Lets Try This Again . . . My Mind's Travels Through Gulliver's Travels

I loved reading this story! It was so much easier to understand than some of the other things we have read!

So the first thing I noticed in reading this was in the very beginning when Gulliver writes that the account of what he saw on his journey and the people he met was not a fictional story, but real. When I first read this part, I thought that I was still reading information about Jonathan Swift, and not the actual book yet. That being said, when I read that section I thought Swift was saying that he got the idea for the book and characters from the condition of England at the time he wrote the book. Even though I was confused, I believe that my idea could still be true. There is a lot of mention about England, the way people treat other and are treated, as well the description of Englishman with certain professions could have a lot to do with England at that time. I believe that Swift is actually trying to tell his audience about his opinion of the world and society.

I also find it very interesting that when Gulliver reaches the island of the Houyhnhnms and sees the yahoos and witnesses their lack of human qualities, Gulliver wants nothing to do with them. He actually says that he doesn't even want to be called a Yahoo himself, because he doesn't want to be associated with a creature so lowly. Instead of trying to educate the creatures most like himself and teach them how to act, he can't stand them. Even though the story is a lot like Planet of the Apes, Gulliver's reaction is very different from Coronel George Taylor's. The astronaut tries to save the people most like himself, and defeat their masters, while Gulliver does not want anything to do with his own kind. Pretty depressing if you ask me!

-Susan!

P.S. I posted on Meghan!