logo

50 pages 1 hour read

A Modest Proposal

Nonfiction | Essay / Speech | Adult | Published in 1729

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Discussion/Analysis Prompt

While the proposal is absurd in its nature, the narrator discusses the option with a serious and realistic approach. How does the definition of irony apply to the text? How else does Swift use irony through the narrator in this essay?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt supports the introduction of the term paralipsis as a literary device. In this vein, students should consider the hyperbolic nature of the narrator’s absurd suggestion and compare it to the realistic suggestions that Swift makes, which the narrator dismisses as alternatives.

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 50 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,650+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools