The conflict between the Big Endians and the Little Endians in Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels” is a satirical representation of the absurdity of human disputes and the nature of political conflict.
In the story, the Big Endians and Little Endians are two factions in the land of Lilliput, which have formed based on their differing ways of cracking open boiled eggs. The Big Endians believe that eggs should be broken at the larger end, while the Little Endians argue for breaking them at the smaller end. This petty disagreement escalates into a significant conflict, leading to war and social division.
The underlying message of this conflict reflects Swift’s critique of real-life political and religious disputes in his time, which often stemmed from trivial differences. Through the absurdity of the Big Endian and Little Endian war, Swift highlights how humans can become embroiled in conflicts over seemingly insignificant issues, losing sight of reason and unity.
Ultimately, the conflict serves to satirize the nature of intolerance and the foolishness of allowing minor differences to drive wedges between individuals or groups. It reminds us to consider the irrationality of our own disagreements and the importance of finding common ground.