Irony And Sarcasm With Swift

It seems in chapter VI as if there was no end to the mockery. Swift criticizes many aspects of life in this chapter and he also makes fun of things that we don’t even give consideration to.

“…but their manner of writing is very peculiar, being neither from the left to the right, like the Europeans, nor from the right to the left, like the Arabians, nor from up to down, like the Chinese, but aslant, from one corner of the paper to the other…” (Swift, 32) here I think that Swift is using lists as a way to show the magnitude of language variations and how none of the many different ways we have worked. I think it might be a way to make fun of the lack of effectiveness of humans and at how we just cannot come to an agreement and all decide on one manner to do things but rather have a million different ways to do each thing.

“They bury their dead with their heads directly downward…the earth (which they conceive to be flat) will turn upside down, and by this means they shall, at their resurrection, be found ready
standing on their feet.” (Swift, 33) This sounds funny as you read it because logic tells us first that the world is not flat and second that even if it was it would still not have flipped around. It seems a little silly to believe in this, but I think the point that the author is trying to make is that we have the seem ideas that to others might seem weird and even pathetic based just on faith and tradition.

“There are some laws and customs in this empire very peculiar; and if they were not so directly contrary to those of my own dear country, I should be tempted to say a little in their justification.” (Swift, 33) Following Swift describes things that, in the case that the world was just and honest, should be very important to us. However our society thinks opposite of many of these ideals, although we proclaim that we don’t, and this is the point that Swift is trying to get across to the reader.

“...they will never allow that a child is under any obligation to his father for begetting him, or to his mother for bringing him into the world; which, considering the miseries of human life, was neither a benefit in itself, nor intended so by his parents, whose thoughts, in their love encounters, were otherwise employed.” (Swift, 35) This passage is damp with irony and sarcasm, presenting the option of children not wanting to be in the world because of the bad place it is and saying that bringing children into the world is not something that they should thank their parents for but rather hate them for. This option is something that most people don’t consider and that is why it seems like a crazy idea.