Don’t be a Yahoo

Originally accomplished by an English writer Jonathan Swift in 1726, and later on adapted for a film by Charles Sturridge and a cartoon by Peter R. Hunt, Gulliver’s Travels is such a famous satirical novel that influences both adults and children. The edition I read is one of the adaptations, published by Oxford University. I was completely absorbed in its fantastically designed plot and the deep meaning it conveys to my mind.

The author, Jonathan Swift, is an English satirist, statesman and poet. He was born in a poor family in Ireland and was brought up by his uncle. When he grew up, he became a private secretary in Moore Park with other’s help. The master of the park was an experienced politician and philosopher. There’s no doubt that he gave a huge impact on Swift. During those years, Swift went through so much that after he left the park, he spared no effort to fight for freedom and independence for Irish people. The Gulliver’s Travels, wrote by the year 1726, exposing the darkness of the society at that time.

The leading character—Gulliver, who travels to the imaginary lands of Lilliput, Brobdingnag, Laputa and the country of the Houyhnhnms, had experienced much during the expedition. All of these four voyages brought new opportunities and future to Gulliver’s life, and these are also for satirizing the way of the English.

The first voyage is to Lilliput where people are extremely small, so Gulliver is a giant to Lilliputians. Lilliputians seem friendly but actually they are very ridiculous and stupid, the king even wanted to kill Gulliver because he made water to put out a

fire to save the queen’s life.

The second voyage is to Brobdingnag which is absolutely different from Lilliput. Gulliver is like a Lilliputian in Europe and he began to understand how a very small creature feels before a giant. Luckily, his master is very kind to him. But the king laughed at his country, which is famous for its beautiful places, its brave and honest people and criticized its inhuman, cruel ideas about murdering people.

The third voyage is to Laputa. Laputans are strange-looking and their main interests are music and mathematics. They pay little attention to others, so it’s very difficult to talk with them. Gulliver also went to the Glubdugdribb and Luggnagg nearby. In a visit to Glubdugdribb, Gulliver was able to call ghosts to answer his questions. In Luggnagg, he learnt something about Stuldbrugs, who are miserable for their long lives with poor heath.

The last voyage is to the country of Houyhnhnms, which is controlled by horses. Gulliver felt happy with these sensible, gentle creatures, which never lied or stole, in a country which had no disease, no crime, and no wars. But at last, he had to leave.

On returning to England, Gulliver felt disappointed with other humans, including his children and wife. He found himself is so stupid to think that he could bring reason and truth into their lives and thoughts. So he told others to keep away from him.

As the narrator said “human are all Yahoos and Yahoos they will remain”. Yahoo, described as an ugly animal, is a reflection of human beings. Yahoos had human faces and they also so violently fond of the pieces of gold or silver that they dig for days to

get them out of the ground, and hide them jealously from other yahoos. This is really an action of human.

I don’t like people who are always thinking about how to attack other countries and kill tens of thousands of people who have never hurt them. They do these only with the purpose of conquering more lands. As far as I’m concerned, if we think like the horses in Houyhnhnms, don’t let lies, crimes and wars exist, our world would be more beautiful and peaceful. In a word, don’t be a Yahoo!