Gulliver's Stories by Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) is often considered one the world's greatest satirists. His essay, "A Modest Proposal," is satire at its best (A Grades 8-12 Literature Unit here). Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, more commonly known as Gulliver's Travels is his satiric masterpiece.

Gulliver's Travels is a great story and often abridged for younger audiences. In its full form it is high satire and though Swift was often criticizing the England of his day it can be read without knowing those historical events. This story, like all classics, transcends its time period and is as relevant today as it was in 1726 when it was first published.

This abridgement of Gulliver's Travels could be better. All the elements of the action of the story are there, for the most part, but all of the philosophical and most of the satiric wit of Swift's masterpiece has been eliminated. This will introduce students to the story, or at least to the first 2 parts (Parts 3 & 4 are not covered as is often the case with abridgments for children) and prepare them for a full reading later on. But I think children can handle a lot more than they are often asked to handle. The unabridged version would be too much for younger students, but this abridgement errs in the other direction by giving them too little.

Source: http://www.millstoneeducation.com/worldLit/b4thru7/gulliver/

The Landry News: A Book Review

September 17, 2010 (Friday) – Due to boredom I went to Robinsons Pala-Pala and bought this scholastic book entitled “The Landry News.” This quite intriguing, an old teacher gets a new student. I guess it was a love story. I was right, it is a story on which a student inspired by his teacher’s sense of nobility. And vice versa.

Well, the teacher who didn’t teach anything and let his students do what they can learn is great. Cara Landry, the editor-in-chief of her won newspaper – The Landry News – not just explores journalism but Truth and Mercy.
Her teacher (Mr. Larson) was in a dilemma to lose his job due to the “malicious” article of Michael Morton. It is about his write up due to his divorcee parents and his feeling adjacent to it. Perhaps, the principal took advantage of the issue. However, it is an issue that is worth sociological and journal. In the end, Mr. Larson was VINDICATED.

The lesson of the story is Truth and Mercy in writing. Journalists and writers have rights and freedom to express their feelings and ideas. However, they have to deal with the feelings of the subject. Whether it must be published for their own cause or not, and whether it will help or hurt the person, it is responsible journalism.

I absolutely recommend this scholastic story for all Mass Communication, teachers and wan-to-be journalists and writers someday. It shows and tells us a lesson of human relations. Two thumbs up!