note on the allegorical significance of Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe nbsp Gulliver s Travels Do you think that Gulliver s Travels is a neurotic phantasy Elucidate Is Swift a misanthropist Give reasons for your answer Or Swift was not only a great critic of human nature but also a great lover of humankind Do you agree Comment on Swift s satire on English politics in Gulliver s Travels nbsp Answers nbsp Depict the horrors of slavery and the harsh attitude of the European colonists in Oroonoko Or Horrors of Slavery is one of the themes of the novel Oroonoko Discuss Aphra Behn s - novella Oroonoko tells the tragic story of Oroonoko Oroonoko is an African prince who is betrayed enslaved and ultimately killed The novella shows the terrible reality of slavery It also depicts how cruel European colonists were to the enslaved people We will discuss the horrors of slavery and the harsh attitude of the European colonists below Betrayal We get the first look at the horrors of slavery when we see how slaves are captured and sold Oroonoko is a noble prince in Africa He is loved by his people But European slave traders trick him An English ship captain invites Oroonoko to a friendly dinner on his ship Once Oroonoko and his men are onboard the captain captures them He chains them like animals He sends them to Suriname a British colony in South America to be sold This betrayal shows the horrors of slavery This also shows how European colonists used lies and false promises to trap people The narrator says Never to credit one word they European colonists spoke Life in Slavery In Suriname Oroonoko is renamed Caesar by the colonists It shows slavery strips away the identity of the slaves Even though he is a prince the colonists treat Oroonoko like a slave They force him to work in harsh conditions on sugar plantations The colonists beat enslaved people for small mistakes They separate families parents from children husbands from wives Enslaved people have no freedom and no rights They call Africans savages but their own actions are far more brutal Oroonoko says We are bought and sold to be the sport of women fools and cowards This means that the enslaved people are treated as unimportant property of the white colonists Cruelty of European Colonists The European colonists in Oroonoko are shown as selfish greedy and cruel They constantly lie to Oroonoko They promise him freedom but never keep their word Trefry a European overseer seems kind to Oroonoko at first But even he does nothing to help Oroonoko escape slavery Oroonoko tries to rebel He says Why should we be slaves to an unknown people The colonists promise to forgive him But this is a lie They tie him to a post They beat him until his body is torn and bleeding The governor of the colony Byam is the most evil of all He pretends to be friendly but later betrays Oroonoko in the worst way possible Brutal Killing of Oroonoko The final scenes of the novella are the most horrifying Here we are heartbroken to see the horrors of slavery Oroonoko kills his wife Imoinda to save her and their unborn child from slavery He believes this is the only way to save her from more pain The colonists capture Oroonoko They cut off his body parts starting with his fingers then his ears nose and arms The narrator gives a graphic description of the horror With an ill-favour d Knife they cut off his Ears and his Nose and burn d them This brutal killing shows how heartless and savage European colonists were Even in death Oroonoko stays brave He smokes a pipe calmly as he dies In conclusion Behn s Oroonoko exposes the extreme cruelty of slavery It depicts the harsh attitude of European colonists who betrayed lied tortured and killed They treated slaves worse than animals The novel asks us to question who the real savages are the enslaved Africans or the Europeans who profit from their suffering nbsp Sketch the character of Oroonoko Or discuss Oroonoko as a tragic hero Aphra Behn s - Oroonoko tells the tragic story of an African prince named Oroonoko He is brave noble honest and loving He is born a prince but dies like a slave because of the Betrayal of the European colonists His life moves from honour to suffering and finally to death Because of his noble qualities and tragic end Oroonoko can be called a tragic hero Through his character Behn shows the cruelty of slavery A Noble Prince Oroonoko is first shown as a great African prince of Coramantien He is young handsome and very brave He is trained in war and leadership from an early age His people respect him deeply He is also educated and intelligent He can speak several languages and understands European culture Even after he is betrayed into slavery Oroonoko does not lose his dignity That is why Behn says The royal youth appeared in spite of the slave Oroonoko speaks politely keeps promises and respects honour These qualities make him a true hero A Man of Honour and Truth Oroonoko strongly believes in honesty and truth He never breaks his word When he gives a promise he keeps it even if it causes him pain This quality becomes the cause of his tragedy He trusts the English ship captain who invites him for dinner He believes the captain s words and does not expect betrayal But the captain captures him and sells him into slavery Oroonoko later understands the true nature of the European colonists that Never to credit one word they spoke This line shows that Oroonoko learns the painful truth too late His honesty and trust make him a victim of deceit A Loving Husband Oroonoko s love for Imoinda is pure and deep Even when she is taken away from him he never forgets her He believes she is dead and mourns for her deeply When they meet again in Suriname he