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   luannw Teacher
   High School - 11th Grade

   eNotes Editor

   Gulliver encounters the Yahoos when he goes on the last of his voyages to the land of the Houyhnhnms.  The Houyhnhnms represent perfection of existence in that they don't lie, cheat, steal, covet or commit any of the other sins that Swift saw people possessing.  The Yahoos, on the other hand, represent the worst of existence in that they are dirty, uncivilized, amoral, and covetous.  Since this is Gulliver's final voyage, this is Swift's last chance to drive home his point about the ills of humankind.  He shows the Yahoos in sharp contrast to the Houyhnhnms to highlight this point.  Both species represent aspects of people - the good (Houyhnhnms) v. the bad (Yahoos).  The good qualities of the Houyhnhnms help to show the bad qualities of the Yahoos.

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   http://www.enotes.com/gullivers-travels/themes

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   Posted by luannw on Monday September 14, 2009 at 4:56 AM