Travelling

Question: Travel is often said to influence travelers by making them more open to other cultures and new ideas. Does travel really broaden the mind? What are some other effects of extended period of travel? Nowadays, travelling has become a lifestyle for people, and it is expanding fast. In a hectic schedule, people are trying to have vacation by travelling. Reasons why people choose travel are because people want to discover new things, have recreation far from the hectic schedule. A lot of motives also affect people to travel.

Usually they want to explore, discover, and relaxing. Some say to broaden the mind, but some say it is only a waste of time and money. The advantages of travelling give us cause and effect. People said that travelling influence travelers to have different perspective, different point of view. When we are going on a trip, the culture of the destination creates a new perspective and a new way of living our life. People also tend to copy their surroundings, which is why I can say that travelling also make us have a new good attitude.

The effect of these 2 advantages that I stated is our behavior, which can affect other people as well. Next, we discuss about the disadvantages of travel and the negative effects of travelling. Dangerous thing can happen during travel. The safety of the transportation is one of the dangerous things that could happen. Diseases issues are also one of the reasons why travelling can be such if a danger (Travel exposes, 2009, p. Online). For example, when swine flu disease attacked that time, people were scared to travel and they always used mask.

The other reason is some people had a perspective that people won’t always need physical travel only to broaden the mind, because the idea expanding the mind can be obtained through having a smart conversation, read books, et cetera (The previous, 2009, p. Online). The last reason is because of other country’s problem. The conflict of a travelling destination is not what people expect on a vacation. The examples are: policy problem, religion conflict, government issues, et cetera (Does travel p. Online).

So there are 2 opinions that are acceptable, but it has not answer the question. Does travel really broaden the mind? People’s opinions does matter, but I can say that it does broaden our mind. The journey itself has given us a new experience in our life. We try new things; we learn new things, et cetera. Reading books does help us broaden the mind, but wouldn’t it be great to experience it ourselves and learn it in our own ways? Mark twain once said “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow – mindedness. ” That is why it affects our perspective.

Reaching the conclusion of the essay, we know that through travel people learning and adapting to the culture and diversity of mankind. We also find out that some people won’t always need travel to a new area for broadening the mind. For me, travelling is a mind broadening and also an experience that can teach us the way we behave. So, the conclusion is travel does broaden the mind but if we spent all of hour time just to keep “broaden our mind’ it’s not wise as well. In life itself, balancing things are also needed.

So to end this essay I can state that the answer is a yes, but it all comes back to the reader: what do you see? References Debate topic – travels broaden the mind (2009), E-notes [online]. Available at: http://www. enotes. com/ref/discuss/debate-topic-travel-broadens-mind-58037 [Accessed 12 January 2012] Does travel really broaden our mind, Correct My Text [online]. Available at: http://www. correctmytext. com/text/139/page1 [Accessed 12 January 2012] Does Travel Really Broaden The Mind? (2009), Running in Heels [online]. Available at: http://runninginheels. co. k/articles/does-travel-really-broaden-the-mind/Travel. (2011), Travellers Backpack [online]. Available at: http://travellersbackpack. blogspot. com/ [Accessed 16 January 2012] Travel Broadens The Mind (2002), Krenny [online]. Available at: http://www. kreny. com/paper/2/morren/travelbroadensthemind. html [Accessed 12 January 2012] Travel & Tourism: Proof that travel really can broaden the mind (1998), The Independent. Available at: http://www. independent. co. uk/news/education/education-news/travel–tourism-proof-that-travel-really-can-broaden-the-mind-1159877. html [Accessed 12 January 2012]

1. Olaudah Equiano represented a confluence of African and European cultures. While he spent only his childhood in Africa, Equiano remained cognizant of his African heritage and tied to his cultural roots. Yet he also embraced British culture and customs with prodigious alacrity. Equiano imbibed British ideas about liberty, commerce, Protestant religion, and social habits and mores. He even married an Englishwoman, Susan Cullen, and lived out his days in London. In short, Equiano lionized British society and sought to emulate his white peers.

How does Equiano define his identity? Is he African? Is he British? How do you explain this hybridity? 2. Equiano was baptized into the Christian faith at the age of fourteen in 1759. What role does religion play in his life? Discuss Equiano’s relationship with God and his belief in the fatalism of Providence. 3. Equiano purchased his freedom for forty pounds at the age of twenty-one in 1766. Throughout his narrative, he became an able and astute entrepreneur. What role does the economy play in Equiano’s life? In what ways does commerce make him a modern man?

What is Equiano’s economic solution to slavery at the end of the book? 4. Equiano was familiar with the entire system of slavery from Africa to the Middle Passage to plantation life in the West Indies and United States. How do his experiences of African slavery and New-World slavery compare? What is his view of slavery? Is it so simple as a one-sided condemnation, or is it more complicated? Does Equiano accept slavery under any circumstances? Are their ways in which it is legitimized? 5. Autobiography is a literary genre that allows the author to recall and record events from his or her past.

