LITR 4232 American Renaissance

Sample Student Research Project 2010
Journal

Allison Evans

November 26, 2010

Utopian Societies in America

An Idea is Formed

          The ideas of Utopian Societies have been around since the ancient days of mythology. This idea of a Utopian society continually resurfaces itself throughout history. “The definition of a utopian colony,” according to Robert V. Hine, author of California's Utopian Colonies, "consists of a group of people who are attempting to establish a new social pattern based upon a vision of the ideal society and who have withdrawn themselves from the community at large to embody that vision in experimental form" (Utopias in America). During the American Renaissance, several Utopian societies started popping up throughout the United States of America. Some of these Utopian societies were known as the Shakers, the Rappites, Brook Farm and the Oneida Community. By researching the beliefs of the above Utopian Societies, I hope to have a better understanding of what makes a utopian society work and what elements attribute to the continual failure of Utopian Societies. Not only that but through my research I hope to find out what it is about Utopian Societies that makes them obsolete to the American culture and how they influenced the texts within the American culture by looking at texts of the time.

The Foundation of the Utopian Society in America

          Utopian Societies began in America during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. During this time, American was going through its cultural Renaissance. The American Renaissance is known as, “it's the literary and cultural period from about 1820 to the 1860s—or, the generation before the American Civil War (1861-65), when the USA grew to its present size and began to deal with some of the unsolved issues remaining from the American Revolution” (Dr. White ). Several new ideas were established in America during this time period. The majority of the ideas and beliefs of the utopian societies were founded from religious beliefs. One of the first groups to do this was known as the Shakers (Utopias in America).

          The Shakers came from Britain to settle within the new lands of the United States which offered religious freedom. The Shakers branched off from the Quakers and established a Church which was named, United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing. The Shakers had unique beliefs about how an individual should live within a society. These individuals practiced communal living. Shaker communities kept the members of the society sheltered from everything else going on around them by isolating themselves and their members. Each community consisted of dormitory like housing which was separated by gender. Both genders would come together for times of worship and to work on the land. The Shakers believed in sustaining their way of life through the gifts they were given from the land. Something that the Shakers became known for throughout their stint in the United States was their fine craftsmanship in regards to furniture. The simplistic style in which they formed their furniture became coveted and popular in surrounding communities. The sales of this furniture helped to fund the community and serve as a sort of missionary work. Respected members of the Shaker community would go out into the surrounding communities to sell their coveted furniture and to spread their beliefs onto others. The Shakers were one of the longest surviving utopian societies within the United States. This utopian society lasted until the 1960’s. During this time there was a high rise in the belief of celibacy and the lack of new believers entering into the community, eventually the society died out (Utopias in America).

          Just as the Shakers immigrated to the United States to gain religious freedom, the Rappites migrated from Germany. Rappites were named after their founder, Johann Georg Rapp. Rappites lived upon the belief that the Bible was humanities sole authority. They were also known as the Harmony Society. Like the Shakers the Rappites lived a communal life separating themselves from others. Something to be noted about the Rappites was there economical progress. The Rappites began to manufacture goods. Most of these goods consisted of textiles, wine, and whiskey which soon had a reputation of excellence. After the community received a large amount of growth, they sold their buildings and moved to Indiana where they established a new community. This community also flourished and eventually was sold off so that the Rappites could move back to Pennsylvania, the state in which their original establishment was formed. This new community was not as successful as the past two, and due to a strong belief of celibacy, the community thinned out. Around 1905, the Rappites were dissolved (Utopias in America).

          Another Utopian Society founded around this time was the Oneida Community. This community was founded on beliefs which differed greatly from the utopian societies previously mentioned. In this society, John Humphreys Noyes, the society’s founder, spoke out about perfectionism and the ideas of complex marriage. Complex marriage was the belief that individuals were not married to one another, but were instead married to the group. This ideal along with the belief of Bible Communism, alienated Noyes from his fellow New Yorkers living in Putney. He then moved to Madison County, New York and continued his teachings. Here he gained some followers. The group gained monetary support by their manufacturing skills of shoes and other small goods. After a short period of time the followers were able to establish and build their own communal building. Everyone lived within the walls of the community and the children were raised and educated here as well. At the height of its expansion, the Oneida Community had approximately two hundred and seventy members (Utopias in America).

          Lastly, Brook Farm was one of the few American Utopian societies that was directly related to the transcendentalist movement. This community used the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson as inspiration to live plainly. Several American writers of the time, Charles A. Dana and Nathaniel Hawthorne (both shareholders), Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, William Henry Channing, John S. Dwight, and Sophia Dana Ripley, were a part of this social experiment in plain living. Members within this community were provided with food, clothing and education. Education seemed to be a major concern to the members of this society due to their establishment of an infant school, a primary school, and a college preparatory school (Utopias in America).

