Question

How does the title, "A Modest Proposal," tell the reader that the piece is satirical?

a. The author’s proposal is gentle and acceptable, just as the title indicates.
b. The title shows that the author does not understand the truth about his proposal.
c. The author’s proposal is actually extreme and violent, not gentle as the title says.
d. The title shows that the author believes people will accept and understand his proposal.

Answer 1

The title "A Modest Proposal" tells the reader that the piece is satirical because the author's proposal is actually extreme and violent, not gentle as the title says. The correct answer of the question would be option C. When we say satirical, this means that it has the intention of criticizing in a humorous way. 

Answer 2

The correct answer is C. The author’s proposal is actually extreme and violent, not gentle as the title says.

Satire, similar to irony, is achieved when you are trying to mock something or someone, usually by exaggerating and writing the opposite of what is expected. So, the title A Modest Proposal is not modest by any means - Swift wrote in this text that poor people should sell their children to rich people as food in order to keep the economy going. You can clearly see how the title is satirical then.