Comparative Essay

I Have a Dream and A Modest Proposal are both very different pieces of
literature, but they still possess some similarities. I Have a Dream, a speech given
by Martin Luther King Junior in 1683 is one of the most famous speeches in history.
The speech is about giving black Americans their rights and ending racism in
America. A Modest Proposal is a sarcastic essay written by Dr. Johnathan Swift.
Swifts gives his opinion on how make the poor peoples children of Ireland sound
and useful members of society. Swift proposes the appalling idea of using them as
food for the wealthy citizens of Ireland. This essay is satirical and not meant to be
taken seriously. Some of the differences between I Have a Dream and A Modest
Proposal are; subject, setting, time period and tone. Some similarities between
them is, both works deal with issues that have not been resolved today, show
concern for the country, for the children of the country and they both make use of
metaphors. While these two pieces of work have many differences, they also have
similarities.
Both I Have a Dream and A Modest Proposal have many differences. The most
obvious one is that they are both about different issues. I Have a Dream is about
Kings resentment at seeing racial discrimination in America. In his speech King
states, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation
and the chains of discrimination While A Modest Proposal is about a solution to
poverty in Ireland, For preventing the children of the poor people in Ireland, from
being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the
publick. Another difference is the setting and time period. I Have a Dream takes
place in 1963 in America while A Modest Proposal takes place much earlier, in 1729
in Ireland. The third difference between the two works of literature are the tones. I
Have a Dream is spoken with a serious, urgent tone. King uses relatable examples
to touch the hearts of Americans, I have a dream that my four little children will
one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but
by the content of their character. On the other hand, A Modest Proposal has a
sarcastic tone and is delivered to create a shock effect.
Though I Have a Dream and A Modest Proposal are both very different works
of literature but they both have many things in common. The first thing that both

have in common is that they both deal with issues that have not been resolved to
this day. Racial discrimination is still prevalent in many countries, such as, Italy,
England, Russia and even America. Poverty is also still a big issue in many
countries, for example, Congo, Haiti and Madagascar. Both racism and poverty are
prominent issues in todays society and are discussed in both works. Another thing
that they both have in common is that both writers show concern for their country.
King wants to end racism in American to make America a better place, and if
America is to be a great nation, this [equal rights for all individuals] must become
true. Similarly, Dr. Johnathan Swift is thinking about whats best for his country
when he proposes the idea of using poor children as food. Swift claims, [I have]
no other motive than the publick good of my country, by advancing our trade,
providing for infants, relieving the poor, and giving some pleasure to the rich. The
next way in which I Have a Dream and A Modest Proposal are similar is that they
both express fear for the well-being of children. Many times in the speech, King
declares that he wishes that all children, no matter what race, be able to hold
hands, in peace. King wishes to end racism, not only for now, but for generations to
come. Alike, Swift is thinking of the poor peoples children in The Modest Proposal, I
propose to provide for them in such a manner, as, instead of being a charge upon
their parents, or the parish, or wanting food and raiment for the rest of their lives,
they shall, on the contrary, contribute to the feeding, and partly to the cloathing of
many thousands. The final way they are similar is that they both use metaphors.
Kings speech uses many metaphors, for example, chains of discrimination or
quicksands of racial injustice The metaphors used help paint a vivid picture
about the injustice faced by African Americans. A Modest Proposal one big metaphor
itself. It was used to highlight the desperate state of the poor in Ireland.
Thus, in conclusion even though both works of literature had stark
differences, there were also many similarities. The differences between I Have a
Dream and A Modest Proposal are; subject, setting, time period and tone. Some
similarities are that both works deal with issues that have not been resolved today,
both think of the well-being of their country, of the children of their country and
both use metaphors. I Have a Dream and A Modest Proposal are both extremely
different pieces of literature, but they still possess some similarities.