Gulliver's+Travels

Gulliver's Travels, Jonathan Swift Reviewed by Matthew Dahl

Gulliver is young sailor with a family. To support his family Gulliver goes to four different countries (unknown to mankind). His first voyage he is caught in a violent storm and is shipwrecked, on an island with none of his other crew, and inhabited by people 6 inches tall. Then he travels to Brobdingnag, which is inhabited by giants. Then he travels to the island of Laputa. The inhabitants there are very smart but they do not have feelings. Finally, Gulliver goes to an island inhabited by a nice horse like animals and the yahoos who are very scary. Finally Gulliver goes back home, gains lots of money from the book he wrote and his travels, settles down, and makes the rest of his life a happy one. I would defiantly recommend this book to other people for lots of reasons. One its challenging. Two it’s a good writing role model. Three it is a huge classic just like Huckleberry fin. And four it has lots of exciting imagination in it. I warn you though, it is book with lots of vocab words like intellectual, suppressing, veracity, vindication, and posterity. Their were a number of words I did not know and that I had to look on dictionary.com. It is a high school and college level book and very hard to understand. But I still recommend it greatly.

Part One 1) Gulliver goes out to sea and he is caught in an outraged storm. He is shipwrecked and is the only one that survived. He swam miles and miles to come to the land of Lilliput, where he is tied up by men that are 6 inches tall. He then makes a peace treaty with them and they bring him to their city. He is chained up just in case he turns on them and attacks them.

2) The Emperor comes and tries to start a conversation with him, but it is impossible since their languages are different. In the Emperor’s eyes you can see his admiration for Gulliver. Over his time in confinement some of the villagers come and shoot arrows at Gulliver, so the guards throw those villagers in the prison so they can be eaten by Gulliver. However, Gulliver is kind enough to let them go and this relaxes the villagers and they stop being so terrified of him. Gulliver was taught their language and was taken care of very well. The Emperor had two men search Gulliver. This was the beginning of the process toward his liberty. His sword and pistols are taken away from him because they are dangerous weapons.

3) The village had a contest where people would try to jump their horse the highest to get the vacancy in the Emperors castle. They jumped their horses over Gulliver’s hands and feet. Then Gulliver showed them the best military discipline drill for the horses they had ever seen. When one of the horses gets slightly injured, Gulliver folds up his handkerchief and he no longer allows them to perform that drill. Then 3000 soldiers and 1000 horses had to walk under Gulliver as a ceremony. Gulliver had sworn to keep peace with the Kingdom according with the nine rules that he had to follow.

4) Gulliver is freed and sight-sees the metropolis and the palace. The principal secretary and Gulliver talked about the empire. They talked about two parties of the empire, Tramecksan and Slamecksan, that are fighting. They also talk about the soon-to-come invasion from Blefuscu and the way the rivalry between Lilliput and Blefuscu started by the way in which one cracks an egg.. Then Gulliver said that although he would not take sides between the two parties of the empire, he would offer himself as a soldier to the Emperor and defend against an invasion.

5) Gulliver thought of a plan to seize the Blefuscu’s army. He pulled 50 ships (their people had jumped from fright upon seeing Gulliver and swam to shore) from Blefuscu to the shore of Lilliput. The Emperor awarded Gulliver with the highest title of honor someone can receive, it is to be a Nardac. The Emperor wanted Gulliver to make the whole empire of Blefuscu to become the slaves of Lilliput, but Gulliver refused. Then ambassadors from Blefuscu came and offered peace. The royal palace catches on fire but Gulliver saves it by going to the bathroom on the fire.

6) This chapter describes the way of life of the villagers in the empire of Lilliput: Their education style, laws of the Empire, and their customs. Gulliver describes the next period of time that he lives their, how he likes living their and he shows how his manners of living are different from theirs. He gets his revenge on an excellent lady.

7) Skyrech Bolgolam the high general, Flimnap the high treasurer, Limtoc the general, Lalcon the chamberlain, and Balmuff the grand justiciary try to accuse Gulliver of treason so he runs away to Blefuscu.

8) Gulliver, by accident gets permission to leave Blefuscu and go home. He finds another ship from England and comes aboard with them. They then make to England and he sees his wife and kids. But after two months he leaves again out to sea on the adventurer.

Part Two 1)His ship gets caught in a big storm. Gulliver goes a shore to discover the country. He is left there, captured by a giant, and brought to a farm. Gulliver describes what happens to him that involves lots of accidents. Gulliver describes the villagers.

2) Gulliver describes the farmers nine year old daughter. Gulliver adventures to the market and the city. Gulliver describes part of his travels about Brobdingnag.

3) Gulliver goes to the palace. The queen buys him and shows him to the king. He talks with the kingdoms great scholars. The queen provides Gulliver with a room in the palace. The queen really likes Gulliver. Gulliver defends England. Gulliver gets into an argument with a dwarf.

4)Gulliver goes out into the country and describes it. Gulliver gives advice on how to make the kingdoms maps better. Gulliver sees and describes the palace and more of the city. Gulliver describes his way of traveling to the queen. Gulliver describes the chief temple.

5) The author describes his many adventures. Gulliver witnesses the execution of a criminal. Gulliver shows the queen his skill at navigation.

6) Gulliver wanted to please the king and queen so much he made several plans to please them. Gulliver shows his musical talents in the spinet. Gulliver educates the king about Europe. The king says that humans must be harmful little hated vermin. Gulliver does not like the king now.

7) Gulliver thinks about what the king said and talks about the love that he had for his country. Gulliver gives the king the idea of canons and guns. Gulliver describes the kings as an unknowing politician. Gulliver describes their learning program not very educating. Gulliver does not think their laws, and army orginization skills are very good. He thinks their laws do not protect the welfare of the people and that the laws are not very well enforced, especially at the parties of the kingdom.

