LITR 5439 Literary & Historical Utopias

Final Exam Submission 2009

Courtney Heintzelman

Topics A2 and B4

            Topic A2 asks if utopias are more monocultural or multicultural.  That is hard to determine, since there are many examples of each.  For instance, Herland, is a monocultural society, while Ecotopia is a multicultural society.  History holds many different utopias as well.  For example, Hitler tried to make his idea of a perfect society, which was monocultural.  In Martin Luther King Jr.’s, “I Have a Dream” speech, he dreams of a society where all types of people will live together in harmony.  This example also answers Topic B4 question of whether history and literature can be united in utopian genre. 

Objective 3H asks, “Does defending utopian studies as ‘Western Civilization’ simply muscle out multiculturalism?”  No.  Hitler and King are both from “Western Civilization.”  Also, Looking Backward is a Western multicultural utopian text.  As dystopian as it was, Jonestown claimed to accept many types of cultures into its society, and it originated from Western civilization. 

            Objective 3 continues, “Is the utopian impulse universal or specific only to Western civilization?”  No, why would it be?  It seems that most, if not all, cultures strive to be better, more efficient, and even perfect.  Why should that idea be limited to only part of the world’s population?   Edwidge Danticat’s, The Farming of Bones, tells the story of genocide in Haiti.  This ethnic cleansing was similar to Hitler’s in which, one group believed that they could have a utopian society, as long as they were racially and culturally pure.  This is yet another example of how connected utopian literature is with history, per Topic B4.  In fact, there are many societies all over the world, from Africa to North and South America that have tried ethnic cleansing in order to reach their idea of utopia.  World history, literature, even movies, like Hotel Rwanda, relate in ways to portray a plethora of groups that reach for their own utopia, al be it sometimes dystopia (Topic B4).  

            In discussing utopian ideas in non-Western texts, objective 3H asks if such terminology is appropriate for discussing non-Western ideas?  Yes, I believe it is appropriate.  Although specific terms may vary across cultures, the ideas are similar.  In discussing such ideas with other Westerners, I believe that it is important to use terms that are understood.  For topic B4, “What aspects unite historical and literature utopian studies,” I find that the terminology used in both history and literature unites them.

            One final question asked be objective 3H is, “How much should utopian studies invite, require, or repress racial / ethnic difference or dissent?”  I believe that is best answered by the author of the study.  Different people have different ideas about what their utopian society would be like.  For some, it’s a monocultural society.  For others, it’s a multicultural society.  Although, I do feel like the authors of such work should explain their reasoning behind what constitutes a utopian society.  I found that in reading various monocultural texts like Utopia, Herland, and Anthem, the writers don’t explain why one race/culture is better in utopia versus many cultures.  Conversely, it seems as though people who believe in true equality allow all cultures and groups into their explanation of utopia.  Even the Declaration of Independence, declares that, “All men are created equal.”  In researching my last class posting on Naturist societies, I found many cultures, both Western and non-Western, that embraced the idea of ecotopian living.

            During this course I found that using multicultural texts helped to educate the class and helped to better our understanding of the concept of utopia.  I did not feel that it strained the course in any way.  Actually, I would’ve enjoyed more exploration into multicultural, non-Western texts.  I learned a great deal from the multicultural texts.  For example I had never heard of the Kibbutz or of Auroville until Joshua’s and Cana’s web reviews.  Now that I have learned about such examples in history, I can help to share this information with others.  Topic B4 asks about how I plan on doing such a thing.  Well, whenever an appropriate situation arises to educate people on the topic of utopia, I can point out such examples that I have learned from class.

I do agree with Objective 3H that, “Minority or multicultural narratives often operate by "oppression > liberation."  This bullet point goes on to ask, “Are such narratives compatible with utopian or dystopian literature?”  This is, again, one of those points that I have to say it depends on the author, and what overall concept they are trying to portray.  If the author is trying to show freedom and equality to a minority group than it is utopian.  If the author is trying to warn the dominant, oppressive group, than it is dystopian.

I did enjoy the class organization of texts and history.  I found it extremely helpful to have a mastery of the classic texts behind the utopian ideal, before venturing off into the historical accounts of utopias.  I would not reorganize the class in any way except maybe one.  That is, I would have less small text discussion in order to allow for more web review discussion.  I found the web reviews extremely interesting, informative, and even entertaining.  I learned about places I have never heard of; not just the one mentioned previously, but also of Celebration and more.

One final thought is that I learned more from this class than I usually do.  What’s cool is that I learned not only of literature, but of history, too.  In referring to my mid-term, and after reading Trish Wallace’s final from 2007, I feel even stronger now that high schools should teach this genre more openly, and especially more often.  Utopian literature allows for so much interdisciplinary learning and discussion.  I feel more enlightened as a result of this class.

Works Cited

Danticat, Edwidge.  The Farming of Bones. New York: Penguin.  1998.

Course Texts

Bellamy, Edward.  Looking Backward. 1888.

Callenbach, Ernest. Ecotopia. 1975.

Gillman, Cynthia Perkins.  Herland. 1915.

Heintzelman, Courtney.  Midterm.  2009.

King Jr., Martin Luther.  “I Have a Dream” speech.

More, Sir Thomas.  Utopia. 1516.

Rand, Ayn.  Anthem. 1938.

The Declaration of Independence.

Wallace, Trish.  “Utopian Literature within a Public School System.” 2007.