BOOK I, CHAPTERS I-III: Shipwrecked! · 2016-02-26 · During the course of these troubles, the emperors of Blefuscu did frequently expostulate by their ambassadors, accusing us of

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BOOK I, CHAPTERS I-III: Shipwrecked!

KEY PASSAGE | Chapter I, Paragraph 1

My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire: I was the third of five sons. He sent me to Emanuel College in Cambridge at fourteen years old, where I resided three years, and applied myself close to my studies; but the charge of maintaining me, although I had a very scanty allowance, being too great for a narrow fortune, I was bound apprentice to Mr. James Bates, an eminent surgeon in London, with whom I continued four years. My father now and then sending me small sums of money, I laid them out in learning navigation, and other parts of the mathematics, useful to those who intend to travel, as I always believed it would be, some time or other, my fortune to do. When I left Mr. Bates, I went down to my father: where, by the assistance of him and my uncle John, and some other relations, I got forty pounds, and a promise of thirty pounds a year to maintain me at Leyden: there I studied physic two years and seven months, knowing it would be useful in long voyages.

YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV Discussion Prompt: What do you think makes someone a hero? Discuss the characteristics and personality traits that you find heroic, comparing and contrasting them with the traits of Lemuel Gulliver described or implied at the beginning of Gulliver’s Travels. Does a novel about a character’s travels need a heroic central figure? Why or why not?

VOCABULARY conjecturedcon•jec•tured verbFormed a conclusion based on limited or incomplete informationSome experts have conjectured that the world’s population will be greater than nine billion by the year 2050.

disapprobationdis•ap•pro•ba•tion nounMoral disapproval or condemnationMarty is prepared to face disapprobation from his parents for marrying outside his religion.



prodigiouspro•di•gious adjectiveOf a great quantity or extentStephen King has authored a prodigious amount of work in his forty-year career.

incessantin•ces•sant adjectiveContinuous or interminable, to the point of annoyanceThe incessant noise coming from her neighbor’s apartment finally led Alice to knock on his door.

dexteritydex•ter•i•ty nounThe ability to move or perform tasks with skillEnrolling children in martial arts classes can improve their alertness and dexterity.

prostratingpros•tra•ting verbLying face down, usually out of submission or reverenceThe travelers joined thousands of people kneeling and prostrating themselves inside the mosque.

CLOSE READ 1: Why does Gulliver set out to sea? What can we infer about him from his account of his “career” and domestic life in the first several paragraphs?

2: How is Gulliver captured by the Lilliputians? How much does he resist their capture, and what does this indicate about his character?

3: What practical problems does Gulliver encounter in Lilliput? How do the people of Lilliput come to regard him?



4: Describe the process of selecting Lilliputians for government employment. What does this ceremony tell you about the Lilliputian people?

5: What are the conditions of Gulliver’s freedom as granted by the emperor? How do you think Gulliver will respond to these terms and conditions?



BOOK I, CHAPTERS IV-V: Lilliput and Blefuscu

KEY PASSAGE | Chapter IV, Paragraph 4

It began upon the following occasion. It is allowed on all hands, that the primitive way of breaking eggs, before we eat them, was upon the larger end; but his present majesty’s grandfather, while he was a boy, going to eat an egg, and breaking it according to the ancient practice, happened to cut one of his fingers. Whereupon the emperor his father published an edict, commanding all his subjects, upon great penalties, to break the smaller end of their eggs. The people so highly resented this law, that our histories tell us, there have been six rebellions raised on that account; wherein one emperor lost his life, and another his crown. These civil commotions were constantly fomented by the monarchs of Blefuscu; and when they were quelled, the exiles always fled for refuge to that empire. It is computed that eleven thousand persons have at several times suffered death, rather than submit to break their eggs at the smaller end. Many hundred large volumes have been published upon this controversy: but the books of the Big-endians have been long forbidden, and the whole party rendered incapable by law of holding employments. During the course of these troubles, the emperors of Blefuscu did frequently expostulate by their ambassadors, accusing us of making a schism in religion, by offending against a fundamental doctrine of our great prophet Lustrog, in the fifty-fourth chapter of the Blundecral (which is their Alcoran). This, however, is thought to be a mere strain upon the text; for the words are these: ‘that all true believers break their eggs at the convenient end.’ And which is the convenient end, seems, in my humble opinion to be left to every man’s conscience, or at least in the power of the chief magistrate to determine.

YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV Discussion Prompt: Can you think of any modern-day or recent conflict that contains direct parallels to the satirical history of Lilliput and Blefuscu? Compare this passage from Gulliver’s



Travels to any real-life issue between two factions, groups, etc., and discuss why Swift’s timeless characterization of “Big-endians” and “Little-endians” is still applicable today.

VOCABULARY circumspectioncir•cum•spec•tion nounThe quality of thinking carefully before taking action; prudenceThe president emphasized the need for circumspection, urging both parties to avoid making any rash military decisions.

contrivancecon•tri•vance nounSomething that is made up or invented for a particular purposeCarl’s boss was beginning to think that Carl’s latest injury was just a contrivance to get out of doing the work.

obstinateob•sti•nate adjectiveUnwilling to change or consider other people’s opinions; stubbornEven though his lieutenants advised him to retreat, the obstinate general insisted that they stay and fight until the end.

embargoem•bar•go nounA ban on trade or commerce with a particular countryPresident Kennedy established a trade embargo with Cuba shortly after Fidel Castro seized power in 1959.

infalliblyin•fal•li•bly adverbWithout the possibility of error or failureA DNA test can identify the biological parents of a child almost infallibly.

confoundedcon•found•ed verbSurprised or confused, because something does not happen according to expectationsFor many years, Clayton Kershaw’s curveball has confounded hitters with its dizzying movement.

CLOSE READ 1: What is the major division between the two political parties in Lilliput? Why is this odd or surprising, especially after Gulliver’s description of the capital city of Mildendo?

2: Who lives in Blefuscu? Why are Blefuscu and Lilliput at war, and how long has it been going on?



3: Why is Reldresal telling Gulliver all of this information? How does Gulliver feel about becoming involved?

4: How does Gulliver defeat the Blefuscudian navy? How does this affect his standing with the Lilliputians?

5: What is Gulliver’s controversial “good deed,” and how is it received? What does this reception tell you about Lilliputian values?



BOOK I, CHAPTERS VI-VIII: Sentenced to Die

KEY PASSAGE | Chapter VII, Paragraph 18

“But his imperial majesty, fully determined against capital punishment, was graciously pleased to say, that since the council thought the loss of your eyes too easy a censure, some other way may be inflicted hereafter. And your friend the secretary, humbly desiring to be heard again, in answer to what the treasurer had objected, concerning the great charge his majesty was at in maintaining you, said, that his excellency, who had the sole disposal of the emperor’s revenue, might easily provide against that evil, by gradually lessening your establishment; by which, for want of sufficient for you would grow weak and faint, and lose your appetite, and consequently, decay, and consume in a few months; neither would the stench of your carcass be then so dangerous, when it should become more than half diminished; and immediately upon your death five or six thousand of his majesty’s subjects might, in two or three days, cut your flesh from your bones, take it away by cart-loads, and bury it in distant parts, to prevent infection, leaving the skeleton as a monument of admiration to posterity.”

YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV Discussion Prompt: “No good deed goes unpunished,” as the saying goes. Discuss some other examples from recent history of people or groups who faced punishment by law for doing a good deed, and compare their situations to the one Gulliver faces in Chapter VII. Is a morally right action always lawful, and vice versa? Why? Consider examples from real life as well as from the text.



