Gulliver's Travels has been one of the most widely read books of the last three centuries. Although written for adults, it has been loved by children for its adventure and for the illustrations that have been made to accompany it. Often lost in the four fantastic voyages of Lemuel Gulliver are Swift's comments on the follies and problems of England and other European countries. In various ways, Swift attacks the lords and leaders of England, using humor to highlight the flaws of human institutions and of human nature.
Satire is a literary technique that mixes criticism with humor.
In the modern world, newspaper columnists, screenwriters, songwriters, and many comedians try to amuse their audiences while making them think about the faults and frailties of their world. Swift's satire relies on mockery and a sense of the ridiculous to expose foolishness or wrongdoing in people or institutions. After an introduction to the techniques of satire, students are to read the selection and decide what Swift is satirizing. Some satires are playfully amusing and provoke gentle laughter. Others are outrageous or bitter and provoke a darker kind of laughter.