feels complete joy Their love gives him strength in slavery But this love also causes more tragedy When he sees no escape from slavery he kills Imoinda to save her honour and their unborn child This act is painful but heroic It shows his deep love and sense of duty A Rebel Against Slavery Oroonoko cannot accept slavery quietly The colonists force him to work in harsh conditions on sugar plantations They beat enslaved people for small mistakes They separate families parents from children husbands from wives Enslaved people have no freedom and no rights Oroonoko questions why free and noble people should be slaves He inspires other slaves to rebel He asks Why should we be slaves to an unknown people This rebellion shows his courage and leadership However the rebellion fails because the colonists deceive him again They promise freedom but betray him His rebellion leads directly to his tragic death Oroonoko s Tragic End Oroonoko s death is extremely cruel and painful The colonists torture him slowly and brutally They cut off his body parts one by one The narrator describes With an ill-favour d Knife they cut off his Ears and his Nose and burn d them Even in this terrible moment Oroonoko remains calm and brave He does not cry or beg He smokes a pipe while his body is destroyed His dignity in death proves his heroic nature His suffering and death create pity and fear in the reader which is a key feature of tragedy In conclusion Oroonoko is a true tragic hero He is brave honest loving and honourable His greatest qualities such as truth trust and pride lead to his downfall Through Oroonoko s tragic life and death Aphra Behn strongly criticizes slavery and European hypocrisy Oroonoko remains heroic even in death nbsp What is colonialism Discuss Oroonoko as an anti-colonial novel Or elaborately discuss the theme of anti-colonialism as you find in Oroonoko Colonialism is a system in which powerful European countries took control of weaker lands They ruled these lands used their resources and enslaved the local people In Oroonoko Aphra Behn - clearly shows the cruelty of colonialism The novel presents how Europeans cheated ruled and destroyed African lives Through the tragic story of Oroonoko Behn strongly criticizes colonial power For this reason Oroonoko can be called an anti-colonial novel Colonialism Colonialism means the control of one country over another European nations like England Spain and Portugal colonized Africa Asia and America They took land gold sugar and labour They forced native people into slavery in the name of civilizing them Colonizers considered the natives as savages They claimed they were bringing civilization but in reality they were greedy and cruel In Oroonoko we see this system clearly in the colony of Suriname where Europeans rule through lies violence and fear Colonial Betrayal and Deceit We find the first sign of colonial cruelty when Oroonoko is betrayed by an English ship captain Oroonoko is an African prince An English ship captain invites him to dinner and friendship Oroonoko trusts him because he believes in honour and truth But the captain betrays him chains him and sells him as a slave This shows how colonialism works through lies Oroonoko later understands this truth and says Never to credit one word they the colonists spoke This line exposes the false morality of European colonists They pretend to be civilized but their actions are cruel and dishonest Slavery as a Tool of Colonialism Colonialism survives through slavery In Suriname Africans are forced to work in sugar plantations They are treated like animals not humans Oroonoko is renamed Caesar This fact shows how colonialism takes away identity Even a prince is reduced to property Families are separated Slaves are beaten and tortured Oroonoko sadly says We are bought and sold to be the sport of women fools and cowards This means that the enslaved people are treated as unimportant property of the white colonists Behn clearly shows that slavery is the darkest side of colonial rule False Promises and Colonial Hypocrisy European colonists often promise freedom but never keep their word Governor Byam promises Oroonoko freedom if he stops the rebellion Oroonoko believes him again But Byam lies and tortures him instead This shows colonial hypocrisy Colonists speak of law and justice but practice cruelty Their power depends on cheating the colonized people Behn presents Europeans as morally inferior though they call Africans savages Resistance Against Colonial Rule Oroonoko does not accept colonial slavery quietly He questions why free people should serve strangers He leads a slave rebellion This rebellion is a strong anti-colonial voice Oroonoko asks Why should we be slaves to an unknown people This question attacks the very idea of colonial authority Though the rebellion fails it proves that colonialism is unnatural and unjust Colonial Violence and Tragic Death The final punishment of Oroonoko shows the extreme violence of colonialism The colonists kill him slowly and brutally They cut off his ears nose and limbs The narrator describes this horror clearly With an ill-favour d Knife they cut off his Ears and his Nose and burn d them This cruel killing proves that colonial power survives through violence not justice Oroonoko s calm courage during death exposes the moral ugliness of colonial rulers In fine Oroonoko is clearly an anti-colonial novel Aphra Behn exposes colonial lies cruelty slavery and violence She shows Africans as noble and Europeans as greedy and dishonest Oroonoko s tragic life and death reveal the inhuman nature of colonial rule nbsp Discuss the major themes of the novel Oroonoko Oroonoko is a famous short novel by Aphra Behn - It tells the