VOCABULARY menialmen•i•al adjectiveServile and degrading; not requiring much skillClark worked menial jobs as a dishwasher and leaf-raker before winning the lottery at the age of sixty-two.

vindicatevin•di•cate verbTo prove something or someone blameless or justifiedThough the accusations against her were very serious, Pearl remained confident that the trial would vindicate her record.

impeachmentim•peach•ment nounThe act of formally accusing someone of wrongdoing before a judiciary bodyFacing an impeachment trial that would almost certainly end his presidency, Richard Nixon officially resigned from office on August 9, 1974.

extenuationex•ten•u•a•tion nounThe act of making something seem less serious or severeMany nations invoke the phrase “fog of war” as an extenuation for the casualties that occur during a military campaign.

encumbrance en•cum•brance nounAn impediment or obstacleExpensive player contracts can become an encumbrance for a professional sports team trying to improve.

insatiablein•sa•tia•ble adjectiveUnable to be satisfied or fulfilledMoviegoing audiences seem to have an insatiable appetite for comic-book films.

CLOSE READ 1: What are some of the Lilliputian laws about crime and punishment? Do any of these laws make sense to you? Why or why not?

2: What are the Lilliputian ideas about child-rearing? What general truths about their society can we draw from the descriptions of these and other Lilliputian practices?



3: Why is Gulliver impeached? Who is responsible for pursuing his impeachment?

4: How does Gulliver escape Lilliput, and where does he go? How is he greeted once he arrives there?

5: How do Gulliver’s adventures in Blefuscu conclude? How does he find a way home, and what happens upon his return?



BOOK II, CHAPTERS I-III: Brobdingnag, Land of Giants

KEY PASSAGE | Chapter I, Paragraph 5

In this terrible agitation of mind, I could not forbear thinking of Lilliput, whose inhabitants looked upon me as the greatest prodigy that ever appeared in the world; where I was able to draw an imperial fleet in my hand, and perform those other actions, which will be recorded for ever in the chronicles of that empire, while posterity shall hardly believe them, although attested by millions. I reflected what a mortification it must prove to me, to appear as inconsiderable in this nation, as one single Lilliputian would be among us. But this I conceived was to be the least of my misfortunes; for, as human creatures are observed to be more savage and cruel in proportion to their bulk, what could I expect but to be a morsel in the mouth of the first among these enormous barbarians that should happen to seize me? Undoubtedly philosophers are in the right, when they tell us that nothing is great or little otherwise than by comparison. It might have pleased fortune, to have let the Lilliputians find some nation, where the people were as diminutive with respect to them, as they were to me. And who knows but that even this prodigious race of mortals might be equally overmatched in some distant part of the world, whereof we have yet no discovery.

YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV Discussion Prompt: We know that physical size is a determinant of power; what are some other factors, physical or otherwise, that enable a select group of people to have power over others? Referring to Gulliver’s experiences in Books I and II, discuss as a group the characteristics, traits, and so on that make one group or species more powerful than another. What do you think Swift is trying to say about the nature of power?



VOCABULARY supplicatingsup•pli•ca•ting verbBegging or praying for something, with earnestness or humilityAs he stepped outside the stage door, the actor was surrounded by worshipful fans supplicating for his autograph.

vulgarvul•gar adjectiveUnrefined or offensiveDinesh was suspended from Twitter for posting a series of vulgar messages to his followers.trifling

tri•fling adjectiveLacking importance or significanceThe news channel is facing criticism for focusing on gossip and other trifling stories, instead of the more important current events of the day.

improprietiesim•pro•pri•e•ties nounActions or behavior that are rude or immoralIn 1999, the U.S. Department of Justice sued several major tobacco companies, alleging a list of improprieties and unlawful conduct.

intercedein•ter•cede verbTo mediate or intervene on the behalf of something or someoneSeveral of us tried to intercede, but the fight had already gotten out of control by the time we arrived.

complaisantcom•plai•sant adjectiveEspecially agreeable or eager to pleaseBecause her husband is so complaisant, she worries that people will try to take advantage of him.