Intentionally or not, however, sometimes autobiographers reinvent their pasts to their advantage. Memory and interpretation can obscure what actually took place. In what ways does Equiano appeal to the reader? Does he present a judicious and balanced view of his life, or is this book merely an exercise in propaganda? 6. If all of these questions fail to stimulate your interest, creativity, and analytical apparatuses, you may create your own paper topic provided you receive my approval well in advance.

In the beginning, Book IV of Gulliver’s Travels starts off as an almost comedic anarchist story of a captain being held hostage on his own ship and being thrown off board on a strange unknown island, but in reality ends up being a satiric comment on society with a deep philosophical meaning. The author, Jonathan Swift, cleverly intertwined many intelligent, complex and interesting characters into the voyages of the antagonist: Lemuel Gulliver. Don Pedro De Mendez, a character introduced by Swift in the eleventh chapter, serves great use to the plot as well as to the readers’ understanding of Book IV of Gulliver’s Travels.

Particularly as a bridge between two worlds; the reason (being the land of the Houyhnhnms) and the lawless (the yahoos or humankind around the world). Don Pedro De Mendez serves as a function of making the antagonist reflect. When the first encounter is made with Don Pedro we see that he is an outstanding “Yahoo”. “He was a very courteous and generous person; {…} desired to know what I would eat or drink {…} but he ordered me a chicken and some excellent wine. ” (Swift 2456). The reader acknowledges from the start that he is a kind, generous, amiable and loving man.

Many manners Don Pedro presents towards Gulliver lead’s him to commence his questioning in regard of whether humankind is really as awful as the Houyhnhnms have portrayed. “that I wondered to find such civilities in a Yahoo” (Swift 2456). Don Pedro showed care for Gulliver not only when he took him on board gratis but when he saved him from jumping off the boat to his death. “He desired to know my reason for so desperate an attempt; assured me he only meant to do me all the service he was able {…} that at last I descended to treat him like an animal which had some little portion of reason” (Swift 2456).

At this point Gulliver begins to realise that, even though he is still repulsed by human look and smell, not every Yahoo is as appalling as he is lead to believe. At this point, it is quite obvious that Don Pedro is inserted into the plot for a definite reason and it starts to take effect on Gulliver. Not only does he manage to withstand Don Pedro and his sailor’s company but he begins to create false pretences “but pretending I was sick, kept close in my cabin. (Swift 2458) while he says that only Yahoos lie “the use of speech was to make us understand one another, and to receive information of facts; now, if any one said the thing which was not, these ends were defeated, because I cannot properly be said to understand him; and I am so far from receiving information, that he leaves me worse than in ignorance; for I am led to believe a thing black, when it is white, and short, when it is long. ” (Swift 2428). “For I had quite forgot the faculty of lying, so particular to Yahoos in all countries where they preside, and consequently the disposition of suspecting truth in others of their own species. (Swift 2456). More and more as the plot refines itself, Gulliver begins to regain old everyday humanoid habits. “I only desired he would lend me two clean shirts, which having been washed since he wore them, I believed would not so much defile me. These I changed every second day, and washed them myself. ” (Swift 2457). “The captain persuaded me to accept a suit of clothes newly made {…} which I aired for twenty-four hours before I would use them. ” (Swift 2457). Jonathan Swift also used the character of Don Pedro as a plot mover. He helps advance and continue the plot in many ways.

Primarily, if his ship was not spotted at just the perfect time by Gulliver, Gulliver would have continued to the northern end of the peninsula and probably have been hunted down by natives and murdered. The presence of Don Pedro saves Gulliver’s life twice that day, “and in half an hour stole out, when I thought the crew was at dinner; and getting to the side of the ship, was going to leap into the sea, and swim for my life, rather than continue among Yahoos. But one of the seamen prevented me {…} I was chained to my bed” (Swift 2456) so if Don Pedro’s men would not have been there to stop Gulliver from jumping, the plot would have ended. When they began to talk, I thought I never heard or saw any thing so unnatural, for it appeared to me as monstrous as if a dog or a cow should speak in England, or a Yahoo in Houyhnhnmland” (Swift 2456). Also, Don Pedro and his men were the first Yahoos he spoke to in five years, which helped his progression from a houyhnhnm to a humanoid. “When they began to talk {…} they spoke to me with great humanity, and said they were sure their captain would carry me gratis to Lisbon. ” (Swift 2456). Finally, thinking that Gulliver is ready, shown in this quote: “In a week’s time he seduced me down to the door.

I found my terror gradually lessened, but my hatred and contempt seemed to increase. I was at last bold enough to walk the streets in his company. ” (Swift 2458). Don Pedro assists the plot by persuasively pushing Gulliver to return to his hometown in England and try to weave back into society. “Don Pedro {…} put it upon me as a point of honour and conscience that I ought to return to my native country, and live at home with my wife and children. ” (Swift 2457). Although Don Pedro’s intentions were kind and comely, the attempt was a failure.

Once arrived in Redriff, his hometown, he realised that he was not cured. “The sight of them filled me only with hatred, disgust and contempt; {…} my wife took me in her arms, and kissed me; at which, having not been used to the touch of that odious animal for so many years, I fell in a swoon for almost an hour. ” (Swift 2459). In conclusion, Don Pedro De Mendez serves as a function of making the antagonist reflect on whether he shall return to the world of the Yahoos or not, in this sense Jonathan Swift uses his character as a plot mover thus demonstrating a bridge between two worlds.

