Blog #5

Blog #5
2/22/11
Ross Reed


Gulliver’s gone mad

      I has a suspicion before that Gulliver was going insane, but now I am sure of it. He has gone insane in many aspects, for example he does not enjoy people that do things differently than his way of life. Also he his attitude toward life just seems gloomier and I think he has been traveling for too long and its time to retire, kind of like Brett Favre with football he is just not the same anymore.
      I first had my suspicions confirmed when he was talking among the great ancient figures of the world in Glubbdubdrib and he was disgusted with what he was learning. I figured he would have been sufficiently impressed with the opportunity to learn. That is why I picked this passage as the most important:

“ I was chiefly disgusted with modern History. For having strictly examined all the Persons of great Name in the Courts of Princes for an hundred Years past, I found how the World had been misled by prostitute Writers, to ascribe the greatest Exploits in War t Cowards, to Wisest Counsel to Fools, Sincerity to Flatters, Roman Virtue to Betrayers of their Country, Piety to Atheist, Chastity to Sodomites, Truth to Informers. How many innocent and excellent Persons had been condemned to Death or Banishment, by the practicing of great Ministers upon the Corruption of Judges, and the Malice of Faction. How many Villains had been exalted to the highest places of Trust, Power, Dignity, and Profit: How great a share in the motions and Events of Courts, Councils, and Senates might be challenged byBawds, Whores, Pimps, Parasites, and Baffoons: How low an Opinion I had of human Wisdom and Integrity, when I was truly informed of the Springs and Motives of great Enterprises and Revolutions in the World, and of the contempitible accidents to which they owed their Success.” ( Gulliver’s Travels pg. 185)

      After he left the disappointing land of Glubbdubdrib he traveled to a land called Luggnagg, where he came upon another great discovery of immortal humans called Struldbruggs. These very rare humans were born with a spot above their eye and they would live forever except they would age like a regular human. Gulliver has a conversation with one of these immortals and they talk about how Gulliver would live if he was immoral. Gulliver talks about how he would be a great scholar and he would educate people constantly and he would be a great man, but thats no surprise we could have guessed he would say that by the first time we were introduced to him. I disagree with what Gulliver says about how great he would live because recently in his journeys he seems to be gloomier and I think as he got really old he would not want to live anymore because he would be sick of the human race.
      When Gulliver traveled to the land of Horse people I stopped and thought about what this signifies. I think He enjoyed being with these animals, besides the food, because they were not as corrupt as the humans.