Gulliver describes his surroundings as a garden with woods and flowers. I wonder if he can appreciate these tiny objects that he can hardly see and smell. He discusses his toilet habits. It's like the reality shows now on TV!
He meets the emperor and is given food to eat. Several men shoot him with arrows but the emperor ties these subjects up and presents them to Gulliver. The emperor is no fool! Gulliver pretends he will eat one of them but then unties all six of them and releases them. Gulliver is no fool either! Did they appreciate his humor?
Now he is given bedding, domestic helpers, tailors, scholars etc. The people discuss what to do with him. Will feeding him produce a famine? Will killing him produce a plague (rotting flesh)? They try to communicate with him. They search his pockets and take the following:
handkerchief, pistol, powder, coins, watch, comb, sword, snuff box etc. He keeps his eye glasses in a secret pocket. He impresses everyone by shooting off his gun. That would command some respect as well as fear.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
GT - Chapter 3 -- Michelle
The author, by showing his good behavior and letting the little people have their way, was on his way to his liberty (so he thinks). Apparently, the little folks are quite heroic and brave and perform great feats of acrobatics requiring quite a bit of skill. The author helped create a 'stage' from sticks and his handkerchief so they could 'play' mock wars with horses running around. They loved it until a horse got his hoof stuck in a hole and took a tumble. Fortunately no one was hurt but that was the end of that.
I had to laugh when they had the author stand up so everyone could ride underneath him and "... his breeches were at the time in so ill a condition... (there were) opportunities for laughter and admiration". Oh PLEASE. Only a man, would think of the admiration comment!
By this time, no one, not even the horses were afraid of the author and everyone liked him except a guy name Skyresh Bolgolam -- there is always one.
So then, he was 'given' his freedom. Freedom from being chained but he still had to do the little peoples' bidding. He had to measure their lands for them (about 12 square miles) and be prepared to fight their enemies, those from the Island of Blefusch. One look those Blefuschians would have of the author would send them running, I am sure. Unless they were really big too. Or maybe they could fly? Hmmm... I think that's another story!
KEY POINT: Freedom is always conditional.
ONE THING TO REMEMBER: You can be very small yet still very brave.
ONE MORE THING: The more you are around something, the more 'normal' it seems. Like not being afraid of a man, 12 times bigger than you. Sometimes being in the midst of something day and night, you lose the wonder of it all. Like when people who have lived in the Black Hills all their life don't appreciate it's incredible beauty, like it's no big thing. It is a big thing.
I had to laugh when they had the author stand up so everyone could ride underneath him and "... his breeches were at the time in so ill a condition... (there were) opportunities for laughter and admiration". Oh PLEASE. Only a man, would think of the admiration comment!
By this time, no one, not even the horses were afraid of the author and everyone liked him except a guy name Skyresh Bolgolam -- there is always one.
So then, he was 'given' his freedom. Freedom from being chained but he still had to do the little peoples' bidding. He had to measure their lands for them (about 12 square miles) and be prepared to fight their enemies, those from the Island of Blefusch. One look those Blefuschians would have of the author would send them running, I am sure. Unless they were really big too. Or maybe they could fly? Hmmm... I think that's another story!
KEY POINT: Freedom is always conditional.
ONE THING TO REMEMBER: You can be very small yet still very brave.
ONE MORE THING: The more you are around something, the more 'normal' it seems. Like not being afraid of a man, 12 times bigger than you. Sometimes being in the midst of something day and night, you lose the wonder of it all. Like when people who have lived in the Black Hills all their life don't appreciate it's incredible beauty, like it's no big thing. It is a big thing.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Gulliver's Travels - Intro. and Chapter 1 (MJ)
Jonathan Swift was born in 1667 in Ireland. He was a political journalist in England, a zealous churchman and a practical reformer. This book, written in 1726, came to symbolize his life. The general theme is human corruption; man is doomed, immoral, irresponsible, lazy etc. A few years before he died, Swift was found to be "of unsound mind and memory." At the time, the fourth voyage in this book was banned reading in decent households. (I haven't finished a book on the list yet; I'd like to get to Gulliver's last voyage!)
Lemuel Gulliver studied physics and eventually became a surgeon on several voyages. On this voyage to the South Seas, the ship hit a rock and all were lost except Gulliver. He swam to land and fell asleep. When he awoke, he was tied to stakes in the ground by natives who were less than six inches tall. He was shot with arrows and poked with spears that caused him only minor pain. After speeches that he did not understand were made, his left hand was released and he was fed meat, bread and wine containing sleeping medicine. He was treated well so did not consider grabbing 50 of them at one time and killing them.
