Gulliver's Travels Literary Analysis

There are billions of books in the world, all with different plots and styles. However, the one thing they all have in common is that they all have literary devices. A literary device is any technique a writer uses to help the reader understand and appreciate the meaning of the work. Due to the use of these devices, books that would otherwise have nothing in common can be compared. For instance, the books Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift, and If I Stay by Gayle Forman have different plots and themes. But when both are examined closely, it is evident that they utilize many different and similar literary devices.
The first technique Swift uses is first person point of view. This helps the readers see the world from the narrator’s position. Gulliver is the main character and he is also the narrator. He is telling about his journeys from what he can see and feel. Forman also uses first person point of view. However, because the narrator is

having an out-of-body experience, the narration also has aspects of a third person narrative. This is because the narrator is seeing things that she would not have seen if she was in her body or would not have been done if she was there physically. For instance, she watches as her family breaks down in tears after they hear of her brother’s state. But if they were aware that she was listening, they would have stayed strong for her sake.
The next technique Swift uses is satire. Most of the book is satiric in that it makes fun of the way society acts. For example, in Part one, it is said that the Lilliputian children are taken away from their parents at a young age and given to the state to “rear.” This is satire because a few years later, Swift makes fun of the same idea in his piece, A Modest Proposal. But as Swift displays the exaggerations of satire and lighter tones, Forman uses a more grim tone. This tone is developed with the device of tragedy. In the book, almost the entire family dies in a tragic car accident and the main character is left to fight for her life on her own. This tone is also created by the setting. It is set in a sterile hospital, and everyone around is either sick or injured. Hardly anyone talks and not a single soul is smiling or happy. This is an example of the setting reflecting what is going on in the story and since the setting is so grim, so is the tone.
Although these two books have different literary devices used within them, they also have some in common. For instance, both Swift and Forman use similes to help the reader comprehend the story easily. An example of Swift doing this is when he is saying that the noise of Gulliver’s watch is very loud to the little citizens. Instead of just saying that the noise of his watch is loud and unwavering, Swift chose to compare the watch’s sound to be like that of a water mill. Forman uses similes in most of the story to emphasize the tragedy that occurs. For example, when describing how the narrator’s best friend reacts to her mom beginning to cry, she says that her shoulders go up like “a cat that just spied a dog.” This emphasizes how angry and annoyed the friend is when she finds that her mom is crying. It also shows how suddenly and swiftly her shoulders rise when she realizes it.
Another technique that the two authors use is symbolism. Swift uses the Lilliputians to represent man’s excessive pride, despite their tiny existence. Humans are only one species in the world and there are many more species bigger than them. However, the people have so much pride, that they will still try to conquer these species despite the consequences. This is represented in the citizens of Lilliput. The Lilliputians choose to take on Gulliver even though he could easily crush them. Forman also uses symbolism. A main symbol that Forman uses is when the music continues to play in the brisk, quiet air after the car crashes. This symbolizes how even when a tragedy occurs in one family, life goes on around it. Half of the main character’s family dies because of that car crash, but the radio keeps playing like the people of the world continue with their lives.
Finally, both Swift and Forman use foreshadowing within their pieces.

In Gulliver’s Travels, Gulliver goes through multiple flawed journeys and experiences throughout the book. This is Swift’s way of foreshadowing to Gulliver’s overall rejection to society in his fourth and final voyage. Foreshadowing is also a main technique in Forman’s book. At the beginning of the book, the narrator says, “Everyone thinks it was because of the snow. And in a way, I suppose that’s true.” “It” foreshadows to the car crashing. The reader can infer that something horrible and tragic is going to happen soon because of the grim tone that is being used. This technique helps engage the readers of both stories.
Although the books Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift and If I Stay by Gayle Forman are dissimilar upon first glance, the technical parts of each are actually very much alike. Both authors use many of the same literary devices throughout each book. These devices allow the readers to appreciate and comprehend the works to their

entirety.