Gulliver’s Travels – Part One – Lilliput
1. How long has Gulliver been gone?
2. What are Gulliver’s wife and son’s names?
WifeSon3. When Gulliver first lands in Lilliput, what do the military leaders believe he is?
4. How do the Lilliputians refer to Gulliver?
5. Describe the Emperor and Empress as they are depicted.
EmperorEmpress6. What originally started the war in Lilliput and what are the names of the two sides?
Started warNames of two sides7. How are the men selected to hold a high office in the government of Lilliput and how is
this a commentary by Swift on the English Parliament?
How selectedCommentary8. When the Emperor requests that Gulliver “finish off their enemy,” what is Gulliver’s
response and what does this imply about both characters?
ResponseImply about Gulliver
Imply about Emperor
9. Why do the Chancellors of Lilliput want to rid themselves of
Gulliver? What does this say about their government?
WhySays about government10. How does Gulliver leave Lilliput?
Gulliver’s Travels – Part Two – Brobdingnag
1. When Gulliver leaves Lilliput, he sails into the land of Brobdingnag, which is a contrast
to Lilliput for what reason? Why do you feel the author, Swift, chose to do this with
Gulliver?
ContrastWhy do this2. In Brobdingnag, how is Gulliver’s fate taken out of his own hands, and similarly, how
has his future been taken from him back at home?
3. Why does Grildrig, the dwarf dislike Gulliver?
4. How are the “Fruits of Labor” divided in Brobdingnag?
5. After Gulliver lectures on the culture, social values, and government of England, what is
the Queen’s response to Gulliver?
6. What does Tom find that lends credibility to his father’s story?
7. Do you believe this book would have been well received by members of the British
Parliament? Why?
8. How might the little girl, Glumdalclitch, be symbolic of the Queen of England?
9. How does the Grildrig plan to end Gulliver’s life?
10. How does Gulliver plan to make a good impression on the people of Brobdingnag?
11. How does Gulliver’s gun powder exhibition “backfire?”
12. Whose fault is this disaster?
13. What do Mary and Glum have in common?
14. How does Gulliver leave Brobdingnag?
Gulliver’s Travels Part Three – Laputa
1. The flying island of Laputa consists of what kind of citizens? How is the sky’s floating
island symbolic of this group?
CitizensSymbolic2. Prince Munodi is the least intelligent on the island but really is the smartest. Why?
3. Why doesn’t Gulliver receive Mary’s letters?
4. What is the real cause of the war between the Raja and Empress, and how is the war
initiated?
Cause of warInitiated5. What is the Empress’ response to her son’s lack of genius, and what point does this
make?
ResponsePoint6. What is the basic system of belief for the members of the Academy?
7. What is the difficulty with the experts of the Academy?
8. What similarity exists between the Academy and the mental institution where Gulliver is
being held?
9. What does Gulliver encounter in the Room of Answers and what does it tell him?
EncounterTells him10. While traveling through time, what does Gulliver discover about wars and leaders from
history?
11. How does the Governor use Gulliver to help him call the dead back to life?
12. How does Gulliver escape the Governor’s mansion?
13. Gulliver is offered everlasting life but notices something about those who have chosen
that path. What decision does he make and why?
14. What does Gulliver give to the Immortal Gatekeeper?
15. How does Gulliver leave Laputa?
Gulliver’s Travels – Part Four- Houyhnhnms and Yahoos
1. Gulliver refers to the Hospital Review Board as Yahoos. Why does he call
them this, and what does it say about the board members?
WhyBoard2. Who is Mistress, and what profound influence does she have on Gulliver?
Mistress
Influence
3. In the Houyhnhnm society, there are no excuses, excesses, diseases or lying. What do
they believe the gift of speech is for, and what is unique about their greeting of each
other?
Speech for
Unique
4. What explanation does Gulliver give for wearing clothing?
5. What do the Yahoos covet, and why is this confusing to Mistress?
CovetConfusing6. Why does Gulliver have to leave the island and what does Mistress’s final remark to
Gulliver mean?
WhyMeaning7. How is the Hospital Review Board convinced of the authenticity of Gulliver’s story?
8. What one vice does Gulliver want to give away forever and why?
9. How does he leave the Houyhnhnms?
10. Gulliver was lost eight years and was awed by the truths of which we may only dream.
Do you believe it was real or a dream?