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What Are The Flaws Of Human Nature

Decent Essays

Over the course of Charles Sturridge’s adaptation of Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, the deepest and cruellest truths of human nature are exposed during the protagonist’s interactions with fantastical races and cultures, which at first glance may appear to be merely a fictitious and shallow look into an imaginary society. However, each of these specific groups of individuals distinguishes themselves in various ways through a variety of interactions regarding Gulliver; in addition, they reveal the inner workings that motivate and drive their behavior, all of which are direct parallels to the actions that all humans cope with on a daily basis. The first major group that Gulliver encounters on his journey is a race of small individuals, …show more content…

A rational group of individuals would never so much as consider having an argument over such a matter; conversely, those who rely on others to make their own decisions, and who primarily rely …show more content…

The male inhabitants of the sky island demonstrate a complete lack of realism found in those who deal with day to day issues that can be prevalent in those who focus far too much on the scholarly practices, which comes with a dire detachment from the lives of others below them, both on a physical and mental level. However, there is no group within this movie that shows just how flawed human nature is at its core than the Houyhnhnms, a race of horses that have far surpassed any form of spiritual and intellectual enlightenment than a human could dare to dream of. Gulliver demonstrates his willingness and desire to assimilate with these creatures, and suppresses his sinful behavior whilst interacting with the Houyhnhnms, as he doesn’t want to fall into the same category as the enslaved lesser in relation to these horses, a Yahoo. Gulliver questions himself repeatedly while observing and attempting to prove himself to the Houyhnhnms, asking on more than one occasion “am I just another animal[?]” (Sturridge). The fact that he inevitably gave into the base desires of previously mentioned groups, the innate tendency towards greed and envy, proves that humanity can never truly move past their base nature; humane nature is sinful, at its core. As stated by the Lilliputians, there is a deeper desire that can

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