As the history of writing has increased to a standard that is essential for living, many different writing styles have popped up around the world. Satire really takes the cake, on the most interesting one. In Ireland, A man named Johnathan Swift was the father of satire. He wanted to get a point across, and so he invented a different way of writing, that would forever change society. This new way of writing is called satire; a way to say something, and have only the smartest of people know that you are actually bashing against a group of people who have made a mistake. Swift wrote an essay to get people to see his point of view, and this essay was just the start of a much more in depth subject later on in history. Satire may be up for questioning on if it actually works, so here are some reasons why it, in-fact does if these things are made clear; a societal ill was exposed, a corrupt person of power, and an ignorant action.
Swift is a very smart man, always writing for the paper, and helping out his community as a wealthy man, but there was a ill in society that was really getting at him. That ill, was the fact that those who walk through Ireland could see that "cabin doors, are all crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three four or six children, all in rags and importuning every passenger for an alms" (Swift 1). Well, this ill was actually only half of the problem. The other problem was that nobody was doing anything about all of these people starving on the streets. This is where the sarcastic satire comes in; Swift proposes that "a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food" (Swift 3). This is Swifts way of getting rid of all the starving people on the streets. If they weren't helping in keeping Ireland alive in the times of British rampancy, then they should help in a different way; more food. He is not actually wanting people to start eating the babies of poor folk, he is simply using loads of sarcasm and irony to get his point across that things need to change with these poor people. He then goes on using rationalism and logic to say a whole bunch of numbers about how many people in Ireland would be fed if they started to eat children. He actually says it in a logical way, meaning, if you didn't understand the satire, you would agree that this could be a good idea for this problem. The wrong-doing in society was very much exposed with this amazing essay, therefore. step one of a good satire is complete.
Another part of a good satire is that the writer needs to point out if there is a corrupt commander. People look up to people of power, so if these people make bad decisions, their underlings will try and follow them to their watery grave, so to speak. Swift does a great job of taking the corrupt politicians off their thrones, when he states " this kind of commodity will not bear exportation, and flesh being of too tender a consistence to admit a long continuance in salt, although perhaps I could name a country, which would be glad to eat up our entire nation without it" (Swift 9). Swift is literally saying that England's rich folk would rather eat imported, maggot infested human meat, than just give up some of their salt factories so that the Irish can support themselves and take care of their own problems. In a way, he is simply saying they are barbaric, with his grotesque sarcasm. This is kind of like a video, where the government is asking for more and more money, when they haven't even gotten their first priorities done with; they are already preparing for whats to come next (Trapwire). Swift then goes on to say that "I have no children by which I can propose to get a single penny; the youngest being 9 years old, and my wife past child-bearing" (Swift 9). Swift is now just mocking and making fun of other ideas that have come forth to save the poor people in Ireland. He is stating that "yes this is an amazing idea, but no I will not be taking part in it." This is the sort of thing that other people that have come up with ideas have said at the end of their essays, or something just as unreasonable. The tone can only be described as disappointment because Swift is sad that nobody has come up with a way of getting these people back on their feet.
An ignorant mistake is the third thing that makes a satire work. When someone does something, without thinking about the consequences, or the people they are hurting, one can make a satire about them. This is exactly what Swift does. Swift starts to tackle the rich when he says, "beside the profit of a new dish introduced to the tables of all gentlemen of fortune in the kingdom who have any refinement in taste" (Swift 6). When one analyzes this, they can come to the conclusion that Swift is bashing on wealthy people for not helping out the poor people with food and that of the sort; and they would rather eat human flesh than to do so. Swift also states that "I shall now therefore humbly propose my ow thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection" (Swift 3). Using sarcasm and irony, he is saying that he actually has no humbleness whatsoever, and we should raise our kids as cattle; so that they may die and be eaten and skinned for food and clothes. He really hates that none of the rich folk are helping out the less fortunate with survival, so he writes this satire to show just that.
Satire is really interesting with its different ways of showing ills and corruptness's in society and powerful figures as a whole. Satire works, and Jonathan Swift has proven that for us with his amazing essay A Modest Proposal. Satire was a breakthrough for the human race, for it has shone many people that what they are doing is wrong, and it works the majority of the time, as long as the person understands the satire. As was said above, Swift was the creator of satire. He needed a way to get people to listen, so he came up with an unspeakable idea to do so, and it worked. If there is a problem in society, satire is a great way to show people what is going on. If there is a need for a change, satire is the number one place to go. Satire is confusing, misleading, and irrational, but it does its best to keep humanity in line. Satire is like a pot of delicious human stew; if one puts in a child at the right age, and the perfect amount of salt, it will be the most scrumptious and wholesome meal said person has ever had, and they may never go back to their normal selections. Keep this in mid when writing satire; it will work if you have the right ingredients.
No comments:
Post a Comment