true story of a brave African prince who becomes a slave Behn shows many dark sides of slavery and British colonial rule She also writes about the lives of native people In this story we find three strong themes They are the relationship between natives and Europeans the evils of colonialism and the pain of slavery These themes make the story powerful and real Native and White Behn says natives and whites live in peace The native people help the whites in the forest They are kind simple and honest They live close to nature and have pure hearts The whites however are often greedy and full of lies They use sweet words but cheat others The natives are better in morals But the whites have more power So they try to control the natives Oroonoko and Imoinda are two special natives with royal and noble hearts Through the quote below the narrator compares the White cruelty to the Black innocence These people represented the first state of innocence before man knew how to sin Evil of Colonialism This novel is against colonial rule Behn shows how badly the British treat others The settlers break promises again and again Byam promises to send Oroonoko home But he tells lies and does not keep his word When the slaves run away the settlers go to catch them They hurt and killed the slaves Banister s cruelty is beyond our imagination Here is the description of Banister Banister a wild Irishman and one of the council a fellow of absolute barbarity and fit to execute any villainy but rich Behn also leaves the land during the fight These things show the British as fake friends and cruel rulers Fake Promises Many settlers in the novel tell lies They cheat Oroonoko again and again The ship captain tricks him first Then Byam promises to free him but does not do so They even wrote a paper to make the promise look true But later they beat him and forget the paper These lies bring great pain to Oroonoko He loses trust in the white men He also feels lost in life He says white men do not even fear their own gods Truth of Slavery Slavery is shown as a great evil Slaves are caught like animals and sold for money Oroonoko himself sold many slaves before But later he becomes a slave too His pain shows how bad this system is Imoinda is also made a slave without any fault They are treated like things not people They are given new names and no freedom Their deep love and high birth do not save them Slavery destroys human life as Behn says They had lost the divine quality of man and were become insensible asses In summary the story of Oroonoko is full of pain and truth Behn tells the real story of how British rule and slavery hurt good people She praises the natives and their simple life She shows that colonialism is full of lies and tricks The love between Oroonoko and Imoinda is deep and noble But in the end both die because of slavery The novel teaches us that freedom is the most important thing in life nbsp Why is Tom Jones considered to be a picaresque novel A picaresque novel is a story about a hero who is low-born and lives a wandering life full of adventures The hero faces many troubles meets many kinds of people and learns lessons from life Henry Fielding s - Tom Jones is often called a picaresque novel because it shows the long journey adventures and moral growth of its hero Tom Jones The novel presents society through the hero s experiences Picaresque Novel The word picaresque comes from the Spanish word picaro which means a rogue or a poor young man In such novels the hero is usually of low birth He lives by his wit and moves from place to place The story is told through many episodes instead of one tight plot Fielding s Tom Jones follows this pattern clearly Tom is an orphan His parents are unknown He grows up without wealth or social status His life is full of mistakes joys and sufferings which is typical of a picaresque hero Tom Jones as a Picaro Rogue Hero Tom Jones is not a perfect hero He is kind and generous but he is also careless and impulsive He helps poor people and feels sympathy for others For example he gives money to Black George s family even when he himself has little At the same time he gets involved with several women like Molly and Mrs Waters Mr Allworthy says that Tom is good at heart I am convinced my child that you have much goodness generosity and honour This mixture of virtue and fault is a main feature of a picaresque hero Journey and Adventures A major feature of a picaresque novel is travel Tom is forced to leave Paradise Hall and go on a long journey During this journey he faces many adventures He meets soldiers innkeepers beggars ladies thieves and gentlemen We see Tom s love with Sophia We see the selfish upper-class Lady Bellaston who wants to separate Sophia and Tom Each episode shows a different side of English society The novel moves like a chain of adventures rather than a single straight story Realistic Picture of Society Picaresque novels show society as it really is In Tom Jones Fielding presents all classes of society such as the rich and poor honest and corrupt We see hypocrisy greed kindness and love Characters like Blifil and Thwackum represent false morality Fielding shows that hypocrisy is more dangerous to religion and goodness than openly bad people As the narrator says Both religion and virtue have received more real discredit from hypocrites than infidels could ever cast upon them This social realism is a key feature of the picaresque tradition Episodic Structure Unlike tragic or heroic epics Tom Jones does not follow one serious plot It is divided into many episodes Each episode adds color and meaning to the story Tom s love affairs fights mistakes and growth form a loose but lively structure This episodic