A Modest ProposalBy Jonathan Swift

Industrial Revolution Provides Millions Of Out-Of-Work Children With Jobs

After centuries of chronic unemployment, millions of small children across the United Kingdom saw their lives drastically improve when the Industrial Revolution at long last provided them with steady factory work regardless of age, size, or experience. "Before the turn of the 19th century, frail boys and girls had no choice but to sit at home all day, playing with their younger siblings, just watching as another empty, unproductive week passed them by," noted British scholar William Donnelley said. "Once the Industrial Revolution began, however, any child able to fit inside a narrow mining shaft, or reach deep within a malfunctioning textile press, could venture out into the world and find himself a job." Added Donnelley, "It was a time of unprecedented opportunity for the nation's 5- to 9-year-olds."According to records, the introduction of machine-based manufacturing provided a desperately needed solution to England's toddler-unemployment epidemic. Out-of-work children, many of whom had struggled since birth to earn any kind of wage at all, were now afforded the chance to work seven days a week, up to 19 hours a day, in such competitive industries as iron-smelting and steel-tempering.

Not only was finding employment easier than ever for countless preadolescents, but the generous overtime available to them allowed boys and girls to catch up on years of experience they had lost while learning how to walk, nurse, or, in some unfortunate cases, attend several months of school. "As a child of the time, it must have felt wonderful to be able to go to bed at night, confident in the knowledge that a job as a coal-boy, furnace operator, or even bore-grinder machinist awaited you the next morning," historian Russell Black said. "The sense of satisfaction and well-being all those orphans must have experienced week in and week out—it's hard to imagine.""After all, there's nothing like a full-time job to help someone get back on his feet," Black continued. "Especially if he's lost one of them in a horrifying threshing accident."

Quickwrite• What are your initial impressions of what we just read? (think

pathos)• Do you agree or disagree with the opinions in the article?• Why or Why not?• What flaws, if any, can you identify in the author’s argument?• What do you think is the purpose of the article?

Satire and Irony – Think, Pair, Share• With a partner, write a definition for

the word “Satire” and “Irony”• What do you think is the difference

between the two?• What is the purpose of satire? • What does satire try to accomplish? • Why not just write about the topic in

a realistic and straightforward manner?• List some forms of satire and irony

you are familiar with

Satire• A piece of literature designed to ridicule the subject of the

work. While satire can be funny, its aim is not to amuse, but to arouse contempt. Satire arouses laughter or scorn as a means of ridicule and derision, with the avowed intention of correcting human fault.

• What is Satire?• According to Jane Ogborn and Peter Buckroyd, the satirist "has a view

of how people and society should behave morally, and contrasts this with what he or she sees as the vices and follies of the time." In other words, satire focuses on mocking various aspects of society and current events in order to convey social or cultural criticism.

• Why Satire?• Scholars such as Ogborn, Buckroyd, and others often refer to the 18th

century as a kind of golden age of satire; however, The Daily Show is a major news source for many people today, articles from The Onion are being picked up by Fox Nation and discussed as real news, and many people think that Stephen Colbert seriously believes what he says on The Colbert Report. The Washington DC Capitol Police even felt the need to officially deny an Onion article. While we may not live in a golden age of satire, it profoundly influences our culture nonetheless.

This cartoon shows the ability of satire to succinctly convey social and political criticism.

Irony• Surprising, amusing, or interesting contrast between reality

and expectation.

Irony and SatireWhat is the difference?• Satire and irony are often closely related, but there are important distinctions

between the two. A form of criticism, satire uses humor to accomplish its goals. One technique that satire uses is irony. Irony focuses on the discrepancies between what is said or seen and what is actually meant. Simply, satire and irony differ largely because one, satire, often uses the other, irony.

• Both satire and irony can be found in literature, television, movies, theater and even in artwork. Satire, however, is a genre, whereas irony is a technique. The term "genre" refers to categories of written or preformed art. Drama, comedy and horror are all various genres.

• Although satire and irony are arguably linked, they are not exclusive to each other. Irony occurs not just in satire but in dramatic and comedic art as well. Likewise, satire also uses many other rhetorical and comedic techniques, such as ridicule, to accomplish its goal.

