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Example of a book review paper.

Tip for students. A good book review paper typically has about 4 parts: plot summary, social, historical and cultural context, analysis of writing style and your personal commentaries. Here is an example of a book review of “Gulliver’s Travels” by Jonathan Swift.

Plot summary:

Lemuel Gulliver, a well-educated and experienced surgeon, who is telling the readers about his adventures at the sea. The journey is divided into four parts, depending on the place where the main hero and narrator at the same time gets to. First part is mainly about the country called Lilliput with thousands of tiny people.  Second part is opposite to the Lilliput land – it is a country of Brobdingnag, where giant people live and Gulliver seems miniature comparing to them. The island of Laputa is the location of the third part and it is special for theoreticians and academics that tyrannize people from Balnibarbi. Lastly, the fourth part leads us to an unknown land. Main ruling inhabitants there are the thinking horses.

Social, historical and cultural context.

The book “Gulliver’s Travel” was published in 1726 and received a controversial reputation from the very beginning. In fact, the full version of the novel is really far from the child book that we used to see in Gulliver’s Travel”. Many of its sections were removed in order to present the story as a wonderful adventure and conceal the political interpretations and an accusation in colonial practice. Only in 10 days the book was printed as the author, Jonathan Swift, wanted it to be – without any parts omissions. The novel has resulted in many cultural influences. For example, the word “Lilliput” was borrowed by different languages for naming people of a short height and small size.

Writing style.

“Gulliver’s Travel” has a satirical character and has appeared as a parody on the genres “traveller’s tale”.Being a reaction on this genre popularity the novel became its classics itself disregarding the intentions of the writer. Also, the book has become an example of political, social and moral satire. Jonathan Swift shows and satirizes different kinds of human felonies such as pride and boasting. However, the author does not judge but gives an opportunity to the reader to make his or her own conclusions. We can claim that Jonathan Swifts begins a tradition of fantastic writing – the adventures of Gulliver are far from realistic, cannot happen in true life and are the product of author’s imagination.

Personal commentaries.

Without any doubts, “Gulliver’s adventure” is a book that is worth attention. Actually, it is a program manifestation of the Jonathan Swift’s views if we consider his position and the historical and social contexts. For expressing his opinions in a dynamic and interesting for the reader manner the writer has chosen satiric technique and succeeded in it. He manager to uncover human vices in different spheres: political, moral, and social. Moreover, he has triggered a harsh issue of colonialism and showed how the truth about people and things depends on the perception of the person that observes them. The novel shows human possibility of reining in baser instincts and depicts human condition and despairing.

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