nature is typical of picaresque novels Moral Growth of the Hero Though Tom is a rogue at first he learns from his sufferings By the end of the novel he becomes more responsible and mature He learns to say no to wrong choices For example he refuses Lady Bellaston because he loves Sophia Fielding writes It is much easier to make good men wise than to make bad men good This shows Fielding s belief that good people like Tom can learn and grow While truly immoral people like Blifil are unlikely to change Tom s gradual moral growth through life experience is another strong picaresque element In conclusion Tom Jones is considered a picaresque novel because it follows the life of a low-born hero Tom He moves through society faces many adventures and learns from his mistakes The realistic social picture wandering journey and flawed but kind-hearted hero make it a perfect example of a picaresque novel nbsp What do you learn about th-century England from your study of Tom Jones Present a pen-picture of the contemporary social traits as depicted in the novel Tom Jones Or Tom Jones is a faithful representation of mid-eighteenth-century England Elucidate Or Tom Jones reflects the social picture of mid-eighteenth century England Elucidate Henry Fielding s - Tom Jones is a famous th-century comic novel The story follows Tom Jones s adventures from a foundling raised by Mr Allworthy to his involvement with many romantic affairs and social classes Through Tom Jones s adventures we get a clear and lively picture of mid- th-century English society We find different classes professions lifestyles moral values and social problems of that time Social Class and Society The society in Tom Jones is divided into classes Mr Squire Allworthy and Lady Bellaston are examples of the upper class They have money and power Mr Allworthy s servants like the gamekeeper Black George are examples of the lower class Squire Western is an example of the wealthy middle class who hunt drink and seek pleasure Fielding also depicts class prejudice Tom was found as an infant in Mr Allworthy s bedroom with no clue of his parents So the society treats him as a bastard although he is good-hearted This gives us a picture of a harsh social system Hypocrisy in Religion and Society Fielding shows that hypocrisy is a big problem in society Blifil pretends to be obedient and religious But he is actually greedy jealous and deceitful He lies to Squire Allworthy to make Tom appear bad Thwackum Tom s tutor pretends to teach religion but uses religion to punish Tom and support Blifil Through these characters Fielding shows that hypocrisy is more dangerous to religion and goodness than openly bad people As the narrator says Both religion and virtue have received more real discredit from hypocrites than infidels could ever cast upon them Love and Sexuality Fielding also shows the condition of love and sexuality in contemporary society Tom follows his sexual desire too quickly His relationships with women like Molly Mrs Waters and Lady Bellaston cause a lot of trouble We also learn that Miss Bridget is the real mother of Tom She gave birth to Tom after her secret relationship with a young man named Summer This caused a lot of trouble for her as she had to abandon Tom in Mr Allworthy s bedroom to save her honor These relationships show that unchecked sexual desire can create problems We also find true and balanced love between Tom and Sophia As Tom matures he realises that true love should be based on respect and commitment not just physical attraction The Fashionable Lifestyle Fielding gives us a glimpse of the fashionable upper-class London society through Lady Bellaston She spends time in fashion parties gossip and pleasure She cares only about her desire what she wants She wants Tom s love and tries to separate Sophia from Tom She even plans to ruin Sophia s honour As the narrator notes She Lady Bellaston resolved to get rid of her Sophia by some means or other Through her character we see how the upper-class people were often selfish cunning and pleasure-seeking in th-century England Condition of Women Fielding shows that women had limited freedom in society Their marriages were often controlled by fathers and guardians For example Squire Western Sophia s father is obsessed with forcing Sophia to marry whom he wants Rural and Urban Life Fielding contrasts rural life and urban life in England The rural areas like the Western estate are filled with hunting drinking and traditional customs The urban life in London is full of luxury parties and fashion We see urban lifestyle through Lady Bellaston and her circle Charity and Humanity Fielding also shows the importance of charity and kindness Mr Squire Allworthy represents charity and benevolence When he finds infant Tom on his bed with no clue of his parents Alloworthy adopts the baby Moreover when he finds out Black George s family is starving without food or clothes he helps the family The narrator describes Allworthy as An agreeable person and a benevolent heart In fine Henry Fielding s Tom Jones is like a pen-picture of mid-eighteenth-century social traits of England His lively characters and detailed storytelling help us understand the society culture and human nature and also entertain us nbsp Tom Jones is a story of a man s journey from innocence through experience to wisdom Evaluate Henry Fielding s - Tom Jones is not only a comic novel of adventure It is also a moral story of growth In this novel Tom Jones starts as a kind-hearted but careless youth Through suffering travel and self-realisation he becomes a mature and wise man In this way the novel clearly presents Tom s journey from innocence through experience to wisdom Tom s Innocence and