The Big Questions
Each unit will feature a set of questions.We, as interactive and effective readers, will:
- locate examples to illustrate literary elements/concepts/themes, etc.
- draw conclusions
- infer
- provide textual support for responses
- What is the overall goal of satire?
- How does your generation use satire? Is it still a popular literary genre?
- In what ways can satire show a problem's solution (even in a ridiculous way)?
- How does Swift use satire to show the problems in Ireland, because of English rule?
REstoration Era & the 18th Century
Heather Barton does a wonderful job of providing a crash course of this time period. Watch the video below to get a better visual understanding of the culture, ideology, literature, and politics of the times.
Literary Genre: Satire
If you've ever seen any of these television shows, then you are already familiar with satire! Satire is defined as "A work of literature that mocks social conventions, another work of art, or anything its author thinks ridiculous."
modest_proposal_-_video_intro_what_is_satire.docx | |
File Size: | 20 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Understanding Satire Presentation
To view the Power Point, you'll need to download the file. The note-taking guide is also available for download.
satire_-_understanding_satire_ppt.ppt | |
File Size: | 1520 kb |
File Type: | ppt |
satire_-_understanding_satire_ntg.docx | |
File Size: | 220 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Note-taking: Introduction to a Modest Proposal
Both the presentation and the note-taking guide are available. To view the Power Point, you'll likely have to download it to your phone or computer.
modest_proposal_-_introduction_to_mp_ppt.pptx | |
File Size: | 1365 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
modest_proposal_-_introduction_to_mp_ntg.docx | |
File Size: | 25 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Introduction into A Modest Proposal and an example that would apply to 21st century learners.
Essay Summary
The full title of Swift's pamphlet is "A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burthen to their Parents, or the Country, and for Making them Beneficial to the Publick." The tract is an ironically conceived attempt to "find out a fair, cheap, and easy Method" for converting the starving children of Ireland into "sound and useful members of the Commonwealth." Across the country poor children, predominantly Catholics, are living in squalor because their families are too poor to keep them fed and clothed.
The author argues, by hard-edged economic reasoning as well as from a self-righteous moral stance, for a way to turn this problem into its own solution. His proposal, in effect, is to fatten up these undernourished children and feed them to Ireland's rich land-owners. Children of the poor could be sold into a meat market at the age of one, he argues, thus combating overpopulation and unemployment, sparing families the expense of child-bearing while providing them with a little extra income, improving the culinary experience of the wealthy, and contributing to the overall economic well-being of the nation.
The author offers statistical support for his assertions and gives specific data about the number of children to be sold, their weight and price, and the projected consumption patterns. He suggests some recipes for preparing this delicious new meat, and he feels sure that innovative cooks will be quick to generate more. He also anticipates that the practice of selling and eating children will have positive effects on family morality: husbands will treat their wives with more respect, and parents will value their children in ways hitherto unknown. His conclusion is that the implementation of this project will do more to solve Ireland's complex social, political, and economic problems than any other measure that has been proposed.
The author argues, by hard-edged economic reasoning as well as from a self-righteous moral stance, for a way to turn this problem into its own solution. His proposal, in effect, is to fatten up these undernourished children and feed them to Ireland's rich land-owners. Children of the poor could be sold into a meat market at the age of one, he argues, thus combating overpopulation and unemployment, sparing families the expense of child-bearing while providing them with a little extra income, improving the culinary experience of the wealthy, and contributing to the overall economic well-being of the nation.
The author offers statistical support for his assertions and gives specific data about the number of children to be sold, their weight and price, and the projected consumption patterns. He suggests some recipes for preparing this delicious new meat, and he feels sure that innovative cooks will be quick to generate more. He also anticipates that the practice of selling and eating children will have positive effects on family morality: husbands will treat their wives with more respect, and parents will value their children in ways hitherto unknown. His conclusion is that the implementation of this project will do more to solve Ireland's complex social, political, and economic problems than any other measure that has been proposed.
Still Don't Get it? No Problem!Follow this link to Sparknotes.com where you'll find a comprehensive analysis, summary, and paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown of the essay.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/modestproposal/ |
Audio book
COMPREHENSION TIP: When you're reading difficult text, listening to an audio book allows you to focus on the content and message of an author's work. By doing both together, you help to appeal to multiple ways that you learn best. Try it!
A Hip-hop Edition of A Modest Proposal
Vocabulary
Completed in-class on 1/12/15.
modest_proposal_-_vocabulary_go.docx | |
File Size: | 14 kb |
File Type: | docx |