Role Reversal

The significant passage I chose for this week came from Gulliver’s travels to Brobdingnag. It occurred when Gulliver was found by the Farmer-Giant, “For I apprehended every Moment that he would dash me against the Ground, as we usually do any little harmful Animal which we have a mind to destroy.” (p. 83)

I chose this passage because there is a total role reversal upon this point in the story. We talked a lot about perspectives in class on Tuesday and this is a complete 180 for Gulliver. I found the passage amusing because Gulliver had the exact same thoughts when the Lilliputians were crawling on his body. At that point in his journey, Gulliver held some control, but was still a “prisoner” in some respects. He could easily squash the Lilliputians with a single finger. However, on Brobdingnag, Gulliver is out of luck. He is now in the Lilliputian’s position, an ant compared to this huge monster. He even wished how he could be back in Liliput, where he had some control over his life. Perhaps he can now fully understand why the Lilliputians had tied him up, they were extremely fearful. Now he lies in the hands of Giants, and is still a prisoner. The perspective has totally changed.