LITR 5737: Literary & Historical Utopias
Final Exam Submission 2007
Fran Baines
Survival for Existence…Survival of the Fittest: Utopia? (Revisited)
Topic A2. Is the utopian impulse universal, or is it unique to western civilization?” What social structures, units, or identities does utopia expose or frustrate?” From Sir Thomas More’s Utopia to Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Herland, many notions of perfectionism are addressed; however, there is yet to be a simplified quote on quote “perfect” society in which all people, regardless of nationality are identified and living harmoniously as one. This is a concern because according to identified definitions of a utopia the one characteristic that all novels portrayed was the unified approach to only addressing one distinct race when describing the surreal environment that each writer created.
The significance of only adhering to one side of an equation is that the problem ultimately doesn’t balance, thus allowing opportunities for dystopian qualities to manifest. Although one can easily interject that it is not by far easy at all to create a utopian society that openly embraces all mankind and still exist in such a fashion that all needs are met, minus crime, and strives to continually better the existence of those said inhabitants; why not? Why not dream the unthinkable dream; since, keeping in mind, this is a “utopian” society.
Was not America founded on the notion that excluded individuals due to religious beliefs would one day mold this untamed land into a civilization that each individual regardless of background would be allowed to openly display his or her uniqueness; yet still be held to the highest notion that he or she regardless of differences still had much to receive and give to create this harmonious land of milk and honey. I find myself running off on a tangent here because of the books discussed so far in class, not one, in my opinion, truly embraces this richly diverse society and more or less, “throws in the face” of its reader the idea that yes it is easy to create a “harmonious” society of a limited few, but time and time again we find ourselves revisiting the mishaps of these quote on quote “perfect philosophies” with ulterior motives and agendas. Perfectly stated, Devon Kitch speaks volumes when he simply states that “Utopia is essentially an idealistic fantasy that can neither be wholly achieved in practice nor will it reach the state of perfection that lies within the mind of our literary texts. However pure its intentions, an entirely Utopian community involve extensive cooperation that people have not been trained or accustomed to giving.” Frustration sets in when one concept is applied to all regardless of uniqueness, not differences. We each have much to bring and give to society, thus to water down these attributes and deny such characteristics is detrimental to the society at large.
“The western idea of utopia originates in the ancient world, where legends of an earthly paradise lost to history (e.g. Eden in the Old Testament, the mythical Golden Age of Greek mythology), combined with the human desire to create, or recreate, an ideal society, helped form the utopian idea” (The Amana Colonies). Clearly, we can easily point out the origination of a utopian concept; however, the problem seems to begin when each interpreter takes on his or her perceived notion of what that “utopian” society should consist of. The Bible clearly points out for its readers in Acts that “they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift [italics added] (1: 2-3). The utopian concept begins to dismantle when the interpreter complicates the issue by asserting his or her notions what should or should not be encompassed.
It is with limitations such as individuality of the individual, not the concept as a whole. For example, although I am of African ancestry, I acknowledge that I live in America where my overall objective has become to enrich and better the society that I embrace as home. Yet, I enrich this society making it a better day today for my students and people I interact with because I allow my uniqueness, my differences as an individual to shine. Living in a “free” society such as America, the melting pot, allows me to fully develop my inner being so that I may be a resource to help keep the mission of our fore-fathers dreams alive: a land of opportunity to all.
Of the literature reviewed, I continuously labor with the idea of what we think of as western thought today. According to one source it is defined as Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian culture, the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and colonialism. Take for example, if colonialism is defined as “the extension of a nation's sovereignty over territory beyond its borders by the establishment of either settler colonies or administrative dependencies in which indigenous populations are directly ruled or displaced” are we continuing to place old ideas of our past upon our future? In simpler terms, if America was founded to establish a new land where individuals would have the right to freely embrace religious differences, as well as, cultural differences, why is it that we can not all as one look at society from the sidelines: a “body” of individuals striving for that one common goal. You see, it is when these quote on quote “utopian” agendas become a huge factor in the politics of societal living. Each president, leader of this utopian society, asserts his notion that our land should be governed either from a capitalistic aspect or from some such as former President Bill Clinton as embracing of our uniqueness to help move the larger body to embracing the common goal.
It is only when the literature, the writers of the literature, admonish the notion that a utopian concept can only be sustained when all factions of a society are alike. Ernest Callebach Ecotopia reads clearly for the reader that as hard as one may try, it is difficult to embrace the idea of a utopian society when one refuses to acknowledge all cultures. Specifically, Callenbach abruptly addresses racial disparity by briefly implying that there are not many blacks in Ecotopia because the race has decided more or less to simply excommunicate itself from the larger body: “they had their own city governments …their own police and courts, their own industries...” (107).