Utopian Ideals and their Influence

          Members of Brook Farm wrote several influential texts of the time. Within Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Nature the influence of the Utopian Society is clearly seen. Throughout the text Emerson holds nature to the highest esteem one can. Several times he references the simplistic ways in which man should live, and continues on to speak of the harmony between nature and man that occurs.

          Margaret Fuller was also another writer of this time who was influenced by the Utopian beliefs of Brook Farm. Margret Fuller wrote several texts one of them The Great Lawsuit. Within this text, Fuller speaks about the inequality women faced during this time. She uses ideas from the founding fathers and emphasizes texts that aid in her mission to bring light to the fact that all men and all women are equal. An interesting point to note is that Fuller does not go into extreme detail when she speaks about the rights that women should have, and she limits the specific rights she fights for. Two of the rights specifically mentioned were the right to vote, and the right to the family home and property is the husband of the house was to pass away. Lastly, Fuller discusses the idea of celibacy and marriage near the end of this text. In regards to marriage Fuller says, “Union is only possible to those who are units” (Fuller 10). The influences of the utopian beliefs are indisputable when looking at this statement.

          Moving forward, one begins to question what these Utopian societies had that allowed them to prosper. One of the beliefs found throughout the societies mentioned above was the return to simplistic ways. This idea is still popular today. Several families and individuals who live near or in large urban areas often talk of getting away to the country, or to a quiet place.  In order to live simply during this time period one had to have help. An individual would not have been able to complete all of the necessary tasks to survive living simply alone (Vollaro).

          Due to the fact that a group of individuals was needed to accomplish the task of living simply, communal living came about. Within all of the previously mentioned societies communal living was a must. Members of these Utopian Societies had to distance themselves from the surrounding communities and its individuals. By removing themselves for the most part from society, these groups were able to live by their own rules and ideals without the hindrance of outside opinion.  (Bible Communism).

One area in which the societies also were similar was the practice of celibacy. Celibacy is the act of not having sexual relations with others. Without these relations it was impossible for women and men to reproduce. While this was not the only factor that led to the end of the previously mentioned utopian societies, it did contribute greatly to the societies dissolving. Without children or new members to continue on the traditions and beliefs the societies quickly faded. One group, the Shakers saw that they were fading out due to celibacy issues and attempted to revive their group by adopting orphans from a nearby orphanage. This however, did not work towards their advantage and the utopian society was dissolved like the others (Hampson).

Today these societies still exist around us. They are ostracized within the media for their own beliefs. Just think back about a year or two ago to the news stories of children being taken away from their communal living areas from an East Texas religious society. This particular society stemmed from the Church of the Latter Day Saints and chose to practice polygamy. Due to our current societies laws several of the children were thought to be in harm’s way and as a result they were taken forcefully out of the community. The fact that these communities are still alive in today’s society should say something about the dream of creating a Utopian Society.       

The idea of the Utopian Society has inspired several works that are well known in today’s society. For example, 1984 by George Orwell, Anthem by Ayn Rand, and Lord of the Flies by William Golding are all novels that have been based upon the idea of the Utopian Society. Movies have also been created upon the ideas that a Utopian Society. One example of this would be the movie, The Village. This movie is based upon a group of adults who find themselves needing to get away from the society in which they are living. The group makes a community based upon utopian beliefs. This community operates based upon simplistic ways and beliefs of the past. It is also secluded from the rest of the world around them. The seclusion becomes so intense that the children who have grown up within the society have no clue there is a world outside of their own. Another example of a movie influenced by the beliefs of Utopian Societies would be, The Matrix. This movie focuses on a society opposite of the idea of the utopian society, a dystopian society. Dystopian societies “are usually run by an authoritarian or totalitarian form of government and use oppressive means to control their people” (Thor).  None the less, the ideas found within the Dystopian Societies are inspired by the ideas of the Utopian Society (Thor).

A review of Sources

One of the references used to research the Utopian Societies in America was The Amana Colonies: Utopian Societies in America. This website delivered a wealth of information on the subject. It separated the different Utopian Societies that evolved in America and told a little bit about each one. Not only did this website give insight into the American Utopian Societies, it established the background of the Utopian Societies going all the way back to ancient Greek times. All of the information given in this website was consistent with information found on other websites. Something this website seemed to be lacking within its information was more details about the compounds and the areas in which these communities flourished. Also a few more photos would have really enhanced the webpage.

Another reference used to research the topic of Utopian Societies was Syracuse University Library’s Department of Special Collections: Oneida Community Collection. This website contained a wealth of information on the Oneida Community including an interview with Mr. Freechurch who was an imaginary member of the community. This interview was published in The Circular in order to help others understand more about the interworkings of the Oneida Community. The website then goes onto work through the philosophy and theories of the Oneida Community. This website gave an extremely unique inside perspective to the society’s thoughts and ways of life.

