I think A Modest Proposal is one of my favourite readings EVER. For something that I got to read in class, it's hilarious! Man, I remember reading this the first time in class, it was supposed to be silent reading. Now in this class, grade 12 English, I was the only grade 11. I took a lot of classes with the year ahead of me. Anyways, my reaction to the reading made it obvious that I was sort of out of place.
I remember the classroom quiet. Then all I read was "A young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout..." I BURST out laughing. I literally think the guy in front of me, Thomas, got some spit on his neck because I literally BURST. Man.
Jonathan Swift is also the author of Gulliver's Travels, a movie that I have adored ever since I would watch it every time I went to my Uncle Mike's house (he wasn't my real Uncle, he was just my dad's friend who he ended up having a fight with at one point, I was around nine, and basically what it was to me was no more Gulliver's Travels). Who knew I would later read A Modest Proposal from the same author, and love it.
I read it to my camp kids (the older camp kids, obviously) this summer, and it rekindled how much I love this essay. Unfortunately it was the only thing I got to read this summer, apart from the occasional Bernstein Bears story. If you're in for a good, short read by Jonathan Swift... a Modest Proposal is the way to go.
No comments:
Post a Comment