Kindness Tom Jones is brought up in Paradise Hall by Mr Allworthy He does not know his parents He grows up as a foundling Though Tom has no social status he is innocent at heart He is generous loving and full of sympathy He helps poor people and feels sympathy for others For example he gives money to Black George s family even when he himself has little Mr Allworthy says that Tom is good at heart I am convinced my child that you have much goodness generosity and honour However Tom is also careless He does not understand the consequences of his actions His innocence makes him impulsive especially in matters of love and pleasure Lack of Experience and Early Mistakes Tom s innocence is mixed with ignorance Because he lacks experience he makes many mistakes He trusts people easily This is why Blifil deceives him again and again Tom also fails to control his passions His relationships with Molly Seagrim and Mrs Waters show his moral weakness Though his intentions are not evil his actions often bring trouble These early mistakes prove that innocence alone is not enough A man must learn from life to become wise Journey and Experience The turning point of Tom s life comes when he is driven out of Paradise Hall This begins his real journey through experience Tom travels from place to place He meets soldiers innkeepers thieves ladies and strangers Each meeting teaches him something new He suffers hunger poverty imprisonment and humiliation At Upton Inn and later in London Tom sees the real face of society Through these experiences he learns discipline patience and self-control Suffering as a Teacher Suffering plays an important role in Tom s moral growth When he is separated from Sophia he feels deep pain and regret His time in prison is especially important He wounds Mr Fitzpatrick with a sword and goes to prison Though it was not his fault he blames himself There he reflects on his past actions He begins to control his desires and act more responsibly Fielding shows that experience teaches better than strict rules Growth into Wisdom Through his life s journey Tom becomes wiser and more mature He learns to control his desire He understands the value of love and loyalty He refuses Lady Bellaston because he truly loves Sophia Even when Lady Bellaston accuses Tom of his love for Sophia is not real he says he values Sophia most He says I would sacrifice everything to the possession of my Sophia but Sophia herself This line means that Tom would do anything for Sophia but he would never leave her Tom learns love and loyalty from his life Contrast with Blifil Fielding clearly contrasts Tom with Blifil Blifil appears wise and moral from the beginning but he has no humanity Tom on the other hand starts with innocence and gains wisdom through experience Fielding writes It is much easier to make good men wise than to make bad men good This shows his belief that good people like Tom can learn and grow While truly immoral people like Blifil are unlikely to change Unlike Bliflil Tom has grown from good to wise through experience In conclusion Tom Jones is truly a story of a man s journey from innocence through experience to wisdom Tom begins as a good-hearted but careless youth Through travel suffering and self-realisation he becomes mature and wise nbsp Discuss Robinson Crusoe as an adventure story Robinson Crusoe is one of the greatest adventure stories in English literature In his novel Daniel Defoe - tells the story of Robinson Crusoe He leaves home in search of excitement and faces many dangers Shipwrecks storms loneliness wild nature savages and fights fill the novel Crusoe s life on a lonely island for twenty-eight years makes the novel full of thrilling events At the same time the story shows courage survival and faith Therefore Robinson Crusoe is a true adventure story Love of Travel and Early Adventures The spirit of adventure begins at the very start of the novel Crusoe is not happy with a quiet life He has a strong desire to sail the sea He says My head began to be filled very early with rambling thoughts This line means that Crusoe s head is filled with adventurous thoughts from an early age His father advises him to live a safe and middle-class life But Crusoe ignores this advice He goes to sea again and again even after facing storms and dangers These early sea journeys show his restless nature and love for adventure At the very outset the readers are prepared for greater adventures ahead Shipwreck and Survival on the Island The greatest adventure in the novel begins with the shipwreck Crusoe s ship is destroyed by a violent storm He is thrown onto a lonely island He narrates I am cast upon a horrible desolate island This moment is the start of his long struggle for survival Alone and helpless Crusoe must find food water and shelter He explores the island builds a house makes tools grows crops and tames animals Every small success is an adventure because failure means death His daily life becomes a continuous fight against nature Fear Danger and the Cannibals Adventure in Robinson Crusoe is not only physical but also mental Crusoe lives in constant fear When he sees a single footprint on the sand his peaceful life is destroyed He says that fear stayed with him for years Later he sees cannibals on the island He discovers bones and blood This fills him with horror He thinks of killing them but fears revenge His life becomes full of watchfulness hiding and planning These moments of fear and suspense give the novel strong adventure elements Rescue of Friday A Turning Point One of the most exciting adventures in the novel is the rescue of Friday Crusoe saves him from cannibals by killing his enemies This moment changes Crusoe s life Friday becomes