LITR 5439 Literary & Historical Utopias
Midterm Submission 2009
Kathryn Vitek
Trouble in Paradise
To most people, the word “utopia” is synonymous with “paradise.” The word has come to be used in modern culture as describing someone’s perfect place or situation. However, that is only the surface definition. What makes a paradise and how it is achieved is far more complex. Even the word’s etymology is complicated. Based on its Greek roots, “utopia” could mean “good place” or “no place.” Immediately the challenge that keeps us coming back for more is raised: Can a utopia be achieved at all?
Most literary utopias are characterized by isolation (through geographic space or time), communal living, and harmony achieved through equal rights and abolition of currency and, therefore, conflict. This is the foundation of an intricate system in which all members of the society are comfortably cared for as they contribute to the collective success and contentment of the whole. Readers learn of these places through an outsider who has stumbled upon the society and is introduced to its inner workings by an intelligent guide or guides. Unfortunately, the reader’s, as well as the main character’s, education must usually take place through a Socratic dialogue with the guide because the heroes of the genre are not members of the societies themselves.
This can be seen as one of the detractions of the utopian narrative (Objective 2). Since the basis of the narrative is the depiction of a social theory, it becomes necessary for the author to find a balance between lecturing and storytelling. While the reader wants to learn about the sociological workings of the setting, he also wants to enjoy an engaging plot driven by characters and conflicts he can empathize with. But given that the plot of any story leads to a climax, it becomes problematic that the basis of the narrative is to describe a place that is conflict free. It is also difficult for the author to give characterization the necessary attention without seeming long-winded. There is already enough ground to cover in describing the workings of the fictional society and answering enough of the readers’ questions to make the setting believable. The author also has to worry about not encouraging the reader to ask so many questions that he starts to find holes in the theories. In short, the genre can tend to stall on setting and never reach any action.
This presents one of the literary issues that challenges the possibility of a utopia in a realistic context. A distance is always maintained between the hero and the utopia. It causes one to wonder: if the authors of these texts cannot give us a description of their societies from the ground up, how are we ever to understand their ideas well enough to bring them to fruition? In 2007 student Fran Baines framed the problem this way: “Simply put, etching out a perfect utopian society becomes entirely impossible because of the flaws of the ‘human’ creator…[M]an is not free of sin, making it impossible for human existence to even begin to draw the frameworks of a perfect society.”
This conflict is supported through the continual failings of historical utopias. There is an extensive trail of utopian communities and social movements that have been inspired by utopian novels. Among them, the Twin Oaks community was inspired by B.F. Skinner’s book Walden Two, the temperance movement was inspired by Edward Bellamy and his ideas in Looking Backward, and Ayn Rand’s supporters have created an entire movement of objectivism based on her writing and teachings. Countless people have been inspired by utopian fiction, yet after several centuries of this type of literature being distributed, the world has still not seen a completely successful utopian society. The variety seen in historical attempts is evidence of the difficulty in defining utopias and of the ambiguity that still surrounds their technicalities.
Despite what seem to be constant failures, our modern society continues to be intrigued by visions of a Utopian community. For obvious reasons, people are attracted to the idea of a perfect world and reading Utopian literature can feel like an adventure into another world. Of course, this is one of the attractions to literature in general. But what gives Utopian literature an edge is the fact that people believe this adventure might actually be possible. Not only is it an enjoyable read, but it also opens up engaging discussions that bring people together. It could be argued that the best part of the Utopian literary experience is talking about it.
Some people choose not to explore the Utopian field of study. Many simply dismiss the idea as impossible. Others may think of utopian communities as blasphemous cults that take away personal freedoms. Misunderstanding of Utopian literature can even lead some people to associate it with promoting communism. These impressions are partially created by the media’s obsession with dystopias. Just as the media focuses on upsetting news rather than uplifting news, it gives its attention to communities that have either failed or drawn controversy from the public. It is rare to hear of an intentional community that is thriving without actually seeking it out through personal research. Lack of information and misinformation can make the field seem unattractive.
However, in taking the time to study Utopian literature, it becomes clear that this field is not only compelling for interest’s sake, but that it also lends itself to interdisciplinary studies (objectives 4a and b). Students of criminology find topics for discussion in Sir Thomas Moore’s views on thieves in Utopia. Sociologists and psychologists are presented with ideas of the human motivation in Edward Bellamy’s Looking Backward. Women’s studies/Gender studies classes are able to consider the influence of gender on society by considering Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Herland. Ayn Rand’s Anthem can help young students to see the importance of a sense of self and academic exploration. These are just a few options out of a multitude of opportunities for further study. Utopian literature is a strong platform for classroom discussions. It is a perfect way to show students how literature can influence history and culture and how it can spark ideas. It also ties in with history naturally since intentional communities are a part of world history, albeit a little known part. The difficulty in using it in younger classrooms comes from the aforementioned misunderstandings. It is important to make clear to students that this field of study is not intended to promote any type of political or religious ideology. It is not necessary for students to believe in or even agree with what they read. In fact, disagreements can lead to the most interesting discussions. Teachers must emphasize that the learning experience comes from a student using the ideas presented to form his or her own beliefs. If these things could be done, Utopian literature might be able to make its way into the classroom permanently – and not just the literature classroom.
Over the centuries, the Utopian genre has continued to grow and to incorporate more characteristics of novels. The reading has become lighter and more enjoyable without losing the appeal of unusual ideas. If this trend continues, it could be predicted that the genre will overcome its obstacles and gain popularity. Perhaps the next generation of “novelist-philosophers” will be able to achieve a clarity of vision combined with engaging plot that will help teachers and students to incorporate more Utopian literature in the classroom. That could be the first step in literary utopias paving the way for the success of future historical utopias.