Model Answer
0 min readIntroduction
Jonathan Swift’s *Gulliver’s Travels* (1726), ostensibly an adventure narrative, is profoundly a satirical exploration of 18th-century English society and, more broadly, human nature. While often read as a children’s story, the novel’s true power lies in its biting critique of political systems, philosophical debates, and social conventions. The narrative follows Lemuel Gulliver, a ship’s surgeon, through a series of extraordinary voyages to fantastical lands. However, beneath the surface of these adventures lies a consistent theme: Gulliver’s persistent inability to successfully integrate into any of the societies he encounters, revealing a fundamental disconnect between himself and the worlds he observes, and ultimately, a commentary on the inherent difficulties of belonging.
Gulliver’s Initial Discomfort: Lilliput and Brobdingnag
Gulliver’s first voyage to Lilliput immediately establishes his outsider status. While initially celebrated for his size and assistance, he quickly becomes embroiled in the petty political squabbles of the Lilliputians, finding their concerns trivial and their customs absurd. His attempts to navigate their courtly intrigues are clumsy and ultimately unsuccessful, highlighting his inability to grasp their societal norms. He is a giant *in* Lilliput, but not *of* Lilliput.
Conversely, in Brobdingnag, Gulliver is diminished in size, becoming an object of curiosity and amusement to the giants. He attempts to impress the King with descriptions of European society, but his accounts are met with disdain and a scathing critique of England’s political corruption and moral failings. Here, his attempts to integrate are hampered by his physical vulnerability and the intellectual superiority of the Brobdingnagians. He is treated as a pet, not a peer.
The Houyhnhnms and the Yahoos: A Failed Utopia
The voyage to the land of the Houyhnhnms represents Gulliver’s most ambitious attempt at integration. He admires the Houyhnhnms’ rationality, order, and lack of vice, striving to emulate their virtues. He adopts their language and customs, attempting to shed his “Yahoo” nature. However, this assimilation is ultimately incomplete and unsettling. Gulliver’s inherent human flaws – his pride, his capacity for deception, and his emotional attachments – prevent him from fully achieving the Houyhnhnms’ ideal of reason.
The Symbolic Significance of the Yahoos
The Yahoos, representing the baser aspects of humanity, serve as a constant reminder of Gulliver’s own inherent limitations. His revulsion towards the Yahoos is, in part, a revulsion towards himself. He recognizes in them the same irrationality, greed, and violence that he observes in European society. This realization leads to a profound sense of alienation and despair, making true integration impossible.
Return to England: Complete Disillusionment
Upon his return to England, Gulliver finds himself utterly unable to reconcile with human society. He is disgusted by the company of his family and friends, preferring the solitude of his stable and the companionship of his horses. This final rejection of humanity demonstrates the complete failure of his attempts to integrate. He has become a stranger in his own land, unable to find solace or meaning in the world he once knew.
Swift uses Gulliver’s experiences to satirize the prevailing social and political norms of his time. Each voyage exposes the absurdity of human behavior and the inherent flaws in different forms of governance. Gulliver’s inability to belong underscores the idea that true integration is impossible in a world riddled with corruption, vanity, and irrationality.
| Voyage | Society | Gulliver’s Attempt at Integration | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Voyage | Lilliput | Navigating court politics, offering assistance | Failure due to triviality of concerns and political intrigue |
| Second Voyage | Brobdingnag | Describing European society to the King | Rejection and critique of England’s flaws |
| Third Voyage | Laputa, Balnibarbi, Luggnagg, Glubbdubdrib, Japan | Observing and reporting on various societies | Increasing disillusionment with intellectual pursuits and societal decay |
| Fourth Voyage | Land of the Houyhnhnms | Emulating Houyhnhnm virtues, adopting their language | Incomplete assimilation due to inherent human flaws |
Conclusion
*Gulliver’s Travels* is not merely a fantastical adventure; it is a profound meditation on the human condition and the challenges of belonging. Gulliver’s constant attempts to integrate into different societies consistently fail, not because of his personal shortcomings alone, but because of the inherent flaws within those societies themselves. His ultimate disillusionment and rejection of humanity serve as a powerful indictment of human nature and a cautionary tale about the dangers of pride, prejudice, and irrationality. The novel remains relevant today, prompting us to critically examine our own societies and our own capacity for both reason and folly.
Answer Length
This is a comprehensive model answer for learning purposes and may exceed the word limit. In the exam, always adhere to the prescribed word count.