Question 9 • CA-English Language Arts 12 A
Swift’s essay criticizes society’s treatment of the poor, so it shows criticism of society. The speaker’s proposal is deliberately outrageous, creating verbal irony: he appears to argue seriously for something readers recognize as horrifying. Swift also uses humor and ridicule to expose the cruelty and selfishness behind real social attitudes. The essay does use a formal, serious-sounding voice, but “serious language” is not one of the three defining characteristics asked for here.
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