Much of its shock value derives from the fact that the first portion of the essay describes the plight of starving beggars in Ireland, so that the reader is unprepared for the surprise of Swift's solution when he states: "A young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or a ragout.
mˈʌtʃ ʌv ɪts ʃˈɑːk vˈæljuː dᵻɹˈaɪvz fɹʌmðə fˈækt ðætðə fˈɜːst pˈoːɹʃən ʌvðɪ ˈɛseɪ dᵻskɹˈaɪbz ðə plˈaɪt ʌv stˈɑːɹvɪŋ bˈɛɡɚz ɪn ˈaɪɚlənd, sˌoʊ ðætðə ɹˈiːdɚɹ ɪz ʌnpɹɪpˈɛɹd fɚðə sɚpɹˈaɪz ʌv swˈɪfts səlˈuːʃən wɛn hiː stˈeɪts: "ɐ jˈʌŋ hˈɛlθi tʃˈaɪld wˈɛl nˈɜːsd, ɪz, æɾə jˈɪɹ ˈoʊld, ɐ mˈoʊst dᵻlˈɪʃəs nˈɜːɹɪʃɪŋ ænd hˈoʊlsʌm fˈuːd, wˈɛðɚ stˈuːd, ɹˈoʊstᵻd, bˈeɪkt, ɔːɹ bˈɔɪld; ænd aɪ mˌeɪk nˈoʊ dˈaʊt ðˌɐɾɪt wɪl ˈiːkwəli sˈɜːv ɪn ɐ fɹˈɪkɐsˌeɪ, ɔːɹ ɐ ɹˈæɡaʊt.