Final Thoughts

Overall I learned a great deal about the Utopian Societies that formed in America during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In my research I found a vast multitude of communities that were founded under principles they believed would create the Utopian Society. The ideals of these communities varied while most were founded upon beliefs which can be traced back to religious beliefs. Other communities founded their beliefs upon notions of what one individual believed to be a Utopian Society. The groups I chose to specifically focus in on where successful in sustaining themselves and shared a similar line of beliefs. I found that the utopian society needs several aspects to make it successful. The first aspect needed to even begin the society would be people who are all strongly founded in similar beliefs. This strong belief foundation had to be shared with members throughout the community. It was imperative they all thought the same way about the main aspects and ideals so that the society was not disturbed by individuals questioning things. The second aspect that these societies needed was seclusion from most of the outside world. If the people of the society lived and worked together within a community, that left them only people who viewed the world as they did as friends. Interacting only with one another, helped mold the children of the community with the beliefs that they saw all around them. Also this isolation kept the community and its members from having to deal with attacks from outside sources. Lastly, the third major thing that these communities needed to ensure future success was an abundance of offspring to continue on the traditions and beliefs. Due to the fervent religious beliefs and foundations of the societies discussed within this paper, many of them did not continue on the traditions through their offspring because of a strong belief in celibacy.

 Through all of my research it remains this last belief which contributed the greatest to the dissolving of the societies mentioned. As mentioned previously without the future generations to carry on the beliefs and traditions founded by the elders the societies beliefs remained confined to its aging members. When these members died out, so did the society. One society saw this was occurring and attempted to adopt orphans from a nearby orphanage to carry on the beliefs and traditions. This idea while inventive did not prove effective.

The idea of the Utopian Society has shown up in the literature and media of societies since the Ancient Greeks. The idea that everyone can live in perfect harmony seems to influence novels and plays (movies). This belief allows writers and producers the ability to have their characters operate within a fantasy world. This fantasy world of perfection has remained unobtainable by humans throughout history. In order for this widespread Utopian Society to truly take hold, all of its members must believe the same. It is the varying beliefs and thoughts within societies and communities which contributed to the ostracizing of these attempts at Utopian Societies.

Utopian Societies had a difficult time making it in the world around them which is why they often isolated themselves from outside influences. This isolation from outside influences limited communication with the communities around them. This limited communication often resulted in misunderstandings of the Utopian Society which eventually led to them becoming outcast from the surrounding communities. It is this lack of understanding and miscommunication today that sets the Utopian communities of our society apart, often times in a bad way. I believe this is why the website about the Oneida community with the interview and societal texts was so interesting and insightful.

Looking back there are several things that I would have done differently in my researching strategy. The first thing I would have done differently would have been to attempt to find more interviews with members of the actual societies. Understanding on a personal level the beliefs they held and the way life was really like for them could create an understanding within the communities around them, which in turn might lead to a form of acceptance of the Utopian Society. Another thing that I would have researched in more depth would have been the structure and layout of the communities in which they lived. I believe knowing how everything was set up would have shed some more light onto the way that daily lives were lived.

Something that I struggled with while writing this essay and throughout my research was the continual thought that we have these societies popping up all around us today, but instead of looking at them as a group of individuals who are attempting to better themselves and the world around them, we see them as crazy individuals and cults. It kept bringing the question into my mind, “What happened that made us start to think of these groups in this way?”

Throughout all of the research I did, I enjoyed finding out the writers of the time who were a part of a Utopian Society. One of my favorite moments was rereading Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Nature after learning about the society he was linked to and their specific beliefs. It really gave a new insight to the text and there were several points during the rereading which became “aha” or “light bulb” moments when I was able to connect the ideas in the text back to the ideas of the Utopian Society.

 Works Cited

"Bible Communism." Syracuse University Library Department of Special Collections Oneida Community Collection. Syracuse University Library, 2000. Web. 24 Nov 2010.

    http://library.syr.edu/digital/collections/b/BibleCommunism>.

Hampson, Thomas. "I hear America Singing." PBS. PBS.org, n.d. Web. 21 Nov 2010.

    <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/icon/shakers.html>.

Thor, . ""Pfft, Rebel scum!"." Dystopian Society. SciFi Forums, 01 10 06. Web. 24 Nov 2010.

    <http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=51379>.

"Utopias In America." The Amana Colonies. National Register of Historic Places, n.d. Web. 21 Nov 2010.

    <http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/amana/utopia.htm>.

Vollaro, Daniel. "Utopian Communities." ENotes. enotes.com, Inc, 2010. Web. 24 Nov 2010.  http://www.enotes.com/american-history-literature-cc/utopian-communities.>.