Cynthia Cleveland  

Utopia: “No place” but our imagination

Dystopian literature is far more entertaining, to be sure. It is rife with conflict and impossible situations. Most stories within this genre present the reader with a hero, who is able to overcome the impossible odds and beat the system, with the possibility of a Utopia on the horizon. The conflict and the romantic hero’s journey are exactly what makes this type of literature so compelling. Utopia is the antithesis of this idea, at a first glance, and therefore typically viewed as much less exciting. However, there are several points that run counter to this particular ideology and challenge its usefulness within the scope of literature. During my review of previous writers’ works on the subject, a common theme began to emerge: Utopian literature as a means to critique our society, while simultaneously offering us suggestions—and also a ‘how-not-to’ guide—for how to achieve a more egalitarian and well-functioning society.

The establishment of Utopian literature, as Jenna Zucha aptly puts it, “stems from the human’s need, however futile, for the ideal” (“Utopia as a “Literature of Ideas”: The Search for an Ideal World”). This particular observation captures the very essence of Thomas More’s conception of the word ‘utopia’—the very etymology of which is the “good place” and also “no place” (Course site). Thus, we desire to inhabit the “good place”, but must also realize that there is “no [such] place” that exists, and therefore may only stand in the realm of the ideal. This definition puts us into a precarious position and forces us to reckon with where it fits into our society. If there is “no place” then how exactly is this mode of literature useful in any way? Does it merely fall under the scope of speculative fiction, boasting of ideals that may never be realized? Instead of taking the speculation too closely to heart, it is important to dig to the roots of these ideals to find our answer.

Utopian fiction fills a particular niche in the world of literature. Umaymah Shahid’s essay “Utopias: What is the point?” addresses this particular matter of where “no place” fits into our society by pointing out that, if nothing else, Utopian fiction may operate as a useful tool to identify problems within our societies as a collective whole and further, pushes us to consider alternatives to remedy these particular problems. Of course, each work of Utopian fiction does possess certain characteristics we may identify as fatal flaws, but that in itself presents us with the “how-not-to”. Some of them, such as Anthem, are wolves in sheep’s skin and operate under the guise of the utopia, only to realize itself as a dystopia with the ideations of a utopia. 

Kristine Vermillion’s essay “Problem Solvers on Steroids” aptly addresses one of these fatal flaws in Ayn Rand’s Anthem by pointing the irony of its premise. Initially, I had realized that this text was problematic for several reasons, but I had not considered that the overarching theme itself was inherently problematic. Anthem clearly presents us with the idea that extreme collectivism can be incredibly damaging for a society, and instead boasts of the worth of individualism to maintain consistent and steady progress. Yet, as Vermillion points out, this theme in itself is contradicted by Prometheus’s naming of Gaea and her acquiescence to him. Promoting individualism in this context, in the hopes of escaping the stagnation that has befallen their “utopia,” yet subverting that very same idea confuses the theme. Yet it points to a very real problem in our own society: we value individualism, but it is entirely conditional.

Though utopia is defined as a “good place” which exists in “no place”, it is not altogether useless and merely building castles in the sky. It serves a very real function in society by addressing our inherent flaws and presenting us with endless possibilities. Creative and inventive thinking is the only real solution to progress and many of these novels accomplish that in their own way—though none of them is perfect by any means. Utopias also, are often not as utopic as they are presented, they are flawed in their conceptions and reinforce the idea that there is “no place” they may inhabit in the real world, but they may inhabit our imaginations and steer us in the right direction. And, as we have seen with Anthem, they may even serve to show how even our utopic visions are flawed and entrenched in antiquated ideologies and remind us that there is “no place” in which this can exist. Perfection is impossible, but progress is not.

Cynthia Cleveland

Utopias: A Platform for Problem Solving

          Before entering this course, I had thought I had a clear understanding of what utopias were. I had only read a few utopian short stories, and some of the implications that I encountered were troubling, but I dismissed it as a fluke. It seemed that those utopian stories were just dystopias in disguise, which was confusing. I had read plenty of dystopian novels and short stories, which are characterized primarily by a romantic hero’s journey to overcome totalitarian or non-existent governments, plague, poverty and civil unrest. Surely utopias must have just been the opposite; a perfect world to contrast the imperfections that dystopias offer. However, I found that once I studied further into the genre, this type of definition was too simplistic. There is no such thing as a perfect world, even in our fictions, try as we may. If perfection is impossible, then what is the point of utopias? Utopias are a valuable tool in literature, as they provide social critique for real world issues and, in some cases, present viable ideas for how to curtail problematic systems and ideas within our own world.

          I found that a utopia isn’t necessarily confined to the concept of a perfect world, but something less absolute. Utopia, as coined by Sir Thomas More, has two different meanings which are derived from the Greek language: “eu” (meaning “good”) and “topos” (meaning “place”), which translates to “good place”; and “ou” (meaning “no”) and “topos”, which translates to “no place.” The word utopia, contrary to popular belief, by definition does not mean that it must be a perfect place, but that it is a “good place” that exists in “no place.” This definition itself acknowledges the impossibility of a perfect world and instead implies that these fictitious societies have simply found a way to make the world better. Rather than striving to create a model of the perfect world, it acknowledges its limitations and transmutes itself into a literature of ideas.

Sir Thomas More’s Utopia establishes itself as a ‘literature of ideas’ almost immediately. Raphael describes his many adventures in strange and wonderful countries from which “he reckoned up not a few things, which from patterns might be taken for correcting the errors of these nations among whom we live.” From this, we can see that although he acknowledges imperfections within those nations he has observed, there is still something to be learned and applied to their own in order to form a better society as a whole. The language of More’s novel is not particularly entertaining; and instead focuses on maintaining a dialogue similar to that of the Socratic method and lends itself to delivering observations and facts more than entertaining the reader, and therefore falls much more easily into this category. However, many utopian novels are able to achieve this feat while offering a much more entertaining read.

Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a good example of this ‘literature of ideas’ that offers more entertainment value, though is not necessarily as philosophical in its presentation. While both novels are retrospective, Utopia is centered on telling the story through the means of conversation rather than full immersion. Herland is fully immersive and narrative driven, thereby making it more entertaining for the reader. Although the style deviates from the informative aspect, it has much to offer in the way of ideas and social criticism. One of my favorite examples is the characterization of Terry, and the subtle—though sometimes not-so-subtle—criticism of his overbearing machismo. Terry’s insistence that women should be treated as fragile creatures speaks to the attitude of the times, in which women were expected to be domestic figures, rather than the self-sufficient and strong women of Herland. Once the trio has been immersed in Herland for some time, Van and Jeff begin to express discomfort and even embarrassment regarding Terry’s behavior. Thus, it illustrates how these social norms are just that, socially acquired ideas that have no bearing outside of their own sphere of normality.

Conversely, Ayn Rand’s Anthem internalizes this idea of submissiveness and fragility to realize the beginning of a utopia, which the reader understands is a recreation of the system we already experience. It highlights the cyclical nature of these tendencies to fall into patriarchal systems. The society in which they lived is entirely egalitarian, but emotions and desires are extremely repressed. It is desire itself which drives Prometheus to abandon his utopia in search of something more natural to his primal human desires. It is interesting that upon exiting such a society in which men and women are equal, there would be a male dominated hierarchy established in the formation of a new world. Prometheus names himself and then names Gaea; he is the light bringer and she is the mother. It very much replicates the idea of Adam and Eve in the garden as a starting point. Whether intentional or not on Rand’s part, it is ironic that freedom comes from shifting to an atmosphere of repressed emotions but equality, towards free expression and an imbalance of equality. Gaea is given very little agency in this story.

Anthem’s ending in which Prometheus adopts something of a messiah complex causes a fair amount of concern regarding gender dynamics. Rand’s story implies that therein lies a ‘natural order’ in which women are expected to be subservient, despite the fact that Gaea exercises her own agency in choosing to leave. In the end, that agency disappears. Prometheus is focused on saving everyone and Gaea is the mother who will repopulate their society. Another interesting point towards this matter is considering the ‘before’ of the utopia. There are certainly references to a society that is similar to the present day of the novel’s publication, which gives the reader an idea of the ‘before times.’ Thus, it shows the cyclical nature of patriarchal values and it prompts the reader to question exactly why this seems to be the ‘natural’ order of things. If we are able to create a society of our own making, why is this the default? This was a heavy point of discussion during the class period and deservedly so, because it seems hard to believe that given the freedom of imagination this is the best of all possible worlds. However, it shows that although utopian novels may contain great ideas, they are not necessarily always viable solutions.

Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach presents the readers with more viable solutions, though the focus is more concerned with environmental impact. Ecotopia is a utopian society which focuses on maintaining a sustainable and healthy environment, which picks at our present-day free-for-all regarding non-renewable resources. The narrator, William Weston, is the representative of our society, in which materialism and capitalism are rampant, in contrast to the ecotopians, where self-sustainability and conservation is the law of the land. Weston’s commentary concerning the food industry in particular shows how disassociated people have become from practical and sustainable farming. Rather than compiling and burying trash—as we do in present day landfills—the ecotopians compost and use their waste as fertilizer, recycling anything they possibly can. There is also discussion of more environmentally sustainable farming and free-range cattle raising, though Weston hesitates to accept this since it doesn’t seem economically beneficial. That Weston raises the concern of economics rather than sustainability is certainly interesting, since it very much reflects our capitalistic way of thinking; that there should be extrinsic material gratification, rather than intrinsic gratification.

Another example of this is the automobiles, which are battery powered and slow; only existing to serve a purpose with very little environmental impact. This particular feat is confusing to Weston, as he observes that “These primitive and underpowered vehicles obviously cannot satisfy the urge for speed and freedom which has been so well met by the American auto industry and our aggressive highway programs.” (Callenbach 184). It shows that modern society lives for individual indulgence and materialism. The desire for materials far outweighs the sustainability of our future, all for temporary enjoyment. This is very much a modern-day issue that we are constantly dealing with and Callenbach’s novel certainly presents viable ideas that could lead us in the direction of a more sustainable society. The real challenge is whether or not we can see beyond ourselves and our desires to make an honest effort towards that goal.

          Attaining a perfect world is impossible—and many of these novels self-identify with this fact—but creating a better one is not. Utopias have the ability to indirectly provide social criticism by delving into the genre of speculative fiction, in which they are able to isolate and eliminate undesirable characteristics in favor of better ones. In some cases, such as Rand’s Anthem, they do the opposite and embrace the undesirables to make their point. Of course, as Dr. White says, “Every utopia is someone else’s dystopia.”, and cannot be taken too literally. Though, they can act as a roadmap of sorts to guide us in the right direction. Callenbach’s novel forces us to reckon with our environmental situation while also addressing our collectively flawed way of thinking; that our environment is an object for our desires, rather than the source of life. Anthem and Herland addresses ideas of gender dynamics, amongst other things, and prompts the reader to reconsider many of our long-held traditions. Each one can be considered as a literature of ideas, though some more than others. More’s Utopia fits best into this category for its Socratic method in describing the utopia, though it is not as entertaining as the others we have read, provides valuable insights. Each in their unique way provides criticism and possibilities, though what we do with that information is quite another problem.