Summmary of 'Diversions'
There are two types of diversions. They are performed by people who want to get a higher position in court. The first one is dancing on a rope which is one meter above the ground. The candidates have to jump and do summersaults without falling on the ground, which may cause physical injuries. The second one is crawling under a stick (which is held by the Emperor and the Prime minister) or jumping over it in order to get one of the three fine silken threads which are in fact rewards of the competion.
Swift's attitude to war:
Swift describes the reasons for the war between Liliput and Blefuscu – it is because of the way of breaking eggs before eating them. In one of the empires the eggs are broken upon the larger end, in the other empire – they are broken upon the smaller end. By doing this Swift shows how senseless war is. Liliput and Blefusku stand for England and France and the many sensless wars they waged. He also satirises the religious fights and differences which seem pointless to him.
How Swift describes England: /book 2 Ch.6/
In England virtues are perverted into cruelty, idleness, rage, hatred, envy , lust , malice etc. This is the reason why there are so many conspiracies, rebellions, murders, banishments and corruption. The legislators in the country are general symbols of ignorance, idleness, and vice.
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