his loyal companion and helper Crusoe proudly says I carried him into my cave and he became my servant Together they explore the island plan defenses and prepare for future dangers Their adventures include fighting cannibals rescuing prisoners and protecting their land The story now becomes more active and dramatic Fighting Mutineers and Escape The final part of the novel is full of action and excitement A ship arrives near the island but it brings mutineers Crusoe cleverly plans an attack and helps the true captain regain control of the ship This adventure is full of danger bravery and intelligence At last after twenty-eight years Crusoe leaves the island I had been upon it eight-and-twenty years two months and nineteen days Crusoe records the exact day he leaves the island Thus his story becomes a long adventure of survival and learning To sum up Robinson Crusoe is a great adventure story because it is full of travel danger survival fear courage and action From sea voyages and shipwrecks to island life cannibals Friday and the fight with mutineers the novel never loses its adventurous spirit That is why Robinson Crusoe remains one of the most famous adventure stories in English literature nbsp The story of Crusoe is a truthful representation of human life Elucidate Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe - is more than a sea story It shows real human life Crusoe makes mistakes feels pain learns lessons and grows better He faces trouble but does not give up He feels lonely prays to God and becomes wise These things happen in real life too Crusoe s life shows the truth of human nature His hopes fears and dreams are like ours So the story is a good picture of real human life Mistake and Regret Crusoe does not listen to his father He leaves home for the sea life He runs after freedom and money He regrets I had been well instructed by father and mother Later he suffers for his mistakes He feels sad and thinks If he had obeyed he would have been happy This shows the reality of human life People often make mistakes and feel regret later Like Crusoe they learn from it So the story shows this truth about real people Suffer and Survive Crusoe faces big problems His ship sinks He loses all his friends He lives alone on an island He says I am cast upon a horrible desolate island He builds a shelter finds food and keeps hope He never gives up This shows how people suffer but try to live Human life is full of trouble but people fight it Crusoe s life tells this truth clearly It is a good example of human strength and courage Lonely and Afraid Crusoe sometimes feels deep pain in his heart He says I had now lived two years under this uneasiness He fears wild animals and strange people He becomes sick and thinks he will die He cries and feels helpless This is a real picture of human emotion People feel lonely and afraid in hard times Like Crusoe they pray and hope So the story shows the truth of how people feel in trouble Faith and Change Crusoe starts to believe in God He reads the Bible and thanks God Slowly his mind becomes calm and strong He learns to trust God He says I sincerely gave thanks to God for opening my eyes This is true in real life too When people suffer they often turn to faith They learn to be better Crusoe s change shows this truth clearly Hope and Work Crusoe works hard every day He makes a home grows crops and keeps a diary He also makes tools and builds a boat He does not sit idle or cry all the time He keeps hope and works to live This is a true picture of human life People work to stay alive and build their future Crusoe s story gives us this real message In short the life of Robinson Crusoe is full of truth He makes mistakes feels sad and learns He fights fear and prays to God He works hard and never loses hope These things happen in real life too Crusoe is not a hero with magic He is like us weak but strong sad but hopeful So this story is a clear and honest picture of real human life Defoe shows us the truth through Crusoe s life nbsp Write a note on the allegorical significance of Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe Allegory is a type of story where the characters events and places represent deeper moral spiritual or political meanings The outer story is simple but the inner meaning gives a big lesson about life faith or society Daniel Defoe s - Robinson Crusoe is not only a story of survival or surface incident It also has a deeper meaning Crusoe s life shows the journey of the human soul He learns to obey God and trust Him His time on the island shows faith sin hard work and learning So the story is more than it looks It is an allegory of human life Sin and Punishment Crusoe disobeys his father He leaves home and goes to sea This disobedience is like man's sin against God Later his ship sinks He becomes alone on an island This is like God s punishment for sin Crusoe feels regret This part shows the fall of man and the result of sin The island becomes a place of correction So it has a deep allegorical meaning Repent and Pray On the island Crusoe becomes sick He feels weak and helpless He thinks he will die He reads the Bible and prays He reads Call upon Me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify Me He feels sorry for his past life He begins to believe in God This is an allegory for spiritual awakening Crusoe s prayer and reading show man s return to God His soul starts to heal He becomes a better man This shows a strong religious meaning Faith and Peace After praying Crusoe feels peace in his heart He reads the Bible every day He lives a simple and honest life He stops complaining and becomes thankful His faith makes him strong and calm He says I sincerely gave thanks