Johnathan Swift wrote “A Modest Proposal” in 1729. It was his response to the booming lower-class, predominantly Catholic Irish population and the inability of the English-Protestant upper class to find a solution to reduce the number of people who were unable to support their families and were begging on the streets. “A Modest Proposal” is a satirical pamphlet aimed at the English gentlemen of the time, who were the Irish ruling class at the time, and valued logic and reason above all else. In his essay, Swift uses satire and irony to “propose” a solution to the “Irish problem.” His essay was so innovative and effective because he uses solid logic and reasoning to propose something so ridiculous that it forces the reader to think that perhaps, when it comes to human issues, the solution might require something more than cold logic and science . He then challenges the reader, providing a long list of things that could be done to improve the situation, and telling them "let no one tell me of these and similar expedients, until he has at least a glimmer of hope, that there will ever be some sincere attempt to put them into practice.” Swift's essay is the perfect example of reverse psychology and using shock value to get the reader to see exactly what he wants them to see. Johnathan Swift, a satirist, poet, essayist, writer of Anglo-Irish political and religious pamphlet, he is best known as the author of such famous works as "Gulliver's Travels," The Battle of the Books" and the focus of this essay, "A Modest Proposal." Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1667, Swift could have been just like any other poor Irish-Catholic boy. However, he became a fairly wealthy Protestant, and later in life was even appointed Dean of St. Patrick's... middle of paper... Johnathan Swift's essay "A Modest Proposal" was a wonderful piece of satire, which ha prompted people who read it to take an introspective look and think about how they treated those poor, lower-class Irish. The graphic images used by the author caused such disgust in people that they were forced to consider what a more humane solution would be. Swift was able to both capture the attention of his audience and get them to think more sensibly about an issue that, at the time, was being ignored. This essay is a great example, even today, of how to use satire, irony and reverse psychology to reach an audience that usually wouldn't want to listen. “A Modest Proposal” was probably very successful in convincing people during the Enlightenment, when they valued little else but logic, facts and reason, to consider that perhaps sometimes reason alone cannot guarantee success..