Don Pedro also serves as a summary clearly stating the most important part of the climax to the readers so they may understand better what is going on. In general, Swift uses Don Pedro as a coin flip; on one side we find the rational world of the Houyhnhnms and on the other side the “irrational” world of the Yahoos or humankind. If you compared the situation between the Houyhnhnms and the Yahoos to present society throughout the world, how rational are we exactly?

Difference in opinions has cost many millions of lives: for instance, whether flesh be bread, or bread be flesh; whether the juice of a certain berry be blood or wine; whether whistling be a vice or a virtue; whether it be better to kiss a post, or throw it into the fire; what is the best colour for a coat, whether black, white, red, or gray; and whether it should be long or short, narrow or wide, dirty or clean; with many more. Neither are any wars so furious and bloody, or of so long a continuance, as those occasioned by difference in opinion, especially if it be in things indifferent. (Swift 2432).

The reluctance to enter this climatic journey was brought upon the experiences of other riders. The facial expressions and comments I was hearing as people exited the ‘Mechanical Emotion Drawer’ was unbelievable. The excruciating pain being hidden behind anxiousness and expectation. Every small, timide step forward added to the suspense making me want to break free of my personal pride.

The source of my anxiety is in the U.S.A, where they are renowned for making the impossible, possible and reaching new heights in technology. Being a British Asian (Living in England) the creativity and imagination for producing the best inspires me, just like what I was about to experience.

As I looked into the skyline of this masterpiece park, one ‘Godzilla’ like stature dominated my view. It stood tall, bright red in colour and dominant across this sea of other great participants. This added to my sense of fear and I began to realise that anticipation would soon turn into reality. As I queued impatiently along with four of my fearless cousins, constant screaming and shouting was heard. This was coming above my head, as this piece of high-tech metal flew at a great pace.

As I approached the end of my queue, clear, loud and precise instructions came from speakers beside me. ‘Pregnant woman, people with heart problems, back problems should not enter this…’ As I heard this message , I started to question why this announcement was read out. The message continued, read in a firm manner. ‘This is due to the high speed and great heights this …’ After hearing this I shut out the rest of the instructions. At this pacific moment, I felt, dare I say it, scared.

All I could hear was the laughter and the normality of the conversations my fellow occupants of the seats that we would soon sit in. My personal pride and respect was brought into doubt when my silence was questioned as fear and cowardliness, but as stupid as it sounds I quickly dismissed these suggestions. I used reverse psychology tactics and questioned back, ‘Your frightened, that’s why your asking!’ Clever eh!

My time eventually came and the automatic barriers opened before my glaring eyes. I hurried forward, this was to show my unconditional confidence I had. I sat on these comfortable, leather, soft seats and then only I realised one key point. There’s no way back from here! As soon as everyone were seated my legs were lifted slowly behind me. I was literally lying down and, believe me, I was as nervous as going to open some important exam results. Safety padding came slowly down from above me and escape was impossible. This horror machine commenced and all you could hear was the screeching between the contact of the track and each individual open cabin. I felt somewhat relieved to have a secure seat and the thought of me turning back was out of the question.

Twisting, turning, looping movements were what I was expecting as we were taken up on top of the skyline. I began to question my real respect, for why I come on death defying stunts?

Gulliver’s Travel is a fairytale inverted. The little beings are hurtful, the giants have more insight than man, the beasts rule, and humanity is shown, not as triumphant, but as degraded and enslaved.

P. Colum

Jonathan Swift

Gulliver’s Travels was written by Jonathan Swift. He was born in Dublin, Ireland on 30 November 1667. He graduated from Trinity College in 1686 and then left for England seeking a job. He was eventually the secretary to Sir William Temple. He thought that humans were disgusting and vile creatures and were a disgrace to life. He wanted to show how malicious, evil, and horrible these small beings in the world can really be. Sadly in 1745 Jonathan Swift died of paralysis, aphasia, and apathy.

Fairytale Inverted

Gulliver’s travel is a fairytale inverted; it is not what you would expect to find in the norm. There is no happiness, love or succession. This is not the ordinary fairytale. In this book there is betrayal, imprisonment, deceit, and deaths. In normal fairytales e.g. Sleeping Beauty the victims always prevail and defeat the evils. In this case the princess didn’t die but she fell asleep and she woke up because of a kiss from a prince, so the witch didn’t get what she wanted and they lived happily ever after. Other good examples are Snow White And The 7 Dwarfs, Jack And The Beanstalk and 101 Dalmatians.

