Literary Elements In Gullivers Travels - 951 Words

Seemingly a fantastical and adventurous tale at first glance, Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift depicts Lemuel Gulliver and his escapades to abnormal and mysterious lands. However, when taking a closer look, the reader notices that the book is insinuating Swifts ideas and feelings about British imperialism, social inequality, government, and supposed moralistic ways versus human nature. This satire uses literary elements, such as symbols, figurative language, and allusions, to adroitly take a stab at society, one not-so-utopic island at a time. Along with exposing society and mankind for its many flaws, these literary elements add depth and character to the book, making it less of a silly tale of gullible and wishy-washy man on†¦show more content†¦He believes that they have similar ways of living in regards to housing and cultural attributes;However, he sees through this sort of faà §ade. The Europeans seem advanced and cultured, nevertheless they are power-hungr y and imperialistic; there is more than meets the eye. Like many other governments and societies, Britain has a ruthless desire of conquering territory that the king of Brobdingnag knows all too well about. This allusion is hinting of the horridity of imperialism, and Smith’s anti-colonial attitude towards it. By including this allusion and Gulliver as a symbol of imperialism, Smith is able to show and explain the impacts on other cultures, such as Gulliver to the islands, and the overall attitude of Britain, similarly to how Gulliver still wanted to travel more and more even after devastating outcomes of previous voyages. Like Britain, he wanted more knowledge, more power, and advancement. Swift effectively contributes to the book as a satire through the symbol and allusion portraying British imperialism and colonialism. Swift also is attempting to address social inequality through the symbol of ‘fruits of the dominion’ in part 1 chapter 4, when the king is talking to Gulliver about his release and he says â€Å"....because it is certain, that an hundred mortals of your bulk, in a short time, destroy all the fruits of his majestysShow MoreRelatedSatire In Gullivers Travels1455 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferent elements in their works. One of these elements that writers use is called â€Å"satire.† This element is used to make fun of something that the author disapproves of in a comical but hidden way. Widely considered as one of the greatest satirists to ever live, Jonathan Swift used satire in his works to express his disgust in society and the British Monarchy during the 18th century. One of the greatest satires ever written by Swift was Gulliver’s Travels. 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VoltaireRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Gulliver s Travels Essay1942 Words   |  8 Pages In his book, Gulliver’s Travels, it is hard to miss the various references that its author, Johnathan Swift, makes concerning bodily functions. Yet, this is more than the bawdy, juvenile toilet humor one would encounter in a cheeky T.V. show for it has a literary purpose. Scatology is used to define the literary trope of the grotesque body. Through the realist perspective, Swift employs scatology to both shock and attract. He uses it to draw attention to Gulliver’s humanity, and normalize the strangenessRead MoreAnalysis Of Gulliver s Travels Essay2077 Words   |  9 Pagesbook, Gulliver’s Travels, it is hard to miss the various references that its author, Johnathan Swift, makes concerning bodily functions. Yet, this is more than the bawdy, juvenile toilet humor one would encounter in a cheeky T.V. show but has a literary purpose. Scatology is used to define the literary trope of the grotesque body. 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