Sources
Bible
http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/amana/utopia.htm
Callenbach, Ernest. Ecotopia. New York: Bantam Books, 1975.
B3a. How much does Callenbach’s Ecotopia match or vary the generic conventions of utopian fiction in our earlier utopian texts? How much is an ecotopian concept already built into previous utopian or dystopian fictions, or not? Refer primarily to Ecotopia but also to two other texts and a presentation.
“Ecotopia bears many similarities to other utopian texts. One of the most obvious features of Ecotopia is the importance that the residents place upon trees. This of course is very similar to Herland, where the residents work hard to care for their forests. Herland, however, is described as being like a giant park or garden, filled with trees and other plants that serve humans, usually by bearing fruit” (Smith). Callenbach’s Ecotopia presented a more realistic approach to what a utopian society would consist of for our day and age. This is relevant simply because in order for the concept to materialize, the consumers have to at least identify or relate to some degree. “In Ecotopia Ernest Callenbach describes a society based on the alternative principle that there is a very real limit to the carrying capacity of Planet Earth. Callenbach envisions a society dedicated to the fundamental ecological and political goal of creating ’stable-state life systems’ in which humans live sustainably within the constraints and renewable resources of their environments” (Zipp). Written during the mid-seventies, Ecotopia’s idea of preserving resources that are quickly becoming extinguished rings apocalyptic then as it certainly does now.
As with all the utopian texts presented this summer, Ecotopia sets out to understand the problems of yester-year to impact future years in a more positive fashion. The problem arises however in that there are so many problems or areas that decline American society, environmentally as well as politically, that the book seems to take on too many challenges all at once; thus, not much development is given to one aspect.
In the beginning of the novel, the reader is introduced to several of its inhabitants that engage in smoking marijuana. They embrace this pastime so much that in the train station, “which are full of hanging ferns and small plants,” greenery is displayed to all without any objection (Callenbach 8). This idea reinforces the utopian framework in that the inhabitants seek to experiment with only natural preservatives verses that of harmful cigarette tobacco of our society.
In addition, the “people seem to be very loose and playful with each other” because their work schedule consists only of twenty hours or so (Callenbach 11). Many hours are simply spent idling around enjoying a leisurely read or some other non-capitalistic pleasure. Who wouldn’t enjoy life a little more better than before if you only had to devote twenty-hours to whatever menial task assigned to. Although simply stated, the short work load has a profound impact upon the society at large, the ultimate goal of a utopian concept. More time and energy is utilized on a daily basis to help ensure a quality of life for tomorrow by recycling and maintaining a sense of self-sufficiency. The narrator, William Weston, notes throughout the novel the holistic quality of the air and the city with its devotion to planting of trees and flowers throughout. Sort of reminds one of why we have suburbs, originally intended for those individuals who actively desired to be immense in nature, breathing fresh air, and miles away from pollutants such as chemical plants, public transportation and the like.
As I stated earlier, the text does provide a realistic utopian approach to life within American boundaries; yet, in writing the book with such a realistic element, the reader finds many dystopian elements minimally addressed. The narrator briefly hints on a social concern during the writing of the novel: abortion. The Ecotopians deal with population controls by “allowing” only the women to control this phenomenon through the use of female contraceptive, there are no male pills. It is almost as if Callenbach is saying the decision lies within the woman, if she chooses or not. Furthermore, race is briefly addressed, in that diversity at least to some extent exists in Ecotopia. The problem arises due to the image displayed that the city seems segregated to a degree. “A few black people have preferred to continue living or working outside the black areas…the culture of Soul City is of course different from that of Ecotopia generally.” Why is there separation? Why is the culture different? If there is going to be a difference where then does the utopian qualities lie? If this is indeed a utopian novel, why are jails spoken of at all? Why is it that in this utopian society blacks still outnumber any other culture within these imaginary jail like institutions?
The bottom line is that there is much to do to even begin to create a piece of fiction that will encompass all qualities of a utopian society. Many such as Callenbach have come quite close to representing to readers what a utopian may consist; however, much more is to be desired.
Sources
Allyson Zipp: http://www.strangewords.com/archive/ecotopia.html
Callebach, Ernest. Ecotopia. New York: Bantam Books, 1975.
Smith, Byron 2005 final submission