CLOSE READ 1: What does Gulliver try to give to the giant farmer, and what is the farmer’s reaction to it? What does this indicate about Brobdingnag?

2: Which elements or inhabitants of Brobdingnag does Gulliver find most unpleasant? What does it say about him that he reacts this way?



3: What is Gulliver’s defense at the end of Chapter I for sharing “vulgar” details about the “necessities of nature”? Explain it using your own words.

4: Who cares for Gulliver, and where do they take him? How do the people of Brobdingnag react upon witnessing Gulliver?

5: Why is Gulliver offended by the king and queen at first? Over time, does he become less or more offended? Why?



BOOK II, CHAPTERS IV-VIII: Little Odious Vermin

KEY PASSAGE | Chapter VI, Paragraph 18

“My little friend Grildrig, you have made a most admirable panegyric upon your country; you have clearly proved, that ignorance, idleness, and vice, are the proper ingredients for qualifying a legislator; that laws are best explained, interpreted, and applied, by those whose interest and abilities lie in perverting, confounding, and eluding them. I observe among you some lines of an institution, which, in its original, might have been tolerable, but these half erased, and the rest wholly blurred and blotted by corruptions. It does not appear, from all you have said, how any one perfection is required toward the procurement of any one station among you; much less, that men are ennobled on account of their virtue; that priests are advanced for their piety or learning; soldiers, for their conduct or valour; judges, for their integrity; senators, for the love of their country; or counsellors for their wisdom. As for yourself,” continued the king, “who have spent the greatest part of your life in travelling, I am well disposed to hope you may hitherto have escaped many vices of your country. But by what I have gathered from your own relation, and the answers I have with much pains wrung and extorted from you, I cannot but conclude the bulk of your natives to be the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth.”

YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV Discussion Prompt: Do you think the king makes some good points, or is his verdict about humankind too harsh? Discuss the validity of the king’s perspective, based on Gulliver’s account of his home. Do you think the Brobdingnagians are a more gentle and honest race? Does the king have a right to criticize? Explain, pointing to specific passages from the text as support.



VOCABULARY victualsvict•uals (sounds like “vittles”) nounFood or other provisions for consumptionThe caterers offered quite an array of victuals, including dozens of cheeses and breads from all over the world.

floridflor•id adjectiveFancy or complicated Today’s architecture isn’t nearly as florid as the architecture of the baroque period, which featured elaborate designs and embellishments.

laudablelau•da•ble adjectiveDeserving of praise or respectHis campaign promises sound good, but laudable goals are worthless without a practical means of accomplishing them.

mercurialmer•cur•i•al adjectiveGiven to unpredictable changes in mood or outlookHe was a mercurial player, and it was difficult to predict when his outbursts of joy would turn to fits of anger.

sagacitysa•ga•ci•ty nounThe quality of discerning judgment or wisdomThe commencement speaker, a Supreme Court Justice, sought to share some of her sagacity with the graduating class.

impertinenceim•per•ti•nence nounRudeness or incivility; impudenceInterrupting people while they’re speaking, no matter who they are, is a sign of impertinence.

CLOSE READ 1: What is Gulliver’s opinion of the “chief temple” of Brobdingnag? What positive and negative attributes does he mention?

2: How does Gulliver characterize England in his description to the king? Explain his attitudes and opinions about his homeland, both explicit and inferred.



3: What is the king’s response to Gulliver’s offer regarding guns and weaponry? How does Gulliver interpret the king’s reaction?

4: According to Gulliver, which subjects and disciplines do the Brobdingnagians study, and which do they not? How does he judge the people of Brobdingnag based on their learning interests?

5: How is Gulliver affected by his experience in Brobdingnag? Identify some examples in his encounters with the sailors and his family.



