Final answer:
In Gulliver's Travels, Gulliver's perceptions of humankind change during his time with the Houyhnhnms. Initially disillusioned, Gulliver becomes admiring of the rational and virtuous horses. This leads him to reject his own human nature and despise the flaws of humanity.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, Gulliver's perceptions of humankind undergo a significant change during his time living with the Houyhnhnms, a race of rational and virtuous horses. Initially, Gulliver is disillusioned with humanity and sees them as corrupt and deceitful. However, as he observes the noble behavior and rationality of the Houyhnhnms, he begins to question his own understanding of what it means to be human.
Gulliver starts to admire the Houyhnhnms' emphasis on reason and truth, contrasting it with the flaws of human society. He sees humanity as flawed and morally inferior compared to the Houyhnhnms. This realization causes Gulliver to feel disconnected from his own kind and drives him to reject his human nature.
Ultimately, Gulliver's time with the Houyhnhnms leads him to become misanthropic, despising the flaws and irrationality of humanity. He becomes deeply critical of human society, including his own culture and civilization. His perceptions of humankind are fundamentally altered as he comes to view the Houyhnhnms as the true embodiment of virtue and reason.