Posted: September 13th, 2017

satirical essay

Your satirical essay should clearly address a particular problem in society, for example, poverty (as in “A Modest Proposal”), or a topic of your own. Use humor and exaggeration to convey your opinion. You should include specific examples of how your proposal will work.

Remember, also, that you are writing to persuade, just as Swift sought to persuade his government and fellow citizens to abandon the social policies that kept the Irish in poverty.

Your satire should include the following:

a significant social problem
a persona (the “speaker” in your essay) whose point of view is opposite your own
a proposal advocated by this persona but exaggerated to the point of absurdity
a defense for the proposal which seems reasonable but which is also exaggerated
Your satire should be 400–500 words in length.