(In my Lou Costello voice) I’m Blogging I’m Blogging I’m Blogging!!! Pardon my excitement but this is my first blog, ever. Thanks Mrs. Baldwin for the opportunity.
Fact verses fiction has to be expressed as an opinion especially in this “Fictional” writing. Gulliver contradicts himself to the extent that I almost expect him to do so, as my reading progressed. “It is justifiable to enter into war against our nearest ally, when one of his towns lies convenient for us or a territory of land, that would render our dominions round and compact ” (Swift 453). Swift points out indirectly of course, that in our language even though friend and ally are similar and death and war are similar we at times use the word “justify” to take from our allies or war with them. Could it be that he’s not just educating his master? It seems to me that he’s letting the reader listen in as he points out some of the contradicting facts that we as a society face. Yes!! He was explaining our customs to someone who know absolutely nothing about our world but at the same time the reading opened my eyes. As if I hadn’t witnessed these customs first hand. So are they allies and friends or are they enemies or death? The fact is that their only friends when the convenience is there. But, if our friend’s property is wanted or needed by us now we justify making our friends enemies.
Gulliver’s Master shows not only his ignorance of the power of a more advanced species but his innocence is almost childlike. The facts are that the Houyhnm are not abreast of Gulliver’s sciences and warlike methods. But actually they seem to be a happy and adapted culture. “What you have told me, said my master, upon the subject of war, doth indeed discover and admirably the effects of that reason you pretend to; however, it is happy that the shame is greater that the danger; and that Nature hath left you utterly incapable of doing much mischief; for your mouth laying flat with your faces, you can hardly bite each other to any purpose, unless by consent.” (Swift 453). This shows Gulliver’s master attempting to make fun of Gulliver and reason war and killing. It’s almost like, the Houyhnm is thinking it can’t be as bad as Gulliver says, they scratch and claw each other and go on their merry way. The Houyhnm couldn’t comprehend this information or maybe he felt Gulliver was embellishing a bit. Could you imagine his surprise when Gulliver told him about the different weapons that man had and the destruction they can produce. Or Gulliver’s thoughts when his master attempted to make fun of his flat face.
I like what you said about the master's "innocence [being] almost childlike" because you hit on an important point: We often think "educated" and "adult" are synonymous, but innonence in this case is not the converse of experience (We will explore this further in the next volume of readings). You are arguing that innocence in a way is connected to reason. Interesting.
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