Jonathan Swift’s essay “A Modest Proposal” satirizes British policy in regards to Ireland, characterizing it as heartless toward the economic desperation of the Irish. ------- the essay suggests that poor Irish parents can solve their economic problems by selling any “spare” children as food for the wealthy.Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?Additionally,eliminateNonetheless,eliminateWhereas,eliminateSpecifically,

In 1729, Ireland was suffering from religious, political, and social strife as well as a famine. The poor were extremely poor, often having to beg for food or money in the streets. Just what was Jonathan Swift’s “Modest Proposal” to fix this problem? Eat the children. Seriously. In this inflammatory, satirical essay, Swift proposes that the starving poor of Ireland sell their excess children to the rich as food. Swift assumes a hyperbolically heartless tone that mocks those with negative opinions of the Irish poor, namely the Irish rich, politicians, and British officials. His aim was not to solve the problems in Ireland but to expose the ridiculousness of quick-fix schemes proposed by politicians and officials to relieve all of the social problems in Ireland. Through his biting sarcasm, Swift mocks these people and persuades readers to pity the Irish and hate the speaker. Swift’s essay is an early example of Western satire that uses rhetorical devices, such as example-based argumentation, in order to criticize a social or political phenomenon. These tactics have been taken up by many authors after Swift and can even be seen as the basis for satirical news publications such as The Onion. (from OwlEyes, a public domain library.  Source linked above)Prompts for Thinking:Practice your critical thinking skills. Read the articles and chapters and look at (read) the images in the book with the knowledge of what you have learned from the Toolbox chapter. How does subjectivity color our understandings of the world and events? Of art? Of morality? Our knowledges and truths? Engage with A Modest Proposal while thinking about this in conjunction with your readings from the Toolbox.What is it about your subjective experience that allows you to read Swift's Proposal objectively and critically? How might you have responded to this essay if you lived in 1700's Ireland as a poor person? As a person of wealth? As a politician?Is objectivity possible? How, when, and why are some things seen as "objective facts"? Can something that is considered objective/fact be disputed? Refuted?Utilizing the readings for this week and think about your favorite poems or music that you think are powerful comments on political situations and/or identity. Are these two things related?How much influence do you think the arts and popular culture - things like music and poetry have on our world today? On you as an individual?----------------------------*metanarratives: in literal terms, a metanarrative means a "big story". It represents, in short, an explanation for everything that happens in a society. In Sociology, the concept of a metanarrative is sometimes referred-to as a "high level theory" or, more-usually, a perspective / ideology.** hegemony: is the power of the ruling class to convince other classes that their interests are the interests of all, often not only through means of economic and political control but more subtly through the control of education and media.(From the Vocabulary that is posted on your course home page in the Resources module.)

PART A: Which TWO of the following statements best describe the central ideas of the text?A. Poor families are just going to keep growing, so it's best to leave them to starve themselves out.B. In order to control population and poverty, the children of the poor should be sold as food.C. Any other proposal would be a waste of time to listen to.D. The social situation during this time is dire, with poverty rampant throughout the kingdom, particularly in Ireland.E. A person is not measured by how productive, costly, or useful they can be to larger society.F. The poor should get out of the streets and make more of an effort to find employment, rather than beg for their food.

__________ made the Great Hunger in Ireland worse.British laws and economic policyEarthquakes and other natural disastersAn influx of immigrants into Ireland in the 1830sThe dissolution of the Irish parliament

The Anglo-Irish Agreement,

The boy’s view of romance and love is set against the commercialized Ireland.Group of answer choicesTrueFalse