Sweet Satirical Music

by nickwoodhouse63

Figured since this was the topic of my project i should post about it.

I think that satire is one of the most important things within literature and art because it allows people to comment on reality in a complex sort of way that isn’t as direct as saying  “there is a problem” rather Satire takes a route that is less travelled in order to convey its point.

This technique is demonstrated in probably one of the most widely known satire’s, “A Modest Proposal”. In this essay, Swift proposes that in order to solve the hunger crisis in Ireland all that needs to be done is to begin eating the children. I can remember the first time i read this satire and it was before i was taught what satire actually was and i can just remember the effect it had on me. I was reading along and i felt like i had misread or was reading the wrong story or something. This gripping effect is what satire has the potential to do when it is done well because it inches the reader close and closer to the edge until the point where it pushes the reader off which is the point where the reader learns they were being lead down this path for a purpose. Obviously there are some satirical works that make this push much more clearly and abruptly than Swift does, as well there are works that take much longer. Satire is a significant part of literature and modern culture as a whole and re-reading Swift reminded me of this gripping effect it can have upon the reader.