Wacky Wednesdays with Jenbiff

Book In Review: Gulliver's Travels

Since high school I've wanted to read Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. As in the original, not any "updated" or the Jack Black movie version (which I have never seen, but I'm not sure if I really want to). If you don't know anything about the book, let me tell you it's quite a little adventure! The book is broken into four parts or four adventures and is told by one main character: Lemeul Gulliver.

Lemeul Gulliver lived in England and worked as a surgeon. When his business failed, he decided to become a surgeon on ships and travel the world. On his first trip a storm left him shipwrecked alone on an island. When he woke up, he is tied down with tons of little ropes and being poked by tiny swords. Gulliver had to figure out how to gain the trust of the Lilliput people and how to get back home. In the three years he was on the island, Gulliver learned their language and consumes more food than a thousands of Lilliputians. In the end the emperor decides it would be a better idea if Gulliver returned to where he came.

 
In the second adventure  Gulliver's ship sails off course and they are forced to land for fresh water. While walking around the coast trying to find water, they spot giants, and his ship mates abandon Gulliver on the island to fend for himself. When the giants find him, they first treat him like a small animal, and later he sells Gulliver to the queen. Life is pretty easy, but not really enjoyable. One day when he is out in the country with the queen and members of the court, Gulliver is picked up by an eagle and dropped into the ocean. In total he spent four years on the island.

Missing the ocean and adventure, Gulliver set out again on a third trip. THIS time his ship is attacked by pirates! This guy can't catch a break! He ends up landing in  Laputa, which is a floating island filled with exceptionally intelligent persons. The inhabitants are completely out of touch with reality which made it really hard for Gulliver to understand and enjoy the experience, and by the end of his four year stay, he was ready to go home.

And JUST when you think he would give up sailing because it just doesn't seem to be working out for him, he sets sail one last time. Without fail his crew mutinies against him and leaves him for dead (a little reminiscent of Captain Jack Sparrow? Although I have a small feeling that it might be the other way around...). While wandering around the island to find people he sees horses. Now these horses were no ordinary horses. These horses ruled the land and were rational thinkers. They lived in homes and had their own language. Gulliver fell in love with this island and in inhabitants. Unfortunately, five years into this stay, the Houyhnhnms (the horses) worry that he may be too much like the Yahoos (which are humans in their primal state), and banish him. He is rescued by Portuguese sailors and they help him return home.  

My only issue with reading the original was that is was in old English, which at times was a little hard for me to follow. But it's def a good read!
*All photos are from Google Images

Quote of the Week: "A man should never be ashamed to own that he has been in the wrong, which is but saying... that he is wiser today than yesterday."
Last Weeks Answer:  "Domino" by Jessie J