to God for opening my eyes Crusoe s change shows the spiritual journey of man It teaches that belief in God brings peace Hard Work and Hope Crusoe does not sit idle He works hard every day He builds a house grows food and makes tools He keeps a daily record of life His work shows the duty of man on earth It teaches patience honesty and hard work He says I had now lived two years under this uneasiness His hope never dies He continues his life It tells us to work and trust God Friday and Brotherhood Crusoe saves Friday and teaches him He teaches him English and religion Friday becomes a Christian They live together and help each other Though Friday is from a different land Crusoe treats him kindly This is a symbol of love beyond culture Island as Own Land Crusoe thinks the island belongs to him He says I was lord of the whole manor He gives names to places like a king He builds a home sets rules and controls the land He sees no other person but still calls it his land This shows a strong colonial idea This thinking is common in colonial times Crusoe becomes the owner of the island without asking anyone This is also another hidden picture in this novel In short Robinson Crusoe is full of hidden meanings Crusoe s life is not only about being lost It shows the journey from sin to faith live to rule It shows the soul's return to God His hard work shows a man s duty in life All these give the story allegorical value Defoe teaches us about life faith and hope through Crusoe s journey nbsp Do you think that Gulliver s Travels is a neurotic phantasy Elucidate Gulliver s Travels is a famous book by Jonathan Swift - The novel looks like a book of strange dreams and unreal lands Tiny people giant men flying islands and talking horses make the story feel like a fantasy Many critics call it a neurotic phantasy because it shows deep fear anger and mental tension But this fantasy is not empty Swift uses strange imagination to show real human problems The book feels like a disturbed dream but it is written with a clear purpose Strange Lands Like a Dream In Gulliver s Travels everything feels unreal like a dream of a troubled mind In Lilliput people are only six inches tall but their pride is huge They fight wars over how to break an egg Gulliver says the Lilliputians are Human creature not six inches high In Brobdingnag people are giants and Gulliver feels like an insect In Laputa the island flies in the sky and people forget simple life for useless science These lands do not exist in reality They feel like the strange thoughts of a restless brain This dream-like quality makes the book look like a neurotic fantasy Fear and Confusion in Gulliver s Mind Gulliver himself often feels fear and confusion In Lilliput he is first treated like a hero Then the Lilliputian king plans to kill him In Brobdingnag he is always afraid of being crushed In Laputa he feels bored and mentally tired His mind never feels calm Each journey makes him more confused about the world This shows inner mental struggle The story moves like the changing thoughts of a worried man This is why many see the book as neurotic Extreme Hatred of Humanity The strongest sign of neurotic fantasy appears in the last voyage Gulliver meets the Yahoos who look like humans but act like animals They are dirty greedy and cruel Gulliver feels deep hatred and shame He compares all humans with Yahoos When he sees his own reflection he hates himself I turned away my face in horror and detestation of myself This reaction is very extreme Gulliver loses his balance of mind He forgets human love and kindness This hatred feels emotional and unhealthy It shows mental disturbance not normal thinking This type of hatred makes the novel a neurotic phantasy Love for Houyhnhnms and Escape from Reality Gulliver s love for the Houyhnhnms the wise horses is also unnatural He wants to live like them forever He wishes to leave human society When he returns home he avoids people and talks to horses This escape from human life feels like a mental breakdown It is not realistic behavior This strong desire to escape reality makes the story feel like a neurotic dream But Fantasy with a Purpose Even though the book feels neurotic it is not meaningless Swift uses fantasy to criticize human pride war politics and false knowledge The strange lands help him speak freely Behind every dream-like scene there is a real message The egg war shows religious conflict The Yahoos show how low humans can fall without reason Laputa shows useless science For example the scholars of Laputa try to extract sunbeams from cucumbers He had been eight years upon a project for extracting sunbeams out of cucumbers So Swift s fantasy is controlled and thoughtful In fine Gulliver s Travels can be called a neurotic phantasy because it is full of strange dreams fear hatred and mental unrest Gulliver s mind becomes broken by his journeys But this neurotic fantasy has a strong aim Swift uses it to attack human pride and foolishness So the book is a neurotic fantasy but a meaningful one It shocks the reader to make them think and change nbsp Is Swift a misanthropist Give reasons for your answer Or Swift was not only a great critic of human nature but also a great lover of humankind Do you agree Or do you think Jonathan Swift is a misanthropist Justify your answers Or Swift was a great humanist in spite of his being a misanthropist Substantiate Or consider Swift as a great humanist Jonathan Swift - was a famous satirist He wrote Gulliver s Travels to show the bad sides of people Many think he hated people This is called misanthropy But some say he wanted people to change They call him a humanist In this book Swift laughs at people s pride lies and silly fights