Gulliver's Travels

 While traveling, Gulliver finds himself in contact with horses, but not the average group of them. They are extremely intelligent and they have their own language as well as culture. While watching them live, he ponders the differences and behaviors he has previously seen. While reading, I found the horses to be personified as humans instead of just animals who are witty. As a reader I caught my mind and imagination waiting for the next humanistic trait to pop up in the description of the continuous story. I don't want to say it was like a fairytale or fantasy, but the aura had a possibility of being present in this scenario. They are peaceful, virtuous, rational, etc. When Gulliver thinks about the Yahoos, he contrasts them by characteristic thoughts of filth, irrationality, and wildness. Due to many positive versus negative attributes seen in both, a hatred begins to form for the Yahoos in the mind of Gulliver. Comparison is a powerful aspect in life and can allow decisions to be made for the good or for the bad. Possibly the author was trying to insert this hidden message? Or could it have been that different perspectives change your perspective? Maybe even that there is a whole world to see and venturing out to find something new, even when accidental, can open your eyes? Maybe these are underlying messages. Overall, we see Gulliver taking a new shape or form in humanity and perspective which can be one to truly change a person. 


https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/06/100-novels-swift-gullivers-travels-mccrum


Comments

  1. McKennaApril 29, 2023 at 10:54 PM

    The comparison of the Houyhnhnms with Humans was very fascinating, and I agree many times I envisioned them to be nearly the same. One thing that stood out to me the most was hearing Gulliver having to explain certain aspects of human behavior, like lying. It made me question how humans got these social behaviors because once you sit down and try to explain them, it seems quite silly.

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