Imagine a world without war, where everything gets along. Now, take a moment to manifest a complete opposite world where nothing is perfect and problems plague the world. In speculative fiction, these worlds are called utopia and dystopia respectively. Utopia attains characteristics of peaceful governance, equality for citizens, a safe environment and education, healthcare and employment. In contrast, dystopias characteristics such as a controlling, oppressing government, anarchy or no government, extreme poverty and banning of independent thought. Dystopias which are opposite to utopias in speculative fiction, not share any utopian values? As truly stated by Margaret Atwood, Within every dystopia, theres a little utopia. Through this,show more content
In most cases, these idyllic places are not actually utopias. They are dystopias. An example of such story is A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine Lengle. In the novel, Camazotz may look like it has a large population, but really its just a place where one higher power controls everyone else. Free will is an illusion: anyone who deviates from the norm is considered a mistake, and either forcibly brought back to conformity or destroyed. It is either utopia or hell, depending on the perspective. IT says its various offshoots are happy, but does happiness have any meaning in such a tightly controlled environment? In the story, IT possessed Charles Wallace asks the reason why we have wars and unhappiness on earth. He replies by saying that people live their own, separate lives unlike the residents of Camazotz. Camazotz is controlled by 1 mind, IT, which is the reason everyone is so happy and efficient. In describing a world as a utopia or dystopia, it is important to acknowledge the point of view. The term utopia is used to describe a perfect world, but the definition of what really is a perfect world is different to eachshow more content
The giver takes place at some point in the distant future, and from the point of a reader it seems pretty great at first. The people seem perfectly content to live in an oligarchy in which a community of elite elders enforce the rulers. In the community there is no poverty, starvation, unemployment, lack of housing or prejudice; everything is perfectly planned to eliminate any problems. After reading the first few pages of The Giver, it would appear that the book is about a utopia. As the novel progresses, it becomes very clear that something is amiss. Beneath the seemingly perfect surface, The Giver actually portraits a dystopian society. Jonas the protagonist community appears to be a utopia, but in reality it is a dystopia. Jonas gains an insight to what the people have willingly given up-their freedoms and individuality- for the so called common good of the people is ahead, it becomes evident that the community is a bad place to live in. Reader can relate this to the disbelief and horror Jonas feels when he realizes that that his community is hypocrisy, a society based o false ideals of goodness and conformity. As a result, he can no longer watch the people and stand by his community that continues to live in such fraudulent
In most cases, these idyllic places are not actually utopias. They are dystopias. An example of such story is A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine Lengle. In the novel, Camazotz may look like it has a large population, but really its just a place where one higher power controls everyone else. Free will is an illusion: anyone who deviates from the norm is considered a mistake, and either forcibly brought back to conformity or destroyed. It is either utopia or hell, depending on the perspective. IT says its various offshoots are happy, but does happiness have any meaning in such a tightly controlled environment? In the story, IT possessed Charles Wallace asks the reason why we have wars and unhappiness on earth. He replies by saying that people live their own, separate lives unlike the residents of Camazotz. Camazotz is controlled by 1 mind, IT, which is the reason everyone is so happy and efficient. In describing a world as a utopia or dystopia, it is important to acknowledge the point of view. The term utopia is used to describe a perfect world, but the definition of what really is a perfect world is different to eachshow more content
The giver takes place at some point in the distant future, and from the point of a reader it seems pretty great at first. The people seem perfectly content to live in an oligarchy in which a community of elite elders enforce the rulers. In the community there is no poverty, starvation, unemployment, lack of housing or prejudice; everything is perfectly planned to eliminate any problems. After reading the first few pages of The Giver, it would appear that the book is about a utopia. As the novel progresses, it becomes very clear that something is amiss. Beneath the seemingly perfect surface, The Giver actually portraits a dystopian society. Jonas the protagonist community appears to be a utopia, but in reality it is a dystopia. Jonas gains an insight to what the people have willingly given up-their freedoms and individuality- for the so called common good of the people is ahead, it becomes evident that the community is a bad place to live in. Reader can relate this to the disbelief and horror Jonas feels when he realizes that that his community is hypocrisy, a society based o false ideals of goodness and conformity. As a result, he can no longer watch the people and stand by his community that continues to live in such fraudulent