Surprise ending
A modest proposal is a widely read essay by Jonathan Swift that was written with an aim of providing the solution to the aggravating hunger problem in Ireland. From the beginning of the proposal, Swift adopts a satirical approach which ensures into a surprise ending. The ending comes as a surprise to me because, at the start of the essay, Swift takes the persona of a concerned economist proposing that to alleviate the poverty and overpopulation better in Ireland, the children of the poor should be sold as food to the wealthy. This, he argues, will significantly increase the income for the poor as well as reduce the population. However, towards the end of the essay, he adopts an outrageous tone that totally contrasts from that used at the beginning. His arguments are rationally presented, but they support a profoundly irrational position that evidences that the main aim of the essay is providing pleasure to the rich rather than easing the poor people’s burden.
The surprise ending to Jonathan Swift’s essay is hinted at the second last paragraph whereby he states that it would take very many years for the poor to get food to sustain their children and that if the government attempts to provide for them, it will result in innumerable debt (Swift, 2015). Jonathan’s depiction that his proposal is rather cheap and efficient and easy to adopt is an indication that the end of the story will be stupefying contrary to what I as a reader expects. He even asserts that parents with adolescent children would also adopt his idea owing to the challenges they faced providing for them. This is a clear indication that Swift was speaking for himself, being among the rich, as he regrets not having children he could sell to benefit him. Ideally, the author achieves his element of surprise when he restates his objectives for advancing his proposal (Turner, 1998). The surprise is depicted by the fact that his proposal was for children to be provided for yet at the beginning of the essay he was suggesting that they are sold to the wealthy for survival. Moreover, it is stupefying how his closing statement offers an indictment of the ethic convenience and personal gain. He purports that a reader will believe that his disinterestedness is not because of his moral standards, but he happens to be susceptible to the monetary gain that might compromise his position as a cathedral dean (Swift, 2015). His assertion here reminds us of his unquestioned assumption that anyone with children would be willing to sell them.
Besides the author, Jonathan Swift convinces me as a reader of his surprise ending by offering several reasons why his plan should be adopted. He first tries to lure opinionated readers to be the same view as him by asking them to consider his opinion as cheap, efficient and innocent before giving their opinions. It is also an exaggeration when he states that cannibalism is the only way to improve the social, economic welfare of the people of Ireland. In the essay “A Modest Proposal”, Jonathan Swift adopts a satirical approach to poverty and hunger in Ireland (Swift, 2015). However, the reader cannot be sure about Swift’s proposal until the last paragraph where he prepares us for a surprise ending. He does so through outlining three points why his proposal should be factored before the writing and contemplation of another proposal. Among the reasons he provides include, an allusion that many people with adolescent kids would second his idea of selling children when they are still young because of the challenges they have faced in feeding them to adolescence. Secondly, the majority of the people are poor, and thirdly the government cannot help them to avoid falling into debt (Turner, 1998). These three points indicate the author’s success in preparing readers for the surprise ending because they clearly suggest Swift’s position regarding the welfare of his country.
In conclusion, Swift succeeds in making a surprise ending by changing the tone of which he stated the essay from that of a visionary economist whose sympathy for the poor leads him to suggest a remedy that is murderous cruelty to that of an egocentric individual who only represents the interest of the unscrupulous mob whose only priority is economic gain. He clearly brings out the differences between the level headed and wealthy whose only worry is monetary gain as opposed to the poor masses whose greatest fear is survival and are thus willing to sell their infants as food in exchange for cash for other needs. Through the surprising ending, I further think that Swift has successfully achieved to convince his audience to consider eating Ireland’s with an aim of controlling the population and the poverty. As a reader, he has led to me to believe that he provided the notion to consume the impoverished Ireland kinds from the American, where children are eaten. In this case, he has able to combine all the solutions to the challenges that face Ireland. At the end of the day, the poor Irish will ultimately obtain something they own. As noted, possession of a child draws parents from poverty as they are able sell them and ultimately pay bills. However, the proposal offered by Swift is the best suggestion that can help solve the Ireland’s political, economic and social challenges.
Works cited
Swift, J. (2007). A Modest Proposal. Retrieved Jan 31, 2012, from Gutenberg Ebook A Modest Proposal: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1080/1080-h/1080-h.htm
MacCutcheon, R. T. (2015). A modest proposal on method: Essaying the study of religion. Leiden: Brill.
Swift, J. (2015). A Modest Proposal. Tustin: Xist Publishing.
Turner, M. J. (1998). The study of English literature. Sidney, B.C: Ardmore Pub.
Swift, J. (1996). A modest proposal and other satirical works. New York: Dover.
