Tag Archives: Jonathan Swift

“Useful Knowledge” vs. Literature

The attacks of rich elites on public education is an attempt to dumb down the working class.

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Trump, a Gulliverian Midget amongst Giants

Trump complaining that the deaths of Good and Petti are “bad publicity” makes him appear as small as Gulliver in the land of the giants.

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DJT’s Cabinet: Jumping Frogs, Lilliputians

Three literary comparisons for Trump’s cabinet: Twain’s jumping frog, Lear’s elder daughters, Swift’s Lilliputians

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Anti-Vaxxers, Today’s Modest Proposers

Satirist Alexandra Petri channels Dickens and Swift as she goes after Florida for not backing away from childhood vaccines.

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Newsom, Swift, and Parody’s Power

Gavin Newsom’s parodies of Donald Trump tweets are reminiscent of Swift’s attack on an 18th century fortuneteller in “The Bickerstaff Papers.”

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Classics to the Rescue in Dark Times

In Trump’s first 100 days, Jill Lepore turned to 100 classics to survive.

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How Swift Would Respond to Trump

Think of Trump trying to impress the giant king in “Gulliver’s Travels” by talking big–and note how the king, rather than impressed, is horrified.

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Swift on Media Sane-Washing

Jonathan Swift would have something to say about how the corporate media continues to sane-wash Donald Trump.

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Trump’s Debate and Swift’s City Shower

Trump’s torrent of lies in Thursday’s debate brings to mind Swift’s poem “Description of a City Shower.”

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