8) Gulliver and Glumdalclitch went to new countries with the king and queen. Gulliver was separated from Glumdalclitch and was flung out to sea. Gulliver was saved by Shropshire men and was brought back to England.

Part Three 1) Despite his wife’s thoughts Gulliver goes out on his 3rd voyage. He his taken captive by pirates. Gulliver describes his thoughts about a Dutchman, Gulliver does not like him cause he has a temper. In a small canoe Gulliver paddles to four islands and then finally stays at the last island that he finds on the fifth day of his paddling. Laputans find him on the island and take them to their ship to be brought to Laputa.

2) Gulliver describes the sense fo humor of the islanders. He also describes them as an unemotional kind of people. He also explains their learning technique as an excellent program. Gulliver describes the king and his royal people. He describes his first couple of days there. The villagers were constantly worried. Gulliver describes the women who live there.

3) Gulliver describes new inventions that he sees when he goes out to city. The Laputans show their improvements on the latter. The king of Laputa (a floating island) wanted to rebell against the kingdom since he was confided their, but held back his urge.

4) Gulliver leaves Laputa, and goes to Balnibarbi. Gulliver goes to the city part of the kingdom. He describes the city and the farmland. The lord of the kingdom is very kind and receives him into the castle. Gulliver has a conversation with the lord about his stay there.

5) Gulliver goes to see the Grand Academy of Lagado. Gulliver describes the Academy and the people in it. Gulliver talks about the subjects that the teachers teach. He goes into each room and observes the class.

6) Gulliver describes the Academy more into depth. Gulliver offers his ideas to make the school better. This professor, and author, received Gullivers ideas with great consideration.

7) Gulliver leaves the kingdom of Lagado, and goes to Maldonada. He tries to get on a ship to Luggnagg which had a direct path with Japan. Then from Japan he can go back to Europe. Unfortunately there are no ships ready, so he takes a trip to Glubbdubdrib. Gulliver had a conversation with the governor and observes many things of the state.

8) Gulliver describes his time at Glubbdubdrib even more. Gulliver observes a connection inbetween ancient history and modern history in the state.

9) Gulliver goes back to Maldonada. He takes a ship to Luggnagg. He was ordered to stay at a lodge until he was sent to court. He goes to court. If Gulliver wanted to leave to go to Japan, he had to crawl on his belly and lick the floor. Gulliver admires the king for his gentleness towards his people.

10) Gulliver describes the luggnaggians as a kind and polite kind of people. Gulliver describes the struldbrugs (the immortals). Gulliver has a conversation with a man of great quality and learns many things about the struldbrugs.

11) The author leaves Luggnagg and sails to Japan. From their he takes a Holland ship to Amsterdam. Finally he goes back to England and finds his family in good health.

Part Four 1) Gulliver sets out on another trip this time being the captain of the ship. His men don’t like him so they lock him in his captain for a long time and send him a shore to an unknown land. He goes up into the country and meets the Yahoos. He describes the weird animal and meets two Houyhnhnms.

2) Gulliver fallows a Houyhnhnm to his house. Gulliver describes the house. He describes his time at the house and the food of the Houyhnhnms. Gulliver wants meat very badly and they finally gave it to him. Gulliver describes their way of eating.

3) Gulliver wants to learn their language badly, upon all his other languages. The Houyhnhnm (his master) teaches him. Gulliver describes their language. Multiple Houyhnhnms come to see Gulliver. Gulliver describes his voyage to his master.

4) Gulliver describes the Houyhnhnms habit of always telling the truth and always believing. Gulliver tells his master that in his country the yahoos were their masters. Then Gulliver told him about the yahoos in his country. His master is very displeased with Gulliver and his country. Gulliver talks more about his voyage and all that had happened.

5) Gulliver tells his master about England. He talks about the war between countries in Europe. Gulliver talks about the laws of England.

6) Gulliver explains that England has been under Queen Anne for a while. Gulliver over hears his master talking about the good quality of England. Gulliver describes the character of the first priest in the courts of England to his master.

7) Gulliver shows the love that he has for England. Gullivers master observes similarities in the country of Yahoo and the constitution of England. Gullivers master observes the habits of humans.

8) Gulliver observes several habits of the yahoos. He also observes the great principles of the Houyhnhnms. Gulliver observes the education and exercise of their young. Gulliver describes their assembly that the whole nation has every four years.

9) Gulliver describes the debate at the assembly that determines wether if the Houyhnhnms should be killed or not. They decide not to kill the Houyhnhnms and use them as the English do. Gulliver describes their buildings, way of burial, and the flaw in their language.

10) Gulliver tells about his happy life with the Houyhnhnms. Gullivers manners and principles get mor honorable. He talks with the Houyhnhnms a lot. Gullivers master commands him to leave the country, and with sadness he does. He builds a canoe and goes out to sea.

11) Gulliver goes through many dangers out on his canoe. He arrives at New Holland. One of the Dutch shoots him with and arrow. Gulliver is seized and forced into a Portugese ship. The captain of the ship, a very kind and polite person, let him be free. While still being on the ship, but being free he sailed to England and met his wife and children, who were now old.

12) Gulliver recaps his travels. Gulliver describes his idea of publishing his voyages as a book. Gulliver tells us that he wished there was a law that made all sailors tell the truth about their voyages. Gulliver says he will always tell the truth. Gulliver describes England as being wise and caring in planting colonies. Gulliver describes that European countries do not want anything to do with th 4 countries that Gulliver had traveled and that it would be very hard to conquer those countries. Gulliver tells us what he plans to do in the future and gives us advice. Then Gulliver closes the story.

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