Question

Which statement best explains Swift’s use of rhetorical devices in this passage?

Swift uses verbal irony when he mentions objections to his plan in order to prove that no one could possibly object to the proposal.
Swift uses verbal irony when he says his plan is “a little bordering upon cruelty” because his plan is not at all cruel.
Swift uses understatement and irony when he says his plan is “a little bordering on cruelty” to highlight how cruel the plan really is.

Answer 1

C. Swift uses understatement and irony when he says his plan is “a little bordering on cruelty” to highlight how cruel the plan really is.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

C. Swift uses understatement and irony when he says his plan is “a little bordering on cruelty” to highlight how cruel the plan really is.