The Little Beings Are Hurtful – Lilliput

In Lilliput, there are creatures that are like humans, but they are just smaller in size. In this voyage to Lilliput, Gulliver is the giant who is very virtuous but he acquaints with evil little creatures. You would expect the Lilliputians to be kind and loving because of their size and Gulliver to be mean and aggressive, but being a change from the norm, the characteristics have been swapped. You would think that the Lilliputians are helpless and could never hurt someone by the quote,’ I was in the utmost astonishment, and roared so loud, that they all ran back in a fright…’ That quote shows that the Lilliputians are endearing little creatures and that they couldn’t even hurt a fly but as the story progresses the little beings get more vicious and start wars because of silly reasons. Gulliver is found by two small Lilliputians. These small little men are voracious and ravenous for wealth as their plan was to make money off this extraordinary figure, but when the Majesty saw everything the two Lilliputians manipulated their plan so that it meant that they wanted to give it to the Majesty.

The following quote,’… some of them had the imprudence to shoot their arrows at me as I sate on the ground by the door of my house; whereof one very narrowly missed my left eye,’ shows that the Lilliputians are short-tempered and are willing to do anything to get what they want and sometimes fight for no reason. In the following quote a war starts off due to a law which many resented, ‘Which two mighty powers have, as I was going to tell you, been engaged in a most obstinate war for six-and-thirty moons past. It began upon the following occasion. It is allowed on all hands, that the primitive way of breaking eggs, before we eat them, was upon the larger end; but his present majesty’s grandfather, while he was a boy, going to eat an egg, and breaking it according to the ancient practice, happened to cut one of his fingers. Whereupon the emperor his father published an edict, commanding all his subjects, upon great penalties, to break the smaller end of their eggs.

The people so highly resented this law, that our histories tell us, there have been six rebellions raised on that account; wherein one emperor lost his life, and another his crown.’ In that quote what is said that six rebellions broke out because people had been told that the law had changed and they now had to crack their eggs in the smaller end. This silly law sparked off a war, which wasn’t needed over such a petty argument. It shows how hungry for war Lilliputians are. Also Lilliput’s way of choosing ministers or promoting them or demoting them is done by a strange method of which each participant must jump over or under or in any manner pass a rod as elegantly or dynamically possibly in which they are judged for their grace. The Majesty thought that it was best that Gulliver chose the punishment. This is the quote in which Gulliver decides upon on what to do with the ringleaders,’… I took them all in my right hand, put five of them into my coat-pocket; and as to the sixth, I made a countenance as if I would eat him alive.’

In that quote Gulliver didn’t do anything to them he only faked the eating of the Lilliputian, Gulliver is a kind and caring man, although they were aggressive, it is not his nature to hurt people. Normally Gulliver would eat them or kill as he is a giant, but this being and inverted fairytale Gulliver is benevolent. Also Lilliput’s way of choosing ministers or promoting them or demoting them is done by a strange method of which each participant must jump over or under or in any manner pass a rod as elegantly or as dynamically possible in which they are judged for their method. This way of choosing ministers to maintain a ‘parliament’ was profound, as it needed no education for their job. This way was corrupt and anyone could have power and control and not just for good reasons as they can pervert their country as the wrong people could get the position. In the voyage to Lilliput, Swift was trying to emphasise on how humans are very much alike the Lilliputians. In that we fight for asinine reasons and that rationality cannot be used to solve problems. Instead humans must start war rather than have peace and help others in life instead of killing them.

The Giants Have More Insight Than Man – Brobdingnag

The second voyage for Gulliver was an encounter with the land of Brobdingnag. Brobdingnag in some sense was alike Lilliput but different in many others. The creatures in Brobdingnag were giant humans and Gulliver was about the size of a Lilliputian, so essentially the sizes of Gulliver have been swapped so he is in small in a big world, rather than big in a small world in Lilliput. When Gulliver reached Brobdingnag he noticed that large creatures surrounded him. Gulliver was frightened and intimidated by their size yet also interested. He was also aghast by the sight of the beings by Gulliver saying,’ I was struck with the utmost fear and astonishment, and ran to hide myself in the corn, whence I saw him at the top of the stile looking back into the next field on the right hand, and heard him call in a voice many degrees louder than a speaking-trumpet: but the noise was so high in the air, that at first I certainly thought it was thunder.’

The above quote shows how timorous Gulliver is. England. The Brobdingnagians have solutions to all of our problems that are present in Gulliver’s England. The giants feel that money isn’t needed and it will only cause greed and poverty if it was imperative it is shown by the quote,’ I took a purse of gold out of my pocket, and humbly presented it to him. He received it on the palm of his hand, then applied it close to his eye to see what it was, and afterwards turned it several times with the point of a pin (which he took out of his sleeve,) but could make nothing of it. Whereupon I made a sign that he should place his hand on the ground. I then took the purse, and, opening it, poured all the gold into his palm.

There were six Spanish pieces of four pistoles each, beside twenty or thirty smaller coins. I saw him wet the tip of his little finger upon his tongue, and take up one of my largest pieces, and then another; but he seemed to be wholly ignorant what they were.’ In the following quote Gulliver describes the creatures,’ Whereupon seven monsters, like himself, came towards him with reaping-hooks in their hands, each hook about the largeness of six scythe. In the above quote Gulliver is revolted by the not so well clad giants and says that the creatures are monsters, which shows that Gulliver isn’t fond of the human body. The Brobdingnagians were easy-going and kind and their look didn’t compare to their personality in any way. The Brobdingnagians didn’t understand the need for enemies as they thought that having enemies would make life pointless. Many of the Brobdingnagians were disgusted when Gulliver talked about England and how the country was run.