While he slept, a wooden carrying device was built to take him to the city. He was hoisted on it by pulleys and pulled by 1500 horses. In the city, he was put in chains on his left leg, allowing him to walk a short way to find shelter in an abandoned temple.
Lemuel Gulliver studied physics and eventually became a surgeon on several voyages. On this voyage to the South Seas, the ship hit a rock and all were lost except Gulliver. He swam to land and fell asleep. When he awoke, he was tied to stakes in the ground by natives who were less than six inches tall. He was shot with arrows and poked with spears that caused him only minor pain. After speeches that he did not understand were made, his left hand was released and he was fed meat, bread and wine containing sleeping medicine. He was treated well so did not consider grabbing 50 of them at one time and killing them.
While he slept, a wooden carrying device was built to take him to the city. He was hoisted on it by pulleys and pulled by 1500 horses. In the city, he was put in chains on his left leg, allowing him to walk a short way to find shelter in an abandoned temple.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Quick Summary of Don Quixote and Pilgrim's Progress - MJ
Since I actually read the first 50 pages of each of the first two selections, I think they deserve a mention. Because I didn't want to finish either book, I read chapter summaries at Sparknotes.com. I always want to know what happens at the end!
DQ decided to become a knight so he went out searching for acts of bravery. Isn't that what we all do every day? He was such an optimist and found that people actually helped him more than he helped anyone. Another truth, I think. Did DQ just pretend he did good deeds or did he really believe he had? I thought the best summary of this book came from Professor Van Dorn in The Quiz Show when he told his son, "If you want to be a knight, act like a knight." I want to play classical piano. I do play classical piano - at a beginner level. So I guess you could call me a classical pianist!
According to Sparknotes, Pilgrim's Progress has been translated into more languages than any other book except the Bible. It is said to be the most widely read book in English. A man named Christian goes on a journey of discovery, full of obstacles and temptation. He realizes that this trip is not all about the destination but how you get there. The final destination is death (Have a nice trip!). The book is like a sermon; we must overcome many obstacles on our journey through life. Amen to that!
DQ decided to become a knight so he went out searching for acts of bravery. Isn't that what we all do every day? He was such an optimist and found that people actually helped him more than he helped anyone. Another truth, I think. Did DQ just pretend he did good deeds or did he really believe he had? I thought the best summary of this book came from Professor Van Dorn in The Quiz Show when he told his son, "If you want to be a knight, act like a knight." I want to play classical piano. I do play classical piano - at a beginner level. So I guess you could call me a classical pianist!
According to Sparknotes, Pilgrim's Progress has been translated into more languages than any other book except the Bible. It is said to be the most widely read book in English. A man named Christian goes on a journey of discovery, full of obstacles and temptation. He realizes that this trip is not all about the destination but how you get there. The final destination is death (Have a nice trip!). The book is like a sermon; we must overcome many obstacles on our journey through life. Amen to that!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Gulliver's Travels -- Chapter 2 -- Michelle
The author was able to stand up and survey the scene. It looked like a huge garden marked in 40 foot squares. Like a mini-Hobbit town from Lord of the Rings. (The author didn't say that, I did). He had not peed in two days and went into great detail about not wanting to offend his captors so he went as far as his chain would allow to go and went. Do you think there was a rainbow?
A prince came to see him -- he was taller then the rest and past his prime at 28 (ha!). Tall is relative when your peers are less than six inches tall. "...his head a light helmet of gold, adorned with jewels and a plume on the crest." A plume of what -- a hummingbird?
The little people tried to communicate with the author including priests and lawyers. "...as I conjectured by their habits." They must have been praying for his soul and charging him every 10 minutes. Some little people shot arrows at him and the Colonel ordered all six to be sent into the author's hand for punishment! They were terrified, the author aka "Great Man Mountain" cut them all free and let them go. A good move.
Then he has countless little people assigned to feed him, take care of him and haul off his daily poop and pee (yuck) -- hundreds all for one man! They decided to do keep him alive as his corpse would be too large to dispose of. And smelly, I'd guess.
They inventoried his pockets and he amazed them with his sword, guns and pocket watch. "... the god that he worships... as he seldom did anything without consulting it." Even there time rules so much.
The author started to learn their language and the first thing he asked for was to be free - his liberty. He did keep a few things hidden -- glasses, telescope, etc. because he did not want to lose them.
Key Point: Every man wants to be free (have liberty)
One thing to remember: Greatness (the prince) is relative. He was taller than most of the little people but still tiny compared to the captive author.
One more thing: Things are just things. A pocket (or purse) full of junk may be like treasure to others. What are we filling our pockets, purses, lives with that would be better used giving to someone else?
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