Free College Essays - The Hidden Meaning of Gullivers Travels :: Gullivers Travels Essays

The Hidden Meaning of Gullivers Travels Gullivers Travels is one of the most beloved satires of altogether time (Forster 11). Yet, careful analysis shows it to be very complex with not one definite interpretation. A very surface reading whitethorn leave one feeling that the testify of the book is dont be Yahoo. This is the mental object that David Ward feels Gulliver the character is giving and says that it is no more complex than Orwells, cardinal legs good, two legs bad. But this grows out of the fact of Gullivers nature. A synthesis of the opinions of the writers I read paints Gulliver as an average man of average courage, honesty, compassion, and intellect, a common Englishman. But there is nothing typical active Gullivers Travels. What Swift has effect by making Gulliver the embodiment of common English values and beliefs and so having him visit far away knowledge bases that are really the mirrors of English guild is an interesting satirical device. He forces the Eng lish reader to unknowingly render English society, not according to some higher law or pristine observer, but through the lens of their own cherished values. This in effect turns English beliefs and values in on themselves as a establish of their merit. Swift echoes this structure by first having Gulliver visit a reduce of little people, which causes one to observe them with scrutiny. Then Gulliver immediately travels to a land of giants which causes scrutiny of Gulliver, who is now the little one. After a series of unalike looks at society through the first three voyages, Gulliver travels to Houyhnhnmland where the nature of people themselves are given the strongest censure, by being directly paralleled with the loathsome Yahoos. here(predicate) Swift bluntly attacks almost every aspect of society, which is then compared to the Yahoos point by point by the Grey Mare. Gulliver and the reader finally find out themselves completely with the Yahoos (see close commentary), and G ulliver decides to abandon Yahooism forever. But, he is then immediately banished from the island by the Houyhnhnm assembly. This poses an interesting question (see close commentary). What is Swifts final message then about man or his future? The fact that Gulliver is unable to stay with the Houyhnhnms or adhere to their principles after leaving the island, does not mean to me that man is doomed. I think Swift is saying that man will always be Yahoo, but at the same time I think he is advocating an awareness of our Yahoo nature.