Preview

Swift's Ideal Character

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1024 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Swift's Ideal Character
Gulliver’s Travel Essay In Gulliver’s Travel, by Jonathon Swift, the protagonist, Gulliver, meets and interacts with several different kinds of human-like creatures. These creatures greatly vary in stature, some of which are minuscule compared to Gulliver and others that tower over him. While these beings are human-like in appearance and in some of their characteristics, they also show animal-like qualities. Yahoos in the land of the Houyhnhnms are a perfect example of the uncivilized nature in humans. Yahoos are savage, greedy and dishonest hairy humans who are closer to being animals then they are to being humans. The Laputans are humans that show interest in science and mathematics. They show that humans have reason. The Laputans perform science experiments. These experiments require reason and intelligence to perform. The experiments are impractical and useless, but they show human’s reason nonetheless. Jonathon Swift conducts the idea that humans are animals and have reason through the various types of humans encountered throughout the novel.

Creatures that Gulliver meets show that humans are animals. One of these humans is a Yahoo. Yahoos are the most despicable kind of humans imaginable. “He said whoever understood the nature of Yahoos might easily believe it possible for so vile an animal to be capable of every action I had named” (257). The Yahoos were downright nasty creatures. They were “begging, robbing, stealing, cheating, pimping, forswearing, flattering, suborning, forgoing, gaming, lying, fawning, hectoring, voting, scribbling, star-gazing, poisoning, whoring, canting, libeling, freethinking” (262) humans that were as far from humaneness as a blade of grass. In fact, when Gulliver first stumbles across a Yahoo, he believes it to be an animal rather than a human. Another creature that shows their animal behavior is the Lilliputians. The Lilliputians have no sense of reason as well. They try to own Gulliver, a giant compared to them. The
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Summary Of Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal
    • 98 Words
    • 1 Page

    Summary Of Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal

    In his renowned pamphlet, “A Modest Proposal,” Jonathan Swift brings attention to the poor conditions in Ireland. Being a native of Ireland, Swift remained loyal to his country. Upon noticing the terrible conditions in Ireland, he took it upon himself to address the issues at hand. Among these issues, involves the sickly and insufficient children in his homeland. Incorporating statistics to support his claim, Swift attempts to persuade his readers to support his outrageous plan to solve a dire situation. As a result his “logical” and preposterous plan created mixed reactions in both the past and the present.…

    • 98 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Swift's A Modest Proposal
    • 111 Words
    • 1 Page

    Swift's A Modest Proposal

    Swift uses a lot of statistics and calculations to support his proposal. For example on page 915, “I calculate there may be about 200,000 couple…I subtract 30,000 couple….annually born.” There are also calculations on pages 916 and 918, showing that he has planned all of the details of his proposal out, which helps make A Modest Proposal, a strong, augmentative essay. Swift also explains all the benefits of his proposal, as shown on pages 917 and 918, “For first, as I have already observed….Sixthly….fear of a miscarriage.” As a result of Swift explaining his proposal and benefits detail by detail, the essay becomes stronger and the proposal starts to look appealing.…

    • 111 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Second Coming Home Research Paper
    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Second Coming Home Research Paper

    HE FELT SOMETHING ALIVE MOVING ON HIS LEFT LEG, WHICH,ADVANCING GENTLY FORWARD OVER HIS BREAST, CAME ALMOST OVER HIS CHIN;BENDING HIS EYES DOWNWARD, AS MUCH AS HE COULD,HE PRECIEVEDTO BE A HUMAN CREATURE,NOT SIX INCH HIGH,WITH A BOW AND ARROW IN HIS HAND, AND A QUIVER AT HIS BACK.IN THE MEANTIME HE FELT AT LEASTFORTY MORE OF THE SAME KIND(AS I CONJECTURED THE FOLLOWING THE FIRST.AFTER HE KNOW THAT THESE ARE LILLIPUTIANS AND HE IS IN LILLIPUT.HE KNOWS THAT THEY WILL TAKE HIM TO THE EMPERROR.THE EMPERROR COMES TO HIM AND SAID THAT "DON'T KILL HIM HE CAN BE USEFULL TO US.AFTER SOMETIMES THERE WERE A WAR BETWEEN BLEFUSCUNS VS LILLIPUTIANS.WHEN GULLIVER KNOWS THER IS A WAR BETWEEN THEM.HE QUICKLY GOES TO THE EMPERROR AND SAID HIM THAT"I CAN HELP YOU IN THIS WAR" SAID GULLIVER.THE EMPERROR REPLIED THAT"YOU CAN HELP US IN THIS WAR"REPLIED EMPERROR.GULLIVER QUICKLY PICK FOUR ROPES AND TIED IT WITH EVERY SHIP AND TIEDING EVRY SHIP HE THREW IT AWAY ALL THE BLEFUSCUNS IN THAT SHIP DIES.THE LILLIPUTIANS WINS THE WAR BY GULLIVER.GULLIVER REPAYS THE KINDNESS TO EMPERROR.GULLIVER BECOMES THE HERO OF THAT WAR.BY A SOS HE GOES BACK TO HIS PLACE WHERE HE HAD…