The following quote shows that England was not a very well run country and the ministers were corrupt and mischievous in their work,’ The king was struck with horror at the description I had given him.’ The people of Brobdingnag didn’t understand the point of doing what people in England were undertaking. In Brobdingnag Swift tries to show through Gulliver how mean humans can be to one another and destroy each other. In Brobdingnag, Swift clearly criticises the ministers and leaders of the land. He uses Gulliver to portray some of the nature that takes place in England. The same point is being shown in Lilliput as well. Gulliver spurns on the way of the English Parliament run the country. He tries to uncover the scantiness of England through Gulliver and the Majesty of Brobdingnag showing how horrified she is by Gulliver’s way of life in England.

The Beasts Rule – Houyhnhnms

The last voyage for Gulliver sees finds himself on a rather strange island where horses rule the yahoos (yahoos coming across as humans). His first sight of an inhabitant was of the Yahoo. He thought it was a monstrosity that a creature of that appearance could actually exist. That disgust is shown in the following quote,’ I fell into a beaten road, where I saw many tracts of human feet, and some of cows, but most of horses. At last I beheld several animals in a field, and one or two of the same kind sitting in trees. Their shape was very singular and deformed, which a little discomposed me, so that I lay down behind a thicket to observe them better. Some of them coming forward near the place where I lay, gave me an opportunity of distinctly marking their form.’ The Yahoos acts and appearances are portraying humans from Swift’s view on them.

On the contrary, when he sees the Houyhnhnms he is impressed and full of delight, this is shown in the following quote,’ But looking on my left hand, I saw a horse walking softly in the field; which my persecutors having sooner discovered, was the cause of their flight. The horse started a little, when he came near me, but soon recovering himself, looked full in my face with manifest tokens of wonder; he viewed my hands and feet, walking round me several times. I would have pursued my journey, but he placed himself directly in the way, yet looking with a very mild aspect, never offering the least violence.’ The Houyhnhnms are clever horses and are very knowledgeable. Swift shows this because he wants to prove that animals aren’t just around to be eaten and to be ridden and then when useless to be killed and thrown away for dog meat. He tries to say that animals have feelings as well and they aren’t just in the world to always follow rules by humans.

They aren’t just a horse and that is what one shouldn’t be perceive them as, they are living and don’t always want to be bossed around. The Houyhnhnms don’t have emotions yet their way of life is much better as they also propose the same views of the common Brobdingnagian- they don’t see the point in committing sins and starting wars and fights etc. The Houyhnhnms see the Yahoos as greedy, savage, and vile creatures, this being the criticism of a human and the disgust that Swift sees in humans. He uses a horse to show how shocking a human can actually be. The horses are near perfect as they don’t even have a word for the term ‘lie’ which shows just how honest their society is, and on the contrary how corrupt the English one is.

Degraded And Enslaved – Humans

Throughout Gulliver’s Travels Jonathan Swift has been outlining and uncovering all of the flaws a human can have. He criticises human nature and how corrupt and dishonest it is compared to the Brobdingnag and Houyhnhnms society, which is near perfect in every way where poverty, hunger, and greed doesn’t exist. He talks many aspects within society and criticising it to its deepest depth and proving how distasteful human nature can be. The last voyage is the one that really stirs Gulliver up which makes him sometimes wish he was a Houyhnhnm due to their perfect society. Gulliver’s feelings for humans have drastically changed and he now sees them to be malicious, conniving, corrupt, disgusting humans can truly be at their potential.

My View On P. Colum’s Thoughts

I completely agree with P. Colum’s statement as the whole book is a fairytale inverted, this is shown by the small Lilliputians going to war, the giants are clever and more insight shown by their diminutive knowledge of war and their society having equals throughout and not having poverty or hunger within their society, and finally the Houyhnhnms ruling the Yahoos (who represent humans), yet the horses still treat the Yahoos adequately, when in England horses are just ridden until age as surpassed themselves and they are of no use. Also I also agree with Colum saying that humanity is degraded and enslaved because humans do take advantage of power and greed is something that triumphs over good will. Humans can’t escape selfishness, corruption and malice for they have trapped themselves within these sins.

Frequently, at the time of writing, literature was used as a political tool. It was used to send messages, make people think, and to make subversive criticism of monarchy, political parties, or religious factions. To do this effectively, the author uses much satire and irony throughout the novel. The whole of Gulliver’s Travels is ironical. The Englishman in the strange land surrounded by miniature beings is no more than an outsider. In the first book, the reader sees themselves as one of these miniature beings.

In the second book Gulliver is overwhelmingly human, with human weakness, distorting the truth, and human strengths, the positive oration. In the last book the situational satire moves beyond our feeling comfortable with it. In this book there is a complete transposition of horse and man. We see a civilisation that is pure and rational. Fraud, deceit, illness, or greet have not influenced it. Jonathan Swift writes of all social injustices and personal discomfort. Often the writing is with biting sarcasm but sometimes with violent explosions of anger, frequently with quiet ridicule.