• Satire is a form of comedic criticism. Although it sometimes uses seemingly harsh techniques, its aim is not cruelty but rather to point out faults in government, society, individuals or the human condition. Satire is an attempt to draw attention to these faults, either to encourage a change or to force an awareness. Some of the most famous modern satires occur on television shows.

Irony and SatireWhat is the difference?

SOAPSTone• Speaker: current writer, journalist, interviewer • Occasion: bringing awareness to current unemployment

issues, economic recession• Audience: US citizens, unemployed, employers, government,

everyone• Purpose: political, informing, highlighting economic,

unemployment issues• Subject: Industrial Revolution was good for unemployed

children• Tone: satire – ironic, sarcastic, mocking

Time For Some Academic Vocabulary!

1. Satire: A piece of literature designed to ridicule the subject of the work. While satire can be funny, its aim is not to amuse, but to arouse contempt. Satire arouses laughter or scorn as a means of ridicule and derision, with the avowed intention of correcting human fault.

2. Irony: Surprising, amusing, or interesting contrast between reality and expectation.3. Persona: The aspect of someone's character that is presented to or perceived by others.4. Hyperbole: a figure of speech that uses an incredible exaggeration or overstatement for effect5. juxtaposition: poetic and rhetorical device in which normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases are placed next to each other to create an effect of surprise and wit

6. Paradox: a statement that appears self-contradictory but reveals a kind of truth7. Parody: a work that makes fun of another work by imitating some aspect of the writer's style8. Quantification: expressing the quantity of something limiting the variables that could change9. Dehumanization: taking away the human qualities10. Qualifiers: words or phrases that limit the scope of a claim: usually; in a few cases; under these circumstances11.. Incongruity: a kind of irony that brings together two ideas, events, or people that do not belong together

And some context vocabulary…

• 1. Misanthropic (adj): marked by a hatred or contempt for humankind• 2. Prodigious (adj): extraordinary in bulk, quantity, or degree : enormous• 3. Deference (n): respect or esteem shown to a superior or an elder• 4. Importune (v): to beg, urge, or solicit persistently or troublesomely• 5. Scrupulous (adj): having moral integrity : acting in strict regard for what is considered right or proper • 6. Censure (n): a judgment involving condemnation• 7. Encumbrance (n): something that impedes or hinders • 8. Emulation (n): the act of imitating• 9. Parsimony (n): the quality of being careful with money or resources • 10. Exacerbate (v): to make more violent, bitter, or severe• 11. Melancholy (Adj): depressing; gloomy• 12. Sustenance (n): nourishment; food and drink as a source of strength

Quick Write:• Describe the process you use to write an essay• In other words, what are the steps for writing an essay?

• Brainstorm: • What components should an adequate essay contain?• What components should a good argument essay contain?

Steps for Writing an Essay• PREWRITING: this consists of the planning that needs to be done before

you can actually start writing an essay:• Reading and analyzing the question, or prompt• Choosing a main idea, or thesis for your essay• Gathering and arranging supporting ideas

• COMPOSING:• Introducing the thesis• Developing paragraphs• Choosing the best words for expressing your ideas• Structuring sentences for variety and coherence• Writing a conclusion

• Proofreading and Editing:• Editing for clarity and coherence• Editing to create interest• Checking for standard usage and mechanical errors, including spelling,

punctuation, and capitalization

Writing an Argument• Writing an argument requires the following:• Introducing your position• Supporting your position with appropriate evidence• Refuting opposing viewpoints• Avoiding faulty reasoning• Incorporating sources• Citing sources

Introducing your position• Your position should be crystal clear, precise, and written in

unambiguous language.• Where should you put it? Early in your essay, but starting with

it is not the best method• Begin with a brief incident or anecdote related to the point

you plan to make in your essay• Or Knock down a commonly held assumption or define a word

in a startling new way.

Supporting your position with appropriate evidence• Each paragraph in your essay should contribute to the

development of the main idea. It should contain facts, data, examples – reasons of all kinds to corroborate the thesis and to convince the readers to believe with you.

• A good rule of thumb is that three distinct and relevant reasons will usually suffice to prove a point. Three is better than one or two but whether three is enough depends on the topic and issue

• Use your strongest argument last so it has the most impact and doesn’tlessen the impact of the weaker arguments.