    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Summary Of A Modest Proposal By Jonathan Swift
    • 640 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Summary Of A Modest Proposal By Jonathan Swift

    Jonathan Swift's 1729 satirical pamphlet, “A Modest Proposal from Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland, from Being a Burden on Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick” under the pseudonym of Dr. Swift, has been regarded as an important historical text, exploiting the conditions of Ireland in the 18th century. In “A Modest Proposal”, Swift proposes to the Irish public that to lessen the burden of poverty in Ireland they must sell their children as food and sustenance to feed the country’s wealthy. As it is a satire, Swift's approach and proposal suggests the dire economic conditions of Ireland during the 18th century, and provides a context for Ireland’s culture during this time and a framework for how people lived in all sectors of the economic classes.…

    • 640 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Swift's Satire In A Modest Proposal
    • 112 Words
    • 1 Page

    Swift's Satire In A Modest Proposal

    However, lest one think that Swift's satire is merely the weapon of exaggeration, it is important to note that exaggeration is only one facet of his satiric method. Swift uses mock seriousness and understatement; he parodies and burlesques; he presents a virtue and then turns it into a vice. He takes pot-shots at all sorts of sacred cows. Besides science, Swift debunks the whole sentimental attitude surrounding children. At birth, for instance, Lilliputian children were "wisely" taken from their parents and given to the State to rear. In an earlier satire (A Modest Proposal), he had proposed that the very poor in Ireland sell their children to the English as gourmet…

    • 112 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sand County Almanac
    • 489 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Sand County Almanac

    Leopold gives the animals and nature certain human-like characteristics in this book because he wants us to connect with them in a way we likely have never done before.…

    • 489 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Badger And Woodchucks Comparison Essay
    • 450 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Badger And Woodchucks Comparison Essay

    People are often compared to as animals. Maxine Kumin wrote “Woodchucks” and John Clare wrote “The Badger”. Both are using animals to describe humans and the way they act toward each other. Clare wrote in his about sympathy, fear, and victories or not. Kumin speaks of fear, hatred, obsession, and killing of these pests. Written over 100 years part humans and their actions have changed very little.…

    • 450 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Carroll And Gulliver's Travels: A Comparative Analysis
    • 2116 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Carroll And Gulliver's Travels: A Comparative Analysis

    The adult reader can easily identify with the ludicrousness of the scene. Politics, rationality and morality do not seem to be compatible in Lilliput. “The Role of Gulliver” by John Brooks Moore argues that “Swift, obviously enough, desires to communicate his own thoughts and passions regarding human beings to the readers of his book” (451). Moore feels that Gulliver is the medium through which Swift is able to comment on the Lilliputian systems of government and electoral processes as a method of commenting on real life scenarios of the same…

    • 2116 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Jonathan Swift A Modest Proposal
    • 252 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Jonathan Swift A Modest Proposal

    What is a modest proposal you may ask.Well A Modest Proposal is a “proposal for preventing children of poor people from being a burthen to their family. Jonathan Swift's thinks this proposal would lower the poverty in Ireland. In the “Modest Proposal “ Jonathan swift uses irony and satire understatement to convey his message.…

    • 252 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Swift S Modest Proposal
    • 915 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Swift S Modest Proposal

