1a. What does the emperor of Lilliput want after Gulliver's victory over the Blefuscudians? How does Gulliver respond to the emperor's request?
2a. Based on Gulliver's stories, what does the Brobdingnagian king conclude are qualifications for a legislator? What does the king believe is the proper purpose of government?
3a. What does Gulliver describe to the king of Brobdingnag? How does the king react?
4a. The Lilliputians are physically small. Are they small in other respects? Explain. The Brobdingnagians are physically large. Are they large in other respects? Explain.
5a. Judge whether Gulliver respected the people in either of the places he visited.
1b. What does this show about the emperor of Lilliput?
2b. Contrast the government Gulliver knows with the Brobdingnagian government.
3b. What reaction does Gulliver expect from the king? Why does he expect this reaction? What does this incident suggest about Gulliver and the English?
4b. Why do you think Swift chose to play with size in these ways? What insight does Gulliver gain into the nature of the emperor in the ship episode? Compare Gulliver's opinion of the emperor to Swift's opinion of politicians generally.
5b. In what way might Gulliver's travels reflect historical events of Swift's day?
Satire and Irony. Swift's satires make heavy use of irony. What examples of irony can you find in the selections? In each case, what appears to be true? How does appearance differ from reality? In each case, what point does Swift make by establishing this contrast?
Fantasy. Review the chart you made in Literary Tools. What unrealistic elements can you find? In what ways are they unrealistic? Which seem to be products of exaggeration? Which seem to add something imaginative to reality? Which seem to be wholly new creations?
1. Write a postcard from Gulliver to somebody at home. In the card write about either Lilliput or Brobdingnag. You may wish to illustrate the other side with a scene from the place you choose.
2. Gulliver and the king of Brobingnag have differing opinions on gunpowder. How do you feel about this subject? Write an editorial about guns and society.
3. Imagine that Gulliver arrives in another land. Write a scene that includes description of the land and its citizens and shows Gulliver interacting with the citizens.
Tone. Decide how you would characterize Swift's tone in Gulliver's Travels. Then rewrite the following sentences or phrases from the selection to give them a completely different tone. You need not use the same tone for each revised sentence.
1. The empire of Blefuscu is an island situated to the north northeast side of Lilliput, from whence it is parted only by a channel of eight hundred yards wide.
2. While I was thus employed, the enemy discharged several thousand arrows, many of which stuck in my hands and face; and besides the excessive smart, gave me much disturbance in my work.
3. But I endeavored to divert him from this design, by many arguments drawn from the topics of policy as well as justice.
4. His majesty in another audience was at the pains to recapitulate the sum of all I had spoken.
5. It doth not appear from all you have said how any one virtue is required towards the procurement of any one station among you.
Writing Instruction.Imagine that you wanted to teach the Brobdingnagians how to do something. Choose a task that you are familiar with and that might involve technology or equipment that the Brobdingnagians do not have. Write a set of instructions. Refer to the Language Arts Survey 6.4, "Writing a Step-by-Step Procedure," for help in organizing your directions.
