Movie Literature - Guliver's Travels

Gulliver's Travels Reflection #3

Look around what do you see? Do you see a group of people who are considered equal or do you see pride and superiority among the popular crowd and the out crowd are trying to find there place in society? The film Gulliver's Travels display this idea of struggle for power among the different groups of society and examines society on a deeper level. In this film a man by the name of Gulliver becomes lost at sea and ends up washing up on these strange lands. Through observing the imperfections in each land that Gulliver visits we can clearly examine the questions that Gulliver leaves us with at the end of the film. "Is that it then? Am I just another yahoo in the end?"

The first land that Gulliver visits, is Lilliput. In this land Gulliver is a giant who is taken captive by the Lilliputians and is used as a weapon to fight a civil war. The Lilliputians are people who are very prideful. They feel that there way is the best not matter what. During Gulliver's time with the Lilliputians, we see Gulliver treated as if he is an animal that is to be controlled. The Lilliputians only view Gulliver as a tool to use to defeat their enemies. We do not see much communication or interaction between the Lilliput people and Gulliver which only leads us to conclude that it was due to their high self esteem and sense of pride.

The next place the Gulliver visited on his journey, was Brobdignag. Brobdignag is a land where rather than Gulliver being the giant, he is the smallest person ever seen. Everyone in the land of Brobdignag is a giant! The flaw that is viewed in this land is that every action and event that is carried is done excessively. As the ruler of Brobdignag discusses culture and ways of life with Gulliver we observe that in this foreign land, the citizens believe that their way of life and society is perfect. There is no stealing, cheating, or lying only honesty and sharing of everything. As we continue to observe life in Brobdignag we realize that though the citizens believe their way of life is perfect and that they have the perfect society there is still an underlying tension among the citizens.

Third, Gulliver discovers himself being hoisted aboard the floating island of Laputa. Laputa is a land that floats among the sky around the world with some of the greatest thinkers and scientists that existed. On this island, everyone is of high intellect. As they travel across a land they send down baskets from there floating island and the people below provide them with food and other things that were needed. This whole island was able to move and float due to magnetic forces. The problem with this land is that every individual that lives on the island are contained to such high levels of thinking that they are not in touch with reality and the real world.

Finally, Gulliver discovers himself washing ashore on a land that consists