In the beginning, we are introduced to an intelligent man who studies mathematics, physics, navigation, and works as an apprentice, surgeon, and sailor. We can tell that he is a man with high standards and never settles; also, he has good morals as he works for everything he has rather than stealing and lying like others might have. Unfortunately, during the storm while at sea, the man becomes the waves’ prisoner and wakes up to find himself bound with ropes in a place called Lilliput. To further his confusion, human-like figures shorter than 6 inches begin to crawl on him. Furthermore, we see where the man has the choice of physically breaking free or hearing the Lilliputians out. When he makes the decision to negotiate with reason rather than getting shot with arrows, the Lilliputians return his kindness as well. This is when we get the idea that the physical approach isn’t always the best option; sometimes, the best thing to do is revert back to good morals and see if your generosity is returned. Because we are only given the man’s point of view, we know that he thinks these tiny people are abnormally small, but to the tiny people, he is strangely large and they are the normal ones.
I think Swift uses satire to write this story to ridicule London and it’s political standings in 1726. He makes a point to show how small minded people are and how quick they are to judge. The man was so fast to judge the Lilliputians, he got himself wounded because his first instinct was to break free and get away. But we also see the Lilliputians being judgmental the minute we become aware that they tied the man up and held him against his own free-will. This story is almost a mirror image of London and the conditions they were in.
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