Jonathan Swift's "A Modest proposal" is a satirical work that draws the reader in, defining and describing a social problem of poor families with children they are unable to feed. The surprise is not revealed at the end, but part the way through the work, where the suggestion of cannibalism is made. Swift suggests that a solution which will help alleviate poverty and the strain placed on families to feed growing children and to create a scenario in which poor children can become economically beneficial (Swift, 1729). The idea was to sell children at the age of one year, to provide food for the wealthy. The age of one year was chosen as the cost of feeding a child in the first twelve months was estimated at being very low, and Swift also states he was assured that at the age of one year a child would be "most delicious...
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