Michaela Fox

Layering Learning

On the surface, utopian literature seems to achieve only the "educate" portion of literature’s classical purpose of entertaining and educating, because of its monotonous narrative structure and lack of conflict and action. Dystopian literature manages to achieve the opposite, guiding its readers through a pulsating tale of individual perseverance and heroism. Nevertheless, both “topian” literatures have the potential to fulfill both educating and entertaining if we remove conventional one-thought processing. By stripping back the surfaces of these texts and exploring the layers beneath them, we discover more about literature in general, but also about the functioning of the world we inhabit. As a teacher, I hope to share this ideal with my students.

In the current secondary school classroom, teachers pay a great amount of attention to dystopian texts and zero attention to utopian texts (that I am aware of). Dystopian literature appeals to this age group of students because of its relatability—stuck in high school, wanting to be an adult, pressure from parents, etc. Making connections between students’ lives and educational texts does improve attention and willingness to learn. While such components of teen life do exist, they aren’t the only connections we as teachers can provide for them. Instead of focusing on those aspects of dystopian texts, we should acknowledge the foundations that make the genre possible.

Behind the veil of the dystopian novel exist layers of opportunity for education, such as the intentions behind formation of the now corrupt society, ethics that exist within it, and current issues reflected by it. By examining the foundations, we provide students with a rich and multifaceted learning experience, which they can apply to not just utopian and dystopian texts, but a variety of genres (objective 1c). For example, an investigation of potential scenarios that could have generated the devastating fires in Ayn Rand’s Anthem may result in a student conceptualizing society’s obsession with industrial advancement; further down the road, the class reads Shakespeare’s Macbeth and the student employs the multi-layered approach to question what it is about power that drives people. While this example may seem advanced for high school students, the general idea involves examining literature beyond the text to develop understanding of concepts with several applications.

Achieving this level of understanding with secondary students is not possible by studying dystopian texts alone. The high degree of thought required to develop such abstract concepts depends on experience with a variety of mediums, namely the utopian narrative. I would never assign teenage students to read an entire traditional utopian novel like Thomas More’s Utopia, but I would provide them with selected excerpts. The section from Ecotopia that describes the society’s educational practices, for instance, would expose students to utopian concepts without overwhelming them with the monotony of the utopian narrative. When used in conjunction, utopian and dystopian texts have the potential to expand and enrich learning. As mentioned previously, abstract thought is dependent on multiple experiences other than reading literature alone.

Discussion is an essential element to understanding and developing knowledge. The phrase “A Literature of Ideas” directly applies to the genre of utopian fiction because its ability to inspire thought outweighs its entertainment attributes. As a teacher, it is important to consider this when designing utopian / dystopian themed units. Since high school students primarily seek entertainment, most teachers avoid utopia, but by using excerpts rather than whole texts, we introduce the platform of utopia, which possesses just enough information to get the gears turning. James Seth discusses the utopian narrative as “A Literature of Ideas,” which he transfers to his classroom where he “choose[s] topics that will initiate conversation and spark debates.” This way, his students can discuss “social issues, rather than plot developments,” and therein rests the value of utopias. While utopian literature may not entertain in regards to its narrative, it definitely entertains by inspiring thought.

As previously mentioned, the popularity of dystopian literature in the classroom is due to the similarities between the texts and its student readers, and relatability plays a crucial role in learning. Utopian literature, likewise, possesses this ability to relate, but in an alternative manner. The provocation of thought and discussion by utopian texts naturally attaches itself to the student’s life—he begins thinking about Ecotopia’s minibus system and envisions himself riding on one; would he like it, or no? This relation, then, is actually more realistic to the student than those established in dystopic novels. His concrete experiences with buses and transportation make it so. One could pose the same argument for dystopias: “teens can envision themselves fighting in an arena, to the death.” I say, “sure,” but what differentiates the two visual experiences is the aspect of actuality and familiarity, almost normalcy.

All in all, the “topias” belong together. They need each other, and the students need them. Our schools lack teachings of real social functioning in a rich, dense context. We may give our students a controlled and censored peak into this world, but it is not nearly enough. I discussed the similarity between “topia” fiction and sociology in my midterm, and after writing this essay I see the connection even more vibrantly. By teaching the “topias” in our classrooms, we can help young people develop a greater, deeper understanding of our world. That, my friend, is what teaching is about.