Gulliver's Travels
by Jonathan Swift
Table of Contents
Chapter 4 to Chapter 11
Chapter IV
Summary
The residents of Laputa have an obsession with math and music; however, Gulliver does not share their passion or knowledge and often feels bored. Because he does not have musical talent or knowledge, most of the Laputans consider him dull. When Gulliver petitions to leave the island, the king grants his wish. Gulliver is dropped onto a mountain below Laputa, where he meets Munodi. Munodi is a lord who takes Gulliver to a nearby town. The people are poor, and the land is lacking cultivation. Munodi’s estate, however, is luxurious.
Munodi tells Gulliver that four decades ago, some residents visited Laputa and came back with a new knowledge of art and mathematics. Inspired, the people created an academy in Lagado so that the land and their lives will improve. Unfortunately, the projects fail and the country is devastated. Munodi tells Gulliver that he should visit the academy. Gulliver leaves Laputa and travels to Balnibarbi.
Chapter V
Summary
Gulliver goes to the academy. While there, Gulliver meets a myriad of intriguing characters. He encounters a man who attempts to remove sunbeams from cucumbers, and a man who attempts to reverse the process of excrement and turn it back into food. From painters and scientists to architects, the people Gulliver meets at the academy all seem to be pursuing ridiculous pursuits. As Gulliver leaves, he sees a doctor trying to resuscitate a dog by blowing air through its body.
At the other end of the academy, a professor teaches his students how to create books through a machine that generates random words. In a different room, a linguist argues that removing all nouns from a language will prolong life. His reasoning is that every word spoken harms the body.
Chapter VI
Summary
In this chapter, Gulliver continues to observe those in academic pursuits. He encounters a professor who...
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