How does the story of Gulliver’s Travels reflect Enlightenment ideals?

The story of "Gulliver's Travels" embodies Enlightenment ideals primarily through its critique of authority. The Enlightenment was a period that emphasized reason, individualism, and questioning traditional authority, and Jonathan Swift uses satire to challenge the political, social, and cultural norms of his time.

In the various lands that Gulliver visits, such as Lilliput and Brobdingnag, Swift presents exaggerated forms of government and societal structures that reflect the absurdities and failures of contemporary political systems. Through Gulliver’s observations and experiences, Swift critiques not only the arbitrary nature of power but also the foolishness and corruption often associated with ruling figures. This satirical examination encourages readers to think critically about their own governments and the nature of authority.

The other choices do not encompass the essence of Enlightenment thought as effectively. Emotional expression, while important, is less central to the rational critique that characterizes Enlightenment literature. Folklore and imagination are less relevant in the context of promoting reason and questioning authority, and magical realism, although an important literary genre, does not align with the satirical and rationalist goals of the Enlightenment movement that Swift is addressing in his work. Thus, the emphasis on critiquing authority is what distinctly aligns