However he does this, the intention is the same and he urges the reader to really think about the effect of these views. The author intends that even the most far-fetched of his characters is meant to remind the reader of human weaknesses; lust, barbarism, pride and conceit. Often, Swift gives the reader direct comparisons. Two good examples of these are the people in the Court at Lilliput and their antics to procure promotion, and the people in the Academy at Lagado and their time consuming and worthless research.

As the reader travels through each book the humanity becomes more degenerate and despicable and the reader is left to face himself or herself in the Yahoo, whereas the well-bred horse portrays the superior, sensitive, intelligent and virtuous characteristics. In the world of Lilliput we view with some amusement how meaningless the lives at court are. The ceremonies become silly, the awarding of honours meaningless, and the political differences completely comic when we consider such rivalry over which end an egg is eaten from.

The whole ‘seriousness’ of Lilliput is reduced to merely a sideshow where the reader sees the action for what it really is; nonsense. An alternative environment, that is Brobdingnag, suggests a complete contrast. The tiny become giants and we see things from exactly the opposite perspective. The close-up pictures of skin, nipples and food repulse the reader and we are left to question how we judge beauty and elegance. Other people become physically unattractive to Gulliver in Brobdingnag, just as he himself became socially and intellectually unattractive in Lilliput.

In the former, the characters and ridiculed, in the latter it is a society as a whole which is held up to the ridicule. Ironically, now Gulliver is twelve times smaller, it is his people who are ridiculed by the King of Brobdingnag, just as he, Gulliver, has ridiculed the antics of the Lilliputians. Books one and two reverse the perspectives completely. Gulliver is a Brobdingnagian in Lilliput. Here among miniature men he witnesses their spite and envy. Contrary to this, Gulliver is a Lilliputian in Brobdingnag and witnesses, despite his fears, the generosity and benevolence of the giants.

Indeed it is only in this book where Gulliver holds a tender relationship with Glumdalclitch, in an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ kind of way. The use of the sizing up and down by a factor of twelve demonstrates the inconsequence of size and focuses us back to the fact that we are what we believe, not how we eat or live in physical term. Only wisdom, integrity, honesty and loyalty are independent of size. In book three Swift turns his attention to these virtues or lack of them. The focus of Laputa is intellectual and cognitive. In book three the reader needs to consider four main areas of satire.

Swift attacks the false learning and bizarre research by making the projectors eccentric and obsessive. He uses the oppression of Balnibari by Laputa to remind the reader of Anglo-Irish issues. He refers to unrewarded efforts and political corruption and even the desire for eternal life by using the Struldbuggs. In the fourth book the reader is given a contrast, awful in its extremities. The human Yahoo with its bestiality is compared to the horse-like Houhunhnms who display virtues far above those observed in human society.

The satire in this book is aimed at the Yahoos: Swift uses them as a device to explain how awful the human race really is. The comparisons are individual and in political groups. The comparisons are frequently odious, and in some cases indecent. Swift uses all of skills in his power to demonstrate the gross behaviour or the human being. Gulliver himself plays a more prominent part in Books one and two. He is treated ceremoniously and with high regard by the Lilliputians, and with affection by the Brobdingnagians who regard him almost as an interesting pet.

The high regard held by the Lilliputians is not seen in book three where the Laputans quite simply ignore him. The only interaction he has in book three is with the academics of Lagardo, and then only to demonstrate the magical understanding these people seem to have of life and logic. By book four, Gulliver is looked upon suspiciously, almost with disgust as he is regarded as a kind of Yahoo. Gulliver is portrayed as an honest, educated man determined to earn a living as a ship’s surgeon at sea. He is philosophical about the adventures and mishaps he encounters.

He faces the new and wonderful people with genuine interest and relays details refreshingly and without malice. It is Gulliver’s attention to detail with gives the reader an insight into the wonderful worlds that Gulliver visits. We see, hear and experience through Gulliver’s senses. It is this which helps us to decide very effectively about Gulliver’s personality, his likes and dislikes, his joys and fears, his morality and political preferences. Gulliver has a sense of honour; he has left his family in order to provide for them. He is reminded of his oath to the Emperor and feels embarrassed when he is publicly displayed.

His respect for royalty is witnessed with his dealings with the princess. Gulliver gently kisses her hand and bends low. This is linked with his sense of patriotism; for Gulliver, England is best. When he explains to the King about England, he tends to ignore the weaknesses of the English system of law and government. We know Gulliver is interested by politics, frequently holding conversations on biased appointments, irrelevant wars and dishonest elections. We also learn he has anti-militaristic views and is especially critical of people who fight simply for money.

Yet despite this view we learn that Gulliver himself must have been trained to use hand sword, staff and pistols because he uses all these effectively on his journeys. Gulliver is above all else a good conversationalist, always ready to ask and answer questions, he has an enquiring mind and is keen to learn. This is evidenced by his learning new languages, his ability to make accurate measurements and his interest in history. Gulliver takes easily to all spheres of society, whether it be Emperor or King, tradesman or servant.

