Imagine that someone you know has read or viewed one of the texts below, but that you believe they have
completely misunderstood it. They have either taken the text literally, or have taken the satirist’s argument at
face value. In fact, they seem to think that the satirist is arguing the complete opposite point than the one you
feel the satirist is actually making. Your task is to write an essay that convinces this person to understand the
text the way you do. Spend time closely analyzing the satirist’s use of rhetorical appeals – and how these
appeals are even presented as intentional logical fallacies to exaggerate the ironic effect of the piece – analyze
how the satirist makes his or her argument. In the process of writing your essay, consider your own efforts to
write a persuasive argument.
Sources:
Jonathan Swift, “A Modest Proposal”