Final answer:
In literature, a character's perceived size often metaphorically explores themes like power and vulnerability, as seen in Gulliver from Swift's Gulliver's Travels and other characters like Don Quixote. This is a common literary device to amplify themes and provide social commentary or psychological insight.
Step-by-step explanation:
Gulliver was indeed a colossal man to the tiny Lilliputians in the satirical novel Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. This perception of Gulliver's size is reflective of the relative experiences described in literature, where the size of characters is often used metaphorically to explore varying themes. In different texts, characters can be perceived as giants or diminutive beings, not only through physical stature but also through their actions or the situations they find themselves in.
For example, in Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, the protagonist mistakes windmills for giants, showcasing his delusion and valiance. Meanwhile, in the tales of Gil-Dong, we encounter a character who seeks freedom and escapism, finding himself in extraordinary situations that reflect an internal sense of grandeur. These stories often express underlying social commentary or psychological insights through the depiction of size and power dynamics.
Characters like the schoolmaster in Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow exhibit a sense of smallness and vulnerability in a world that appears vast and filled with inexplicable and marvellous phenomena. The contrast in size, whether literal or figurative, commonly serves to amplify the narrative's themes such as power, freedom, escape, or confrontation with the unknown.