He is always ready to give helpful advice and help with problems where he thinks it will be valued. If the reader has one criticism of Gulliver, it is that he does not seem to have deep affection for his wife and child. The reader is told in book four ‘I left my poor wife big with child’ and when he returns home she kisses him and Gulliver is appalled, ‘having not been used to the touch of that odious animal for many years’. Indeed, he clearly leaves the adventures for a warm relationship with the inhabitants of his stable. About his groom, Gulliver says ‘I feel my spirits revived by the smell he contracts in the stable’.

Gulliver is used as narrator; his view is innocent, unemotional, clearly focused and unambiguous. At the same time as the observations we are allowed an insight into Gulliver’s (or Swift’s) opinions. Gulliver, educated and rational, inspires out confidence from the first. He supplies the reader with detailed observations that add to the verisimilitude of the plot. Generally he portrays the scene in a positive light, and wishes to be perceived in the same way; an example of this is when Gulliver displays his clemency by sparing the ruffians and is commended for his actions at court.

Gulliver has impeccable and genteel manners, made laughable by the differences in size in both Lilliput and Brobdingnag. Swift uses Gulliver as an example of a ‘good’ human being, but throughout the book we are continually asked to question how good human beings really are. Gulliver horrifies the King with the secret of gunpowder yet is horrified that promotions in Lilliput rely on whether the applicant has gymnastic skills. In Book four it is Yahoo skins Gulliver uses for his canoe not the horse skins in common use by his civilisation.

Swift uses Gulliver to deny accusations or to embarrassingly embellish an argument only to give us an even clearer understanding of the human frailties being portrayed. So the ‘innocent’ Gulliver is used as a catalyst to allow the reader a deeper understanding of issues. An example of this is clothing, which is all that distinguishes Gulliver from the Yahoo. Gulliver is used to deliver a technique or verbal irony. In Book one, we are told of the Emperor’s qualities, all of which are the opposite of George’s characteristics. In Book two Gulliver’s praise of his country is overexaggerated, and therefore lacks credibility.

Very often one seemingly credible paragraph is followed by another, which makes us reconsider what we have already read. This is a particular device in Book four which engages the reader to reflect upon what they have read. An example of this is when Gulliver explains what horses are used for in England, and in doing so, shocks the Houyhnhnms. Gulliver is also used to shock and embarrass the reader. Gulliver urinates and moves his bowels all in graphic detail. He describes his being stripped naked and riding upon one of the nipples of a Maid of Honour.

He describes the texture of skin and obscene eating habits in magnified detail and culminates in a graphic portrayal of the yahoos. Swift makes us stop to reflect upon the unspoken natural moments of our lives which link us to animals more than we care to admit. Indeed most readers identify, as Gulliver did, with the Houyhnhnms. This must be the absolute irony, as irony is impossible in the Houyhnhnms’ society because ‘the thing which is not’ is not meant as a deception. In book four the satirical ingredient is sarcasm and the grey ‘master’ frequently uses this. He describes the Yahoo as ‘a sort of animal’.

In order to fully understand Jonathan Swift’s central message in Gulliver’s Travels, one must examine in detail the book’s introduction, and its conclusion. While the second and third books of the adventure are not unimportant, it is the first and final volumes which, when compared with one another, offer the clearest representation of Swift’s thinking. The first book subtly reveals some the ideas which fuel the novel’s satirical aspect while the same concepts are lucidly communicated to the reader with great poignancy in the fourth book.

One of the novel’s central themes is the methods man uses to resolve his disputes. The first component of this issue is an examination of how trivial some of man’s quarrels are. During his voyage to Lilliput, Gulliver discovers that the Empires of Lilliputia and Blefuscu are embroiled in a major war simply because their ancestors could not agree on which end an egg should be broken: “It is computed that eleven thousand persons have at several times suffered death, rather than submit to break their eggs at the smaller end.” (36)

Swift wants the reader to be shocked not only by the absurdity of the conflict, but by its scale as well. The idea that many wars are started for foolish reasons is humorously conveyed to the reader in book one. In book four, Swift takes another look at the same issue with much more serious intentions in mind. While describing the Yahoos (who represent humanity’s basic instincts), the author points out that humans have a natural inclination toward violence.

Though humans have the gift of reason just like the morally judicious Houyhnhnms, they always seem to be fighting each other as a method of resolving disputes. For example, when there is a more than sufficient amount of meat for a group of Yahoos, they will fight each other in hopes of acquiring the excess meat.

The image of long haired barbarians, rolling around in the mud, wildly struggling for every last morsel of flesh is an evocative one. It stands in sharp contrast to the toy soldier-like humanoids of book one, who, clad in replete military uniform, are fighting each other like the pieces of a chess game. Swift now has us observing a much more visceral scene in which man’s primal instincts are on display. Swift’s aim of lightly satirizing humanity’s tendency towards conflict in book one becomes a much more powerful and memorable message when it is taken to the extreme in book four.

