Gulliver’s Travel, Research Paper Example

In 1726, Gulliver’s Travels was penned by Jonathan Swift.  The story of Gulliver as he travels in different places has been capturing the imaginations of every reader who decided to take on this classic masterpiece. Over the years, there have been several adaptations that were produced to bring this classic into the big screen. However, it cannot be denied that adaptations come with significance changes from the original work. While others try to maintain the originality of the work and keep the resemblance to the original structure of the book, the differences are still apparent based on how the current audience or producers might view the very essence of why the book was written in the first place. Hence, this paper is to compare the differences and similarities of the book from the movie of 2010 starring Jack Black as Lemuel Gulliver.

The story, as pertained in the book, is a first-person narration of Lemuel Gulliver- a doctor who joined to be a part of a ship’s crew to yield to the appeal of the sea (Swift, 15). Gulliver travelled four times and experienced different adventures every time. Even from the start of the movie, the story already diverted from its original book counterpart (Swift, 44). Gulliver as portrayed in the movie is a part of a city newspaper’s staff working in a mailroom.  He was assigned on an assignment in the Bermuda triangle and was transported to the enchanted land Lilliput via a vortex. Then his adventure began.

Although the character of Lemuel Gulliver was portrayed as doctor in the book and as a mailroom worker in the movie, there is not much difference in their personality. The doctor lacks ambition while the other one is lazy. It is imperative though to note to that the movie abandoned a more complex structure of the book’s story of Gulliver’s returning home before going on to another adventure in some enchanted island. The movie is a long stretched of Jack Black’s stay in the land of Lilliput and did not include the other parts of Gulliver’s travels. The only focus of the movie is the Lilliput adventure, nothing more and nothing less. By this move, it can be said that the movie has lost the very core of the story. But it is also understood that there is only limited time to carry on with the other adventures and presenting it in just one whole single movie is impossible (Knowles, 74). Hence, in order to capture the entirety of the book, a movie series is necessary. However, it can be seen that the producers of the Gulliver’s Travels do not intend to make a sequel out of the movie. This is because of the direct diversion from the main theme of the book.

It is imperative to note that one of the main themes of the book is the alienation of Gulliver from the society and the desire to be a part of it. Not to mention that the book is a direct attack to the political status of England back in the day. However, the movie is basically a presentation of “I am big” and “they are small” theme. It lacks the seriousness and the political aspect of the story. Although the story contained in the book is fictional, its connection to the political aspect of the society is very much real. It is the presentation of the political struggle and how people are being affected by it. The movie did not contain that connection. Rather, it insulted the authenticity and the soul of the book by revolving on the character of Lemuel Gulliver whose only motivation is be with his boss.

The most interesting difference between the book and the movie is its presentation. The movie is definitely a modern version of the book. While the book was set in England, the movie is set in America. In addition, the book is set in the 18^th century while the movie is set in 216^th century (Chalvers, 99). Gulliver in the movie is single while married in the book. Moreover, the emperor in the book is respected and followed by the Lilliputians while he is being disrespected in the movie and his ability to rule is impaired by the people’s lack of regard for him as a ruler. There are also robots in the movie that were not in the book. Finally, the movie diverted from the original ending. In the book, Gulliver decided to travel to and leave the land while in the movie he is exiled from the land after dishonoring and disrespecting the Lilliputians (Swift, 183). On the other hand, similarities are few. The most noted similarities are the bravery of the Lilliputians in attacking Gulliver and when Gulliver woke up tied with the strings and tried to break free.

In retrospect, it can be seen that the 2010 Gulliver’s Travels swayed from the true essence of the book. Although the character of Lemuel Gulliver in both the books and the movies appear to be heroic, the shifting to a more contemporary and modern story is very apparent (Wells, 55). The adaptation of the story to the big screen failed to convey the message of the original story. Rather, the producers of the show focused on the entertainment factor rather than political. This is a good thing when it comes to trying to reach a general audience such as children and teenagers.

Work Cited

Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver’s Travels. London: Jones & Company, 1826.

Knowles, Roland. Gulliver’s Travels: The Politics of Satire. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1996.

Chalmers, Alan. Eighteenth-Century Fiction on Screen. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Wells, Paul. The Cambridge Companion to Literature on Screen. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.