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LITR 4632: Literature of
the Future Jonathan
Lazerus June
10, 2003 Utopia
or Dystopia? Battle Circle Trilogy Primary
texts
Piers
Anthony’s Sos the Rope, Var the Stick, Neq the Sword, Primary
Objectives
1.
b. Evolutionary society,
post-apocalyptic, stems from our current culture 2.
a., b. High tech and low tech societies (crazies and nomads) 2.
c. Dystopia or utopia
society? Summary
The
Battle Circle Trilogy follows the story of three warriors that live within
post-apocalyptic America, unnumbered years after a worldwide nuclear war
devastated most of the planet. These three warriors live by the circle code in
which all disputes are settled through skill in battle in the circle. A group
known as the crazies provides food and shelter freely for the nomadic primitive
warriors, who possess science and technology and maintain centers of learning
for those that wish it. With all basic survival needs provided for, the nomads
fight simply for honor and sport and for whatever purposes they fight; fighting
is confined to the circle, though matters decided there are taken to be
contractually binding. Women wear gold bracelets to signify that they are single
and give it to the male of their choosing to signify marriage. Marriage is
defined only by the use of the bracelet but may be given or taken back as
frequently as one may wish. The book follows the story of the individuals, Sos,
Var, and Neq through a journey that explore both the fabric of the society in
which they live, finding its positive and negative qualities. After the
destruction of the society by an assault on the main crazy factory, anarchy
results, as people who were accustomed to having their basic needs met suddenly
must struggle for survival. Through Var the Stick, the crazy-nomad system of
life that has developed is compared to other systems around the world. The
conclusion that Neq, who lives under the anarchy that reigns after the
destruction of the society, comes to at the end of the trilogy is that the
circle society in which they live is the best system currently present, and
under his influence, the people begin rebuilding society as they knew it. The
circle society provides both stability for people and an outlet for aggression
and desire. Questions
Do
we accept the Battle Circle society as a utopia? What
are the implications of this need to provide release for violent elements of
society? Are
people truly free in circle society, and even if they are not, does it matter
(since they are happy)? If
basic needs were provided for, would people be happy? How
realistic are the crazies? Discussion
(Discussion
recorder: Kate Payne)
Susie:
Do they know any better? Sandy:
I have a hard time as a woman seeing such a sexist world as utopian Jonathan:
the women have choice Susie:
we take our husband’s name now and wear wedding rings Heather:
that is a tradition, some women choose to keep their own names Dr.
White: the first name stays the same, the last name is derived almost always
from a man, whether husband or father Cory:
comparatively, what we have is not so bad (in the story) Dr.
White: It is a functioning society Jonathan:
How realistic are the Crazies? Susie:
sort of like the Morlocks and the Elois Jonathan:
it’s a reverse because the group taking care is the intelligent group that is
in control Sandy:
it’s kind of like our government, we don’t appreciate what they do, but we
expect them to be there Dr.
White: we criticize the government, but it’s in our best interest not to knock
it down Dr.
White: What do the Crazies get out of it? Jonathan:
They get to do what the want. Sandy:
They seem to want balance. Jonathan:
It’s a stable society. They choose to do it. Cory:
I think there’s a reason they’re called Crazies. They don’t seem to have
human characteristics. Kathy:
It almost seems like the Iraqi war, when soldiers reenlisted knowing they would
go into war. Dr.
White: people would respond positively to that, “you’re a good person” Sandy:
there is a sense of brotherhood that would encourage them to reenlist Kathy:
Where is the personal benefit? Dr.
White: that links to the warrior ideal. The decision-making is based on a
non-practical level Jonathan:
the Crazies and the Nomads are choosing to be in those groups, and characters
can move between groups Sandy:
Is there criticism to our society now having a lack of honor, because the book
focuses on honor? Jonathan:
It’s set up well, two people that would be friends are fighting for honor Jennifer:
I think it’s hard to grasp people acting altruistically Jonathan:
If power is the goal, you can do that in either framework Jennifer:
sounds like evolution, survival of the fittest, which ladder will lead me where
I want to go? Jonathan:
I would rather be a Crazy. I would rather exist in a stable place. Sandy:
Are the other society’s like that? Is there stability anywhere else? Jonathan:
No. The Amazons have the men in pain, and the women completely in charge. In
Crete, the man-made Minotaur the worship—part of the impression of the books
is that America is the only culture that has room for advancements—in some
ways it’s like Parable of the Sower, the people don’t even know what
happened, they just know that it happened.
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