BOOK III, CHAPTERS I-IV: Laputa, the Floating Island

KEY PASSAGE | Chapter II, Paragraph 10

Their houses are very ill built, the walls bevil, without one right angle in any apartment; and this defect arises from the contempt they bear to practical geometry, which they despise as vulgar and mechanic; those instructions they give being too refined for the intellects of their workmen, which occasions perpetual mistakes. And although they are dexterous enough upon a piece of paper, in the management of the rule, the pencil, and the divider, yet in the common actions and behaviour of life, I have not seen a more clumsy, awkward, and unhandy people, nor so slow and perplexed in their conceptions upon all other subjects, except those of mathematics and music. They are very bad reasoners, and vehemently given to opposition, unless when they happen to be of the right opinion, which is seldom their case. Imagination, fancy, and invention, they are wholly strangers to, nor have any words in their language, by which those ideas can be expressed; the whole compass of their thoughts and mind being shut up within the two forementioned sciences.

YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV Discussion Prompt: Which kinds of knowledge are essential to a working society? What do you think Swift is trying to say in this section about the pursuit of knowledge? Is he anti-intellectual? Discuss as a group, pointing to any specific passages that support or illuminate Swift’s point of view.

VOCABULARY vehementlyve•he•ment•ly adverbWith passion or strong feeling about somethingHis speech to Congress made it clear that he vehemently cared about civil rights.

reprobaterep•ro•bate nounA sinful person; a scoundrelHer father was a reprobate who’d been in and out of prison for most of her life.



infirmityin•firm•i•ty nounDisability or weaknessWheelchair-bound during his presidency, President Roosevelt sought to conceal his infirmity from the public.

pretensepre•tense nounA false belief or claim, presented as if trueUnder the pretense that he ran a shipping company, he was able to launder millions of dollars in drug money.

censurecen•sure nounDisapproval or condemnation, expressed formallyThe City Council voted for the censure of its longest-serving member due to unethical practices.

smatteringsmat•ter•ing nounA basic or shallow knowledgeEven though Marie has been living in Paris for seven years, she only speaks a smattering of French.

CLOSE READ 1: What dangers does Gulliver encounter at the beginning of his third voyage? How do these dangers ultimately lead him to the island of Laputa?

2: What are Gulliver’s immediate observations about Laputa when he first arrives? How do its inhabitants appear strange or different from anyone he’s encountered before?

3: What are the obsessions of the Laputans, and how do these obsessions manifest themselves in their day-to-day lives? Identify some examples of this in the text. How do their obsessions and learning pursuits compare with those of the Brobdingnagians?



4: Why do the wives and daughters long to escape the floating island? Does Gulliver express any attitude or opinion about this? If so, what is it?

5: What are the king’s methods for enforcing his power and dominion over the territories below the island? Why does Gulliver eventually decide to return to the lands below?



BOOK III, CHAPTERS V-XI: Luggnagg, Glubbdubdrib, and Japan

KEY PASSAGE | Chapter VIII, Paragraph 5

I was chiefly disgusted with modern history. For having strictly examined all the persons of greatest name in the courts of princes, for a hundred years past, I found how the world had been misled by prostitute writers, to ascribe the greatest exploits in war, to cowards; the wisest counsel, to fools; sincerity, to flatterers; Roman virtue, to betrayers of their country; piety, to atheists; chastity, to sodomites; truth, to informers: how many innocent and excellent persons had been condemned to death or banishment by the practising of great ministers upon the corruption of judges, and the malice of factions: how many villains had been exalted to the highest places of trust, power, dignity, and profit: how great a share in the motions and events of courts, councils, and senates might be challenged by bawds, whores, pimps, parasites, and buffoons. How low an opinion I had of human wisdom and integrity, when I was truly informed of the springs and motives of great enterprises and revolutions in the world, and of the contemptible accidents to which they owed their success.

YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV Discussion Prompt: What do you think is the biggest problem people have faced in recent history? Is it, as Gulliver believes, a lack of integrity throughout society and/or governments? With Gulliver’s discoveries in mind, discuss the issues you believe have plagued people over the past couple of centuries. Are the problems and issues generally the same throughout history, or has humankind evolved at all? Explain your thinking.



VOCABULARY malleabilitymal•le•a•bil•i•ty nounThe ability of an object or thing to be shaped or moldedMuch of gold’s value comes from its extreme malleability, as it can be molded into many shapes with relatively little effort.

brevitybrev•i•ty nounBriefness or conciseness Hemingway’s prose was famous for its brevity, with barely an unnecessary word or phrase to be found.

sojournedso•journed verbStayed or lived somewhere temporarilyTired of the hustle and bustle of the city, I sojourned on Cape Cod for a couple of weeks.

zealouszeal•ous adjectivePassionate or devoted because of a strong belief in somethingSome of Manchester United’s most zealous fans camped out in the rain for days to get close enough to watch the team’s victory parade.

copiousco•pi•ous adjectivePlentiful; abundantTaking copious notes in class is one of the best ways to prepare for the final exam.

perpetuityper•pe•tu•i•ty nounThe quality of lasting foreverPolitical and social change is inevitable, as no government or other regime exists in perpetuity.

CLOSE READ 1: Name some of the different projects being undertaken at the academy in Lagado. What do all of them have in common? What is Gulliver’s attitude toward the undertaking of these projects?

2: Who is the first figure from history that Gulliver wants to meet on the island of Glubbdubdrib, and why does he choose this person? What does he learn from the ghost apparition of this figure?



3: Who are the Struldbrugs, and what are their powers? What does Gulliver fantasize he’d do if he had their powers, and what is the ironic truth about the Struldbrugs?

4: How does Gulliver come to leave Luggnagg, and to which country does he travel from there? What is the general relationship between these two nations?



BOOK IV, CHAPTERS I-IV: The Houyhnhnms and the Yahoos

KEY PASSAGE | Chapter IV, Paragraph 1

My master heard me with great appearances of uneasiness in his countenance; because doubting, or not believing, are so little known in this country, that the inhabitants cannot tell how to behave themselves under such circumstances. And I remember, in frequent discourses with my master concerning the nature of manhood in other parts of the world, having occasion to talk of lying and false representation, it was with much difficulty that he comprehended what I meant, although he had otherwise a most acute judgment. For he argued thus: “that the use of speech was to make us understand one another, and to receive information of facts; now, if any one said the thing which was not, these ends were defeated, because I cannot properly be said to understand him; and I am so far from receiving information, that he leaves me worse than in ignorance; for I am led to believe a thing black, when it is white, and short, when it is long.” And these were all the notions he had concerning that faculty of lying, so perfectly well understood, and so universally practised, among human creatures.

YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV Discussion Prompt: Why do people lie? Discuss this innately human trait, and why dishonesty is always an issue in human societies. Is lying evidence of mankind’s weakness, or of a complex, imaginative mind? Explain, citing passages from Gulliver’s encounters with the Houyhnhnms. Are the Houyhnhnms really, in your opinion, a superior race? Why or why not?



VOCABULARY expostulatedex•pos•tu•lat•ed verbArgued or disagreed with, usually to dissuade someone from acting in a particular wayThe protesters expostulated with the police, insisting that they had every right to gather in the town square.

antipathyan•tip•a•thy nounStrong dislike or hostilityIt was impossible for Jody to hide her antipathy when her rival walked onto the tennis court.

partitionpar•ti•tion nounA division or separation of different parts of a wholeLimousines are equipped with a partition to separate the driver from the passengers.

discoursedis•course nounOngoing debate or discussion regarding a particular topicBy sensationalizing stories, the media fails to foster an intelligent discourse about contemporary issues.

digressiondi•gres•sion nounA detour or aside from a primary topicAfter a short digression about his honeymoon in Alaska, the keynote speaker returned to the topic at hand.

intemperancein•tem•per•ance nounThe inability to hold back or moderate something; excessive indulgenceSeymour’s intemperance with video games resulted in too many sleepless nights.

