I see you're seeking an analysis of the author's word choice and how it implies a message beyond the literal meaning in the excerpt from "A Modest Proposal."
1. The phrase "grant this food will be somewhat dear" suggests that the food will be expensive or precious. In reality, the author is referring to infants as the food, implying a horrific proposal of consuming children as a solution to poverty.
2. The term "landlords" typically refers to property owners. In this context, the author uses it to highlight the wealthy individuals who have already exploited the poor, indicating a dark satire on the treatment of the impoverished by the affluent class.
3. By stating that landlords "have already devoured most of the parents," the author creates a grotesque image of exploitation and greed. This hyperbolic language serves to emphasize the cruelty and indifference of the ruling class towards the suffering of the poor.
4. The phrase "seem to have the best title to the children" plays on the idea of ownership and entitlement. It implies that landlords have a claim or right to the children, reinforcing the satirical depiction of the wealthy as heartless and morally bankrupt.
Overall, the author's deliberate choice of words in this excerpt from "A Modest Proposal" serves to convey a scathing critique of the socio-economic conditions of the time through the lens of a shocking and exaggerated proposal. The use of irony, sarcasm, and dark humor helps the text function as a powerful satire, shedding light on the injustices and inequalities prevalent in society.
