A <em>reductio ad absurdum</em> argument is one that attempts to disprove a statement by showing how its continuation to the extreme inevitably leads to a ridiculous and absurd conclusion. In "A Modest Proposal," Swift mocks those who claim to want to solve the problems of Ireland with little regard for the lives of the people and always benefitting England. He provides as an alternative eating Ireland's poor children. This would reduce the number of poor people as well as satisfy English appetites. This ridiculous proposition shows the absurdity of pursuing that type of policy.
I am not completely sure, but I would say that these events serve as omens to alert the characters and the audience that terrible things will soon happen. It is a form of foreshadowing.