CLOSE READ 1: What new title does Gulliver carry at the beginning of his fourth voyage? How successful is his maiden voyage with this new status?

2: What happens during Gulliver’s first encounter with the Yahoos? What kind of language does he use to describe their characteristics?



3: How is Gulliver different from a Yahoo? How is he similar? What is the balance of power between the Houyhnhnms and Yahoos?

4: What is the Master Horse’s reaction to seeing Gulliver without clothes? How does Gulliver respond to being compared with the Yahoos?

5: What are some of the things Gulliver struggles to explain to the Master Horse? Why is there a difficulty communicating these ideas?



BOOK IV, CHAPTERS V-XII: Return to England

KEY PASSAGE | Chapter XI, Paragraph 18

As soon as I entered the house, my wife took me in her arms, and kissed me; at which, having not been used to the touch of that odious animal for so many years, I fell into a swoon for almost an hour. At the time I am writing, it is five years since my last return to England. During the first year, I could not endure my wife or children in my presence; the very smell of them was intolerable; much less could I suffer them to eat in the same room. To this hour they dare not presume to touch my bread, or drink out of the same cup, neither was I ever able to let one of them take me by the hand. The first money I laid out was to buy two young stone-horses, which I keep in a good stable; and next to them, the groom is my greatest favourite, for I feel my spirits revived by the smell he contracts in the stable. My horses understand me tolerably well; I converse with them at least four hours every day. They are strangers to bridle or saddle; they live in great amity with me and friendship to each other.

YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV Discussion Prompt: Pretend you’re Gulliver’s therapist as Gulliver attempts to acclimate back into his own society. What would you say to him about humankind? About his revulsion with his family? What might Gulliver’s response be? Let this role-playing be the basis for a discussion about what’s right and wrong with people, with reference to Swift’s ideas.

VOCABULARY dispossessdis•pos•sess verbTo take away something (usually property) or banish someone from somewherePresident Andrew Jackson’s decision to dispossess Cherokee tribes of their land resulted in a forced emigration, the“Trail of Tears.”

abhorredab•horred verbLoathed; hatedEveryone in the neighborhood abhorred the plans to build a shopping center next to the park.



iniquitousin•i•qui•tous adjectiveMorally wrong or unjustChuck’s history of iniquitous behavior made it difficult for him to get a job once he was released from prison.

maladymal•a•dy nounA sickness or ailmentSmallpox was a devastating malady before advances in immunization led to its worldwide eradication in 1980.

rudimentsru•di•ments nounThe basic principles or fundamentals of somethingThe program offers an intensive four-week course that teaches the rudiments of the Spanish language.

veracityve•ra•ci•ty nounThe truthfulness or accuracy of somethingLawyers doubted the veracity of the eyewitness when they noticed subtle differences between his sworn statement and the police report.

CLOSE READ 1: What does Gulliver eventually realize about England and the rest of humankind? How has his outlook changed, and what does he intend to do now that he feels this way?

2: What is the subject of the Houyhnhnms’ debate at the general assembly? What, if anything, is decided as the best course of action?

3: Why do the Houyhnhnms decide Gulliver cannot stay with them? What is Gulliver’s reaction to this news?



4: Who is Pedro de Mendez, and where does Gulliver encounter him? What is Gulliver’s relationship with this man, and how does Mendez’s behavior contradict Gulliver’s pessimistic notions of humankind?

5: What is Gulliver’s relationship with his family and the rest of society at the end of Book IV? Is the ending optimistic or pessimistic? Why?

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BOOK I, CHAPTERS I-III: Shipwrecked! · 2016-02-26 · During the course of these troubles, the emperors of Blefuscu did frequently expostulate by their ambassadors, accusing us of