He shows how bad society can be But deep inside he hoped for better So Swift was a critic not a hater of mankind Hate of Yahoos Swift shows strong hate for the Yahoos They look like humans but act like beasts They are dirty greedy and wild Gulliver feels disgusted when he sees them He says Upon the whole I never beheld in all my Travels so disagreeable an Animal nor one against which I naturally conceived so strong an Antipathy Swift shows how people act with no reason or truth The Yahoos love money and fight often This makes many people think Swift hates all humans But he may just show how low people can fall if they forget good values Love for the Houyhnhnms The Houyhnhnms are clean wise and kind They never lie or fight They live by reason Gulliver loves them more than humans He wants to live with them forever He even avoids humans when he returns home This part shows Swift's dream He wants people to be like the Houyhnhnms It is not hate but hope He shows a better way of life So Swift does not hate people He wants them to improve Satire with a Purpose Swift laughs at kings courts and war In Lilliput people fight over how to break an egg Thousands die in this silly fight Six wars at different times occurred as the issue violated their religious doctrine which states That all true Believers shall break their eggs at the convenient end He also shows stupid rules and games in politics He makes fun of proud kings and corrupt ministers These are not jokes for fun He wants people to think His goal is to help society get better Change and Loneliness Gulliver changes a lot after living with the Houyhnhnms He starts to believe that humans are bad dirty and full of evil thoughts He compares people with the Yahoos and feels ashamed to be one of them When he comes back to England he cannot live normally He does not like to see other people Gulliver even starts to hate himself He feels shocked and sad to know he is also a human He says When I happened to behold the reflection of my own form in a lake or fountain I turned away my face in horror and detestation of myself Now he wants to live with horses He thinks horses are wise and kind So he spends most of his time with them In conclusion Jonathan Swift looked like a misanthropist but he was not He only hated the wrong ways of men He showed how bad things were But he also showed a better life He used satire to correct not to destroy His love for truth made him write such strong words In fact he was a true humanist His dream was a wise and fair world So Swift was not a hater of man but a lover of good mankind nbsp Comment on Swift s satire on English politics in Gulliver s Travels Satire is a way of making fun of something to show its problems or foolishness Jonathan Swift - wrote Gulliver s Travels to show the absurdity of his time He used Gulliver's adventures to mock English politics He visited two lands Lilliput and Brobdingnag Both are different but both show problems in real life In Lilliput he shows pride lies and silly rules In Brobdingnag he shows wisdom and peace Swift uses fun and jokes to point out serious faults So his book is a strong political satire Proud but Small The Lilliputians are tiny in size But they think they are great Their king wants to rule the world He gives silly titles and takes big actions He wants to become Sole Monarch of the whole world Swift uses this pride to show how English rulers acted They were not wise but proud They fought for power not for people The king of Lilliput is a copy of a real English king Swift makes him small to laugh at his pride and foolish goals Silly Laws and Games In Lilliput jobs are not given for talent People must dance on ropes to get high posts The king likes only those who obey him If the Emperor disfavours anyone they can not join the government body as an official This is evident in the following quote The disbelief in a Divine Providence renders a man in-capable of holding any public station These silly rules mock real politics Swift shows how real leaders chose people not for work but for support Fight for Nothing The Lilliputians fight Blefuscu over how to break eggs Some say the small end is right Others want to break from the big end This small thing starts big wars Thousands die in this silly fight Six wars at different times occurred as the issue violated their religious doctrine which states That all true Believers shall break their eggs at the convenient end Swift uses this to mock real wars English people also fought over silly religious rules Peace and Wisdom In Brobdingnag Swift shows a good king He listens to Gulliver and asks smart questions When he hears about war and guns he feels sad He calls English people dirty and cruel He says the majority of Englishmen must be The most pernicious life race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth Swift uses this wise king to show what real rulers should be like He is kind just and calm This is a sharp contrast to Lilliput Mocking English Politics Swift mocks English politics through both lands Lilliput shows how English kings act like fools Brobdingnag shows how far England is from true peace Swift uses small people to show small minds He uses giants to show big hearts He attacks the government war rules and leaders But he does not name anyone This makes it safe and smart Through Gulliver s eyes he says all he wants That is why this book is a perfect political satire In summary Swift was a master of satire He used Lilliput and Brobdingnag to show the truth Lilliput is a mirror of bad politics Brobdingnag is a picture of good rule He makes fun of wars jobs rules and pride But all this fun has a strong message Swift did not just hate the system he wanted to fix it