The Modest Proposal by Janathan Swift and Top of the food chain by T. Coraghessan Boyle are short st ories written to make the reader realize how humans do absurd things which as a result have unexpe cted consequences. The following paragraphs will discuss how irony is used in both stories. In th e Modest proposal, the author speaks of a "modest proposal," to end the cruelty to the Irish from th e English. The story is ironic because it is not modest but gruesome and disgusting. He proposes that people should start eating children on a daily basis. Swift gives six reasons for this and t hey state that by eating children, money would not be wasted on food, the number of Catholics woul d be reduced, it would be great inducement to marriages, there would be more food so the economy w ould increase, poor tenants would have money for their landlords, and it would be an improvement f or the tavern business. Swift even goes as far as to say that children between the ages of twelve to fourteen would not be good to eat because they are running around all day and their meat is tough . The narrator uses these atrocious details to make an impact on the reader and change his/her poi nt of view on the cruelty to the Irish. In Top of the Food Chain, T. Coraghessan Boyle speaks of a village called Borneo and how it was infected by millions of mosquitoes. The townspeople sprayed a ll sorts of poisonous chemicals but nothing seemed to work: "We might as well be spraying channel #5 for as good as it did. One day, the people in the village found a solution: To bring in as many geckos as possible and they would eat the mosquitoes. As a result, the geckos began to die because of the chemicals and the cats ate them. The poison in the geckos killed all the cats and soon, th e village was infected with more rats than they had mosquitoes. To kill all the rats they brought thousands of cats from other countries and the cycle simply repeated itself. The story is ironic b ecause the townspeople's plan obviously was absurd but instead of being discouraged, they were very proud and thought their ideas were great. In reality, their plans did not help the problem but ins tead made it worst. Both Top of the Food Chain and Modest Proposal were written to impact the reade r and make him/her realize how ridiculous people can be. The way the authors address the subject i s very different. In the Modest Proposal, Swift uses a gross overstatement of what is happening i n England and Ireland. His ideas are disgusting and the details are gruesome, and that is how he g ets his point across. Top of the Food Chain has strange ideas but makes a statement because it ha s a moral. By the end, Boyle makes the reader realize how pointless the actions of the Borneans we re. Both Swift and Boyle use irony in their stories to prove their point. Swift exaggerates scena rios while Boyle develops a moral. Their styles are very different yet extremely effective. modes t proposal janathan swift food chain coraghessan boyle short stories written make reader realize hum ans absurd things which result have unexpected consequences following paragraphs will discuss irony used both stories modest proposal author speaks modest proposal cruelty irish from english story iro nic because gruesome disgusting proposes that people should start eating children daily basis swift gives reasons this they state that eating children money would wasted food number catholics would re duced would great inducement marriages there more food economy increase poor tenants have money thei r landlords improvement tavern business swift even goes that children between ages twelve fourteen g ood because they running around their meat tough narrator uses these atrocious details make impact r eader change point view cruelty irish chain coraghessan boyle speaks village called borneo infected millions mosquitoes townspeople sprayed sorts poisonous chemicals nothing seemed work might well spr aying channel good people village found solution bring many geckos possible they mosquitoes result g eckos began because chemicals cats them poison geckos killed cats soon village infected with more ra ts than mosquitoes kill rats brought thousands cats from other countries cycle simply repeated itsel f story ironic townspeople plan obviously absurd instead being discouraged were very proud thought t heir ideas were great reality plans help problem instead made worst both chain were written impact r eader make realize ridiculous people authors address subject very different uses gross overstatement what happening england ireland ideas disgusting details gruesome gets point across strange ideas ma kes statement moral boyle makes realize pointless actions borneans both irony stories prove point ex aggerates scenarios while develops moral styles very different extremely effectiveEssay, essays, ter mpaper, term paper, termpapers, term papers, book reports, study, college, thesis, dessertation, tes t answers, free research, book research, study help, download essay, download term papers