Another issue which Swift explores in Gulliver’s Travels is the nature of woman. Although the author viciously attacks women in the second book, the first and fourth books also include criticism of what was thought to be the weaker gender during the seventeenth century. The writer’s critical analysis of women begins in book one when the palace in Lilliput is on fire.

Gulliver, seeing that the humongous palace is in danger of burning to the ground with members of the royal family still stuck inside, begins to urinate on the flaming structure. He successfully puts out the fire, rescuing all those inside. Though Gulliver saved the Empresses’ life, she has held a grudge against the giant since he came to Lilliput and thus remains ungrateful. Even though her dignity was dealt a minor blow, it is short sighted of the Empress to be unable to look beyond that and show Gulliver the gratitude he deserves. This is the first example of a woman using Gulliver for her own purposes and not giving him anything in return.

Once again, the same idea is carried into the fourth book, and taken to a greater extreme. In the eighth chapter, Gulliver is bathing. A female Yahoo is stricken with desire and leaps at him:

“The nag was grazing at some distance, not suspecting any harm. She embraced me after a most fulsome manner. I roared as loud as I could, and the nag came galloping towards me, whereupon she quitted her grasp, with the utmost reluctancy, and leaped upon the opposite bank, where she stood gazing and howling all the time I was putting on my clothes.” (259)

In the above event, a female acts on instinct and desire and does not think of the consequences of her actions. She does what she does solely for selfish reasons. Both the Empress and the Yahoo got something from Gulliver but give nothing back in return. Swift once again introduces the reader to an idea in the first book, and increases his argument’s potency in the fourth book.

In all four books of Gulliver’s Travels, Swift makes a mockery of the politics of his day.

The author satirizes not only the politicians who lived during his time, but their methods of achieving political power, and the governmental structure of the British monarchy. The first book is the most political in nature.

At a memorable point during the first book, the Emperor of Lilliput is trying to find new officials to occupy government positions. Rather than placing the men whose political aptitude is high in government, the Emperor of Lilliput stages an elaborate festival in which games of dexterity and agility are played. Any sane monarch who has the best interests of his nation in mind would never choose his ministers in such a foolish manner. Here, Swift humorously depicts how administrative decisions are made at the highest level.

In book four, the staid tone of Swift’s message is far more poignant. In Yahoo society, each herd has a ruler. Every herd’s ruler has his own henchman or favourite. He typically gives this position to a good friend of his, or someone who is very similar to himself. The emotional Yahoos become very jealous of the leader’s second in command, and thus they take a great deal of pleasure in undermining him at every opportunity. Eventually, the favourite is discarded and replaced with someone else like him. This description of Yahoo politics serves to make a number of important points.

Firstly, administrative political decisions are not typically based on candidates’ merit; often irrelevant criteria are considered. Secondly, any political system which fails to take into account even the basic needs of its people and angers them to the point of continuous violence is a great failure in Swift’s eyes. The fact that the Yahoos are constantly trying to undermine those who are in positions of power and who are supposed to represent them means that their political system is valueless. The author’s description of what is done to those who have been removed from political office only serves to shock and disgust the reader to a greater extent:

“He usually continues in office till a worse can be found; but the very moment he is discarded, his successor, at the head of all the YAHOOS in that district, young and old, male and female, come in a body, and discharge their excrements upon him from head to foot.”

Not only does this quotation indicate the disgust Swift, and the Yahoos have with their respective political systems, but it once again makes the point that in many cases, humans hate each other and are thus prone to conflict or other methods of expressing that hatred.

As a neo-classicist, one the most vital piece of information Swift hoped to convey to the readers of Gulliver’s Travels is that human beings have a tendency to rely on their emotions rather than their reason when attempting to solve problems. Similarly, when humans do have the presence of mind to use their reason, they employ logic in order to accomplish immoral objectives. Illogical or immoral actions by human characters suggest this point in book one, and reinforce it in book four.

After Gulliver captures the entire Blefuscian navy for Lilliput, he is met by an adoring populace in the Lilliputian capital. Even so, the Lilliputian high council decides that Gulliver should have massacred the entire helpless Blefuscian population and his failure to do so will result in his eyes being gouged out. The fact that he is their greatest weapon and has saved them from a likely defeat against their sworn enemies would suggest that torturing him is both illogical and immoral. This is yet another example of Swift using book one to insert humour into his novel while still conveying a serious message.

In book four, the comedic element of tiny men believing they control a giant who could destroy them in one fell swoop is removed. All that remains is the harsh reality of Yahoo life. Instead of working together to improve their quality of life, the Yahoos use their ingenuity against each other, destroying each other’s quality of life. The logical course of action, in order to solve a complex problem, is to use all your resources. In book one and book four, humanity narrow-mindedly chooses to ignore chances to solve their many difficulties.

At first glance, books one and four of Gulliver’s Travels exist simply to begin and conclude the book respectively. Following closer examination of both books, a parallel between them can be discovered: Swift subtly brings forth an idea or thought in the first book and disguises it with a layer of comedy. In the fourth and final book, Swift peels off the mask and the reader has the opportunity to view the idea in its entirety and is thus exposed to what is in Swift’s view, the harsh reality of what the human race really is, or is capable of being.