Robert Langdon, Chapter 3-7

He still seems to be that semi-anti-hero type, but now I get a sense of his intelligence. He is very adept at deciphering the minds of the people around him even if he doesn’t seem to know them well. His perceptiveness is very intriguing as through his perception we can read other’s minds as well. For instance when he was talking to the French driver and agent, he noted the hidden agenda behind their questions to delve into his nature or rather the American nature and from this we get a taste of their thought process. (But this can also be seen as a generalization on his part for stating what one Frenchmen’s opinion to the rest so he may indeed be a slight tad biased to foreigners than to his fellow Americans.) However though, he seems to be unable to read Captain’s Fache. And as I had pointed out earlier, Robert Langdon seems to be a very “smart” person. Rather he is the knowledgeable type, like the person who always seems to know everything. You admire them for their intelligence, but sometimes you get annoy that they know so much which may make you feel belittled compare to them. And I also see this as a bit of possible foreshadowing. Perhaps later on, there’ll be a situation in which Robert Langdon can’t use his intelligence or maybe he doesn’t know everything, particular what he needs to know. Or maybe his intelligence is going to be his downfall? Perhaps by being too smart he puts himself in jeopardy. But from these chapters, I can safely conclude that Mr. Langdon is by far the one with the most superior knowledge as of the novel so far. Although Fache is also “smart” as well but he strikes me as the “street savvy” person more: the type who is guile, cunning, and crafty but not exactly the bookworm. He seems to know a lot more often than not, he should be the type who misunderstands what he thinks he knows. And maybe this is foreshadowing too. Perhaps he thinks he is right when in fact in that situation he was wrong

Robert Langdon, Chapter 1 & 2

So far, as I can tell from the novel (or from the first two chapter anyway), Robert Langdon seems to be the typical semi-anti-hero. He will be the person “who saves them all” but had not wanted to be the player of the role in the first place and shows resentment for position but then his feelings will change and he’ll embrace the hero within. He'll probably doen't want anything to do with what he "has" to do and even tries to ignore the position. But fate will be a cruel mistress and no matter how hard he'll run, fate just keeps coming back. That’s my prediction: a very, very typical character. Nevertheless I’m intrigued by how he’ll eventually be the savor of the day- (trust me he will!)

Houyhnhnms

I have never really thought of humans as the ultimate creature on Earth. I guess I always just “knew” that we were. And I never really doubted that thinking. And there was not one thought I ever had that was relevant to horses being the dominant creature. But in Gulliver’s 4th voyage, it’s the creatures that rule us, not the other way around.
The Houyhnhnms are so far the most morally and ideally advance of all the beings Gulliver has encountered. They show kindness and benevolence to one another and they have a strong bond between them. They are deemed virtuous and they all work towards the betterment of the community as whole instead of just bettering themselves. Gulliver sees them as the most perfect ideal type of creature and idolizes them so much and to a point where he deludes himself into thinking that he is in fact one of them.
For me, I can’t see it Gulliver’s way. They are kind. They are benevolent. They are ideally the best. But they’re not human. And it’s not just about appearances as to why they aren’t human but it’s the way they are too perfect. Humans all have flaws. None of us are perfect and neither can we claim to be that way. We all are greedy at some point. There’s bound to be something we want and our selfishness will push us into getting it. There are times when we put ourselves in before others. There are times we lied. Times we did something hurtful to somebody. Or times we thought of doing something that’s not morally right. And we can’t deny that because that’s the way humans just are. We are controlled mainly by our emotions and we do act upon them so we can never do what is deemed right all the time.
The Houyhnhnms society is great. But it’s great for the Houyhnhnms. And of course I wish that at times I can be just as morally outstanding as they are but then I know that some of the things I’ll do just to be “good” will go against my own desire and conscience. (Besides what’s right isn’t always right for somebody else.) I’m fine with living in this world of flaws. Because within the flaws, there’s always some perfection and that perfection will always seem brighter, better, greater then if everything is perfect all the time. And that would just be too dull anyway. Humans need to have some fun in their lives!

Yahoos

Yahoos. The first thing that will always come to my mine is my email. But of course the ugly beast like creature that Gulliver despises comes a close second. Gulliver’s first run in with the Yahoos was after he was washed up (again!) on an unknown shore after his crew mutinied against him. Then at distant he sees a strange looking creature that has long hair, goat-like beards, and extremely sharps claws. Gulliver’s first impression of these creatures’ appearance is that it’s very unattractive and almost repulsive. He then tries to explore the island and wonders if there are any inhabitants of this one as well. But as he then encounters one of the unsightly creatures from before and proceeds to take out his sword and hit the animal. But as he manages to do so the creature let out a holler and a whole other group of them try to attack Gulliver although he does manages to hide him self. But then Gulliver is saved when the unknown beings scurry off at the sight of a horse. Clearly Gulliver’s first encounter of Yahoos was not a very pleasant one.
Yahoos in my opinion are only a more feral side of human beings. As Gulliver describes I always compare them with cavemen due to there unruly appearance and animalistic manners. For one instance when one of the Houyhnhnms had placed a piece of flesh in front on the Yahoos, they had nearly gone ballistic and tore at the bloody meat. Soon we can see that Gulliver’s wish be more like the Houyhnhnms cost him to hold much contempt for the Yahoos. He sees them as malevolent creatures that care for none but themselves. To him, they are just cowardly worthless beings.
I find that Gulliver’s views on the Yahoos are too harsh. The Houyhnhnms never gave the Yahoos a chance to change and they never made an attempt to help them learn any better so how can they hold such hatred for beings who are the way they are because that was the way they have always been? They do not really know any better than to behave the way they see other of their kind behave. And I can’t find a valid enough reason to just have such distain for a race that is to me almost like little toddlers. They can think for them selves but they repeat what the normally see. And just as I have enough ability to forgive small kids for their mistakes than why shouldn’t I be able to forgive the Yahoos for being so primitive? Yes, I will admit that I do feel some sense of almost arrogance over them because I’m more “advanced” but I can’t feel hatred as deep as Gulliver’s.