In many ways, the satire is a very simple one in this
case. The Yahoos are meant to represent the general condition of the human race. As
Gulliver comes to understand, these beings are so incredibly selfish and so driven to
vice and disgusting behavior, that any time they gain an advantage or find a way to get
more resources, etc., they immediately turn that windfall or that gain into a further
journey into vice.
By contrast, he makes it clear that the
Houyhnhms are so incredibly rational. So much of what they do makes great sense, etc.
Of course Gulliver tries as hard as he can to make himself into the latter and avoid
interaction with or implication that he is in fact the
former.
This satirical treatment of the human race is only
strengthened by later parts of the story when Gulliver returns home and voices his
disgust with the behavior of the people he interacts with.
No comments:
Post a Comment