Family
Reviewing theClassics -Gulliver's Travels
Joy Basdeo
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Joy Basdeo, also known as "Mrs B" is an educator, formerEnglish teacher, an avid reader and storyteller, mother of fourgrown children and grandmother of Zoë. Her weekly columnis intended to assist parents and children select books whichentertain and build character.
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Gulliver's Travels by the Irish Protestantclergyman and satirist Jonathan Swift published anonymously in1726 is not actually a children's book at all.
However its imaginative storyline and clearwriting has helped make it a children's classic, generally inthe abridged version.
The original work is a satirical attackon English politicians and social practices and its coarse descriptionsof bodily functions provoked both comment and controversy amongthe reading public, even though its first publisher thinking ittoo critical, expurgated some of the text over Swift's objections.
The author took the genre of adventure storieswhich was popular in the 18th Century and used it to create kingdomsof giants and pygmies, of insane scientists and talking horses.
The Travels are in four parts, and in mostchildren's editions the whole third and fourth books are eliminated.The tiny size of the Lilliputians in book one, symbolises theirpettiness and their pretensions to pomp and power. The war betweenLilliput and Blefescu for example, was started over an argumentabout how to break eggs. In book two, Gulliver the midget is pushedaround by the giants of Brobdingnag. Their size indicates theircoarseness and greediness.
Older readers may want to read the finaltwo parts. The scientists and philosophers of Laputa conduct bizarreexperiments like trying to extract sunbeams from cucumbers inbook three, and in book four Gulliver visits the Houyhnhnms, ortalking horses where he also meets the apelike creatures calledYahoos, a parody of human beings reduced to their lowest passions.
Swift's often biting humour is not for everyone,and you should be careful what edition you recommend to your child.One recommended edition is published by Grosset & Dunlap ,for the Illustrated Junior Library, merges parts three and fourand does a creditable job of presenting the whole story.
For the young reader, Gulliver's Travelsis full of absurdity and fun, while the older reader can appreciateSwift's acerbic wit and humour against politicians, scientistsand just about everyone else.
If you would like to sponsor this book anddonate it to a government school as part of our Character EducationProject, please email me at Joy.Basdeo@gov.ky, ask your booksellerto send it to me at the Ministry of Education, 4th Floor GovernmentAdministration Building or drop it off at the Ministry.
Until next week, anda new story Happy Reading!
Mrs B
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressedin this column are those of the writers, and are not binding onany individual or organization. They are intended solely as guidance.Parents should always use their own discretion in selecting readingmaterial for their children).