kind of person eats a baby? He is even going as.
far as to tell us to advise the mothers to let their babies suck.
plentifully in the last month, so as to render them plump and fat for a.
good table. That is revolting. He is just plain mad. That is the effect.
I think Jonathan Swift wanted to grab our attention and make us listen to.
him. That is when the satire starts to unfold and that is when he drops.
the bomb.
on us. "I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very.
proper for landlords, who as they have already devoured most of the parents,.
seem to have the best title to the children." He is telling us we already.
have cannibalism. The landlords are cruel and inhuman. The landlords have.
already taken so much from the families, why not give them the babies as.
well?.
It takes approximately two shillings annually to nurse a child,.
rags included. The children did not even wear clothes because they could.
not afford them. They wore whatever was cheap and whatever they could find.
and no gentleman would repine to give ten shillings for the carcass of a.
good fat child. There is more satire here. What kind of gentleman eats a.
child? The narrator goes on to tell us that he will be a good landlord and.
grow popular among his tenants. There is some more satire presented to us.
The people will like the landlords for two reasons. One being that they.
will be getting rid of their babies which they cannot afford. I do not.
think the people will rejoice at having their babies eaten by their.