Refuting Opposing Viewpoints• What exactly is a counterargument?• A paragraph or more that points out weaknesses in the evidence

that may be used by someone who disagrees with your position. • In order to construct a counterargument, you must anticipate

the arguments a prospective proponent might use to support a view contrary to yours.

• Counterarguments are not required but recommended as they serve to strengthen your position

• You have flexibility with where to place your counterargument since there is no hard and fast rule for it.• They can be discussed briefly in each paragraph• Can also be placed right before the conclusion

Avoiding Faulty Reasoning• Evidence must be logically support your essay’s main idea.• Here are some common pitfalls:• Irrelevant testimony• Snob Appeal• Circular reasoning• Absence of proof• Oversimplification• Telling only half the story• Going to extremes

RUBRIC9 Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for a score of 8 and, in addition, are especially sophisticatedin their [analysis or argument], thorough in their development or impressive in their control oflanguage.8 Effective Essays earning a score of 8 effectively [present the requirements of the prompt].They develop their [analysis or argument] with evidence and explanations that are appropriateand convincing, [adhering to the requirements of the prompt]. The prose demonstrates aconsistent ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but is not necessarilyflawless.7 Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for a score of 6 but provide more complete explanation,more thorough development or a more mature prose style.6 Adequate Essays earning a score of 6 adequately [present the requirements of theprompt]. They develop their [analysis or argument] with evidence and explanations that areappropriate and sufficient, [adhering to the requirements of the prompt]. The writing may containlapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear.5 Essays earning a score of 5 [present the requirements of the prompt]. The evidence or explanationsused may be uneven, inconsistent or limited. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax,but it usually conveys the student’s ideas.

Rubric4 Inadequate Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately [present the requirements of theprompt]. These essays may misunderstand the passage, or fail to completely [present therequirements of the prompt]. The evidence or explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficientor less convincing. The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be lessconsistent in controlling the elements of effective writing.3 Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for a score of 4 but demonstrate less success in [presentingthe requirements of the prompt]. They are less perceptive in their understanding of the passageor [the requirements of the prompt], or the explanation or examples may be particularly limited orsimplistic. The essays may show less maturity in control of writing.2 Little Success Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in [presenting therequirements of the prompt]. These essays may misunderstand the prompt, misread the passage,fail to [present the requirements of the prompt], or substitute a simpler task by respondingto the prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate or inappropriate explanation. The proseoften demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack ofdevelopment or organization, or a lack of control.1 Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for a score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplisticin their explanation or weak in their control of language.0 Indicates an on-topic response that receives no credit, such as one that merely repeats the prompt,or presents a narrative of a personal experience.— Indicates a blank response or one that is completely off top

Active Verbs• Because active verbs describe or show movement, the excel all

other words in pumping vitality into your prose. Being verbs, in contrast, have almost no life in them. Their lifelessness is apparent in the common forms of the verb to be:• Is • Were• Had been• Are• Am• Have been• Was• Has been• Will be

Because being verbs lack energy, use active verbs whenever you can.

Active Verbs• 1. Substitute an active verb for the being verb:• Being verb: It is not easy for most students to write immortal

essays.• Active verb: Most students struggle to write immortal essays.

• 2. Extract an active verb from a noun in the sentence:• Being verb: Monica was the winner of the essay contest.• Active verb: Monica won the essay contest.

• 3. Extract an active verb from an adjective:• Being verb: My weekend at the beach was enjoyable.• Active verb: I enjoyed my weekend at the beach.

Mini-Workout: Active Verbs• Directions: Revise each of the following sentences by substituting

active verbs for “being” verbs, but try not to change the meaning of the original sentence.

1. Monica and Phil were the highest scorers on the practice AP exam.

2. Cost is the determining factor in choosing a rug for my bedroom.3. It is logical that admission to college is the result of a student’s

effort and achievement.4. The monarchy was over after the Revolutionary War5. Since 9/11 there have been many more terrorist threats.6. Chaos is a word that is relevant to my math class.7. Everyone is scared of Mr. Gill.8. The way to the principal’s office is down the next corridor.9. There are students who are excellent in chemistry but not in

physics.10. This novel was the one recommended by the librarian.