Lying and Achieving
Lying and Achieving
Lying and Achieving
When an artist paints nature the outcome is not nature, it’s a reflection of nature. For that reason art turns out to be a less or more convincing lie. By using a lie, artists and writers are getting the viewers and readers awareness. The most influential artist of the twentieth century, Pablo Ruiz Picasso, truly understands how art reflects reality by saying “art is a lie that makes us realize truth” (572), in his essay titled “A Statement”. The citation not only applies to fine arts, but also can relate to literary works. For instance Jonathan Swift’s writing “A Modest Proposal”, in which his theory is corresponding to Picasso’s assumptions. Not attempting to represent reality Swift is proposing for the deprived mothers to eat their infants to stay alive. There for Swift is still accomplishing to motivate everyone to solve the true poverty problems of Ireland. For that reason Picasso’s assumptions correspond to Swift’s unreality of the essay that is considered as the lie that allows the truth to emerge.
In the proposal Swift is not himself, but plays a persona that is not real; is the lie of the entire proposal. To eat and sell own infants are the untrue suggestions introduced by the persona to the poor families. Who would ever do such a thing? Even when a lonely, unprivileged mother was dieing from hunger, she would give all provisions to her newborn to survive. The mother instincts that no mother can get rid of are forcing to protect the baby first and then take care of her self. What the persona of Swift’s is saying “… a year old be offered in sale to the persons of quality… a child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends…” (606) is morally wrong and is a savage thinking that no person would ever consider. Also it is unprintable and bizarre to the society to eat or commerce a human being. Although the persona refers to eating children as the only solution to the problem of the poor children living of their parents, which is not a solution because it is unmoral there for is a lie.
The lie in Swift’s proposal is also noticed by persona not supporting his research. Swift writes, “I have assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London…” (606). He does not provide any names of the people that associated and helped him to come up with the solution. Then for not having any names in his proposal it is impossible to prove that his acquaintances so far existed or there for he is lying. It is allowing to sight that the persona is not telling the truth, by not being credible.
What is a lie exactly? According to the English dictionary it is “A false statement purposely put forward as truth” (633, Webster’s Dictionary). In Swift’s writing the character that he sarcastically plays states all false statements as truth. For instance in the proposal the only resolution that is emphasized to eat the children. Swift is lying throughout the entire proposal and sticking to his lies until the end. The lie is done deliberately to show the truth beneath the lie. With offering an atypical statement that’s only purposes it to get attention.
The lie of Swift is a satire of the true cause; help the poor people of Ireland. Swift being highly patriotic to his kingdom is seeking the solutions to the poverty of