    The welfare of people as members of a community has historically been addressed in most literary forms of Jonathan Swift’s essay “A Modest Proposal for Preventing Children of Ireland from being a Burden to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Public”. In his proposal, Swift employs a savage irony to present his social commentary. He writes about the starving people of Ireland, and makes a wild and absurd proposal to help remedy the problems of overpopulation and poverty. Furthermore, Swift wanted to make a political statement by using the children as satire to grasp the attention of his intended audience, which includes, the English people, the Irish politicians, and the rich. Swift intention was to expose the conditions of the lower class, and describes how the poor of Ireland beg for food and money to fed their families, he also writes to the wealthy to promote the help and essential needs for the necessity of the poor.…

    • 915 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Materialism in Gulliver's Travels and Candide
    • 1517 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Materialism in Gulliver's Travels and Candide

    In Gulliver’s Travels, Swift uses the yahoo’s behavior to portray the European preoccupation with material goods. In the Houyhnhnm’s country the yahoos are very attached to the brightly colored stones, while the Houyhnhnms on the other hand, have no interest in these stones in the least. The Houyhnhnms cannot begin to understand the yahoo’s preoccupation with finding, retrieving, and hiding the stones, which are found throughout the countryside, sometimes partially buried in the ground. The yahoos will go to great lengths to possess these stones.…

    • 1517 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Jonathan Swift’s Use of Size: Satirizing the Negative Form of Humans
    • 932 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Jonathan Swift’s Use of Size: Satirizing the Negative Form of Humans

    First of all, Swift claims that Gulliver’s size symbolizes misplaced human pride. He uses the Lilliputians, Houyhnhnms, Yahoos, and Gulliver to point out the misplaced pride of humans. Swift writes, “...and the promise of honour I [Gulliver] made them [Lilliputians], for so I interpreted my submissive behaivour, soon drove out those imaginations.” Swift is insisting that the Lilliputians, the tiniest race, show excessive pride in themselves. He makes the argument that even Gulliver respects the Lilliputians. Many will disagree with this assertion that Swift is emphasizing misplaced pride between higher authorities and lower authorities. Although other critics have interesting analyses on this topic, Swift emphasizes the wrong use of pride of humans who are “higher” than others, such as kings or the wealthy. Also, according to Swift, “My Master [Houyhnhnms]…was sure that the weakest servant in his house would be able to shake off the strongest Yahoo…” Swift makes this argument to dispute that the Houyhnhnms, the horse race, show excessive pride in animals rather than humans. Those unfamiliar with this belief may be interested to know that it basically boils down to the enormous, misplaced pride of the Houyhnhnms. Although not all readers think alike, some of them will probably dispute the claim that Swift shows the misplaced pride humans have for animals; however, the animals are showing misplaced pride in themselves. It is important to recognize Swift’s use of satire of Gulliver’s and the other inhabitant’s sizes to show the misplaced pride…

    • 932 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Gulliver's Travels and Self
    • 426 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Gulliver's Travels and Self

    When Gulliver is finally introduced to a Yahoo, his first impression is even more unsettling than with his first time with a Houyhnhnm. Noticing that a Yahoo holds an uncanny resemblance to himself, Gulliver becomes extremely distraught over whether or not he is, himself, a Yahoo. Gulliver then spends the rest of part four struggling to find his identity among the Houyhnhnms and the Yahoos.…

    • 426 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Pride and Arrogance in Gulliver's Travels
    • 722 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Pride and Arrogance in Gulliver's Travels

    In Gulliver’s second voyage to Brobdingnag, Brobdingnag is occupied by giants who tower over the now miniature Gulliver. The reversal in size is symbolic, especially in light of how the king of Brobdingnag responds to Gulliver's discussions of European politics. Having heard enough from Gulliver, the king decides that "... [Europeans]…

    • 722 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Difference Between the Book and the Film (Pygmalion, Huckleberry Finn, Gulliver's Travel, Merchant of Venice)
    • 714 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Difference Between the Book and the Film (Pygmalion, Huckleberry Finn, Gulliver's Travel, Merchant of Venice)

    The Lilliputians were not as friendly with Gulliver in the book (when he was in prison) as they were with him in the movie, since in the literary work Gulliver was condemned to get blinded and die of starvation after he urinates the Castle.…

    • 714 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More