Sara Stevens

Part 1: Web Highlights

The Tortoise or the Hare: Who Wins the Race Game

     Utopian and dystopian fiction covers a wide variety of genres, as well as an even larger variety of ways or thoughts on what a utopian community would look like.  I was given the task of reviewing the works of other students and attempt to put their views into conversation with one another.  This task was not as easy as I initially thought it would be.  There are as many voices as there are ideas on what a utopia is, or how one would be implemented.  Throughout my research, along with the readings I have already completed, I have learned that utopias are a figment of the imagination.  Maybe that is why literary utopias are a genre of interest.  My first research post, for Literary and Historical Utopias, focused on doomsday preppers and their potential as a utopian community.  I wanted to continue with this thought; however, I found little in previous students’ research along the same lines.  What I did find, which was equally as interesting, was research on eugenics and race in the utopian community.  The first thing that “caught my eye” and interest was Amy Sidel’s research post from 2009, “Eugenics: The Notion of Utopic Individuals.”

     Sidel questions “should we create a superior and utopic human race” (Sidel, 2009)? All of the research Sidel conducted, was based upon the evils of eugenics; controlling the population through selective breeding.  Sidel, from information obtained from Wikipedia, states “Selective breeding is nothing new. The Oneida community started practicing Stirpicultural in the 1860s. By reading the studies of Darwin and Galton, John Humphrey Noyes, the leader of Oneida, became interested in scientific propagation, not for breeding superior physicality like others, but for “perfecting the soul by breeding for religious and virtuous qualities” (Sidel, 2009).  Furthermore, Sidel discusses Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust; Hitler’s attempt at the purification of a race.

     Like Hitler, Ayn Rand, which Sidel mentions in her research post, uses the notion of eugenics in her text.  In Rand’s Anthem, although not explicitly stated, the utopian race was created through hand selection.  Men and women, in Rand’s text, were only allowed to have contact with one another during the time of mating, which consequently occurs only once a year.  During this time, the pairs are selected for mating.  This act is not one of love; but, one of ensuring a future race with hand-selected traits.  Sidel’s research was mainly based upon a historical and literary background on eugenics.  Melissa Hodgkins, in her research post from 2015, takes a more scientific edge on the subject.

     Melissa Hodgkins’s, “Genetic Utopia?” explains “The science is relatively simple. Your genetic code is comprised of twenty-three sets of chromosomal pairs (or forty-six chromosomes) one chromosome per pair is inherited from each biological parent. These codes known as DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) are the information containing molecules in each cell within the human body and are essentially the home of each individual’s genetic inscription” (Hodgkins, 2015).  This quote, from Hodgkins’s post, explains how we as humans are given our specific traits.  Of course, as we well know, information is power.  This information has been explored and abused in both the “real world” and in utopian/dystopian fiction.

     As I previously mentioned, the best-known case of selective breeding came from Nazi Germany.  In the case of utopian/dystopian literature, I have already mentioned Rand’s Anthem, a blatant use of eugenics; however, eugenics comes in different forms other than selective breeding.  In Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Herland, Gilman uses a form of eugenics by selecting who may rear children.  Motherhood, in Perkins Gilman’s text, is also biased, not all women in Herland, who bear children, are fit to be mothers.  Jacob McCleese, in his midterm essay from 2013, describes another literary text, which subversively describes a form of eugenics.

     Jacob McCleese’s essay “No Place is a Good Place,” does not directly address the topic of eugenics.  McCleese’s essay discusses the definition of utopia, “the word “utopia” generally means “no place” or “good place.” A rather curious definition coined by Thomas More” (McCleese, 2013).  McCleese’s essay is based upon the historical aspects of utopias; addressing how they function, their link to psychology, and how utopian fiction writers take some of their inspiration from what they were perceiving in society.  Where McCleese’s essay comes into conversation with the topic of eugenics is with his section on Ernest Callenbach’s novel Ecotopia. 

     McCleese’s essay discusses “Soul City,” within Ecotopia.  McCleese states “Callenbach’s creation of “Soul City” seems like an unnecessary addition to his novel Ecotopia, but when viewed from his cultural vantage point, the addition becomes more than necessary. Soul City is a fictional city within a city. It is Ecotopia’s black district, where black people voluntarily segregate themselves from the rest of the populace. This appears unnecessary, possibly even a little insensitive to the modern reader. However, Callenbach’s creation of Soul City becomes necessary when analyzed by the historical culture of the early 70s” (McCleese, 2013).  McCleese’s reason for including Callenbach’s “Soul City” is to link it to the Black Nationalist Movement in the 1970’s.  “Soul City;” however, is a fictional city, segregated from Ecotopia.  Callenbach’s fictional city was created to segregate the races in his novel.  Through this segregation, Callenbach, is calling for his version of eugenics, where the intermingling of races is limited through geographic isolation.  All three authors of the essay’s I reviewed took a different approach to how eugenics impacted fictional societies and/or their historical impact.

     In reviewing previous students posts, I learned, first and foremost, there are many ways to approach a topic.  In addition, such as with McCleese’s essay, previous students touched on several different utopian ideals and conventions, without directly referring to them.  I agree with the research conducted by these three past students in regards to the notion that eugenics is present in our history, as well as in utopian and dystopian fiction.  The topic is broad and all three students had a different perspective.  All three previous students referred to texts they and I have read in class, along with using terminology learned in this class.  My interest in the study of eugenics is now piqued even further after the exposure from the previous student’s works.  The question, not addressed by any of the students, is there a utopia, either historical or fictional, where eugenics had positive outcome?  This is a question that I will come back to. 

Sara Stevens

Midterm: Part 2

Marshmallow and his Harem of Hens

     Weird title for a graduate paper, I know.  What this title symbolizes is what my personal utopia, or what I thought a utopia would be like for me, before my attendance in the Literary Utopia class.  I had heard of utopias previously, but I do not know where I gained the knowledge.  When I entered the class, my beliefs on what a utopia was, was a perfect place.  My perfect place would be a cottage in the woods, with my own hobby farm, garden, and my family.  The farm will include my current rooster Marshmallow and his seven hens; they all have names, but it’s the concept that matters.  Upon entering this class, my knowledge of utopias was limited; my knowledge of what dystopias were, was non-existent.  I don’t know if I missed the section in school when they were covered, or maybe I was absent.  Since beginning this class, I have come to realize, some of my favorite modern-day novels are considered dystopian fiction, such as The Hunger Games, and I now have a love for and am eager to learn more about the literary genre known as utopian fiction.

     Defining the actual genre of utopian and dystopian fiction can be daunting.  I have learned that the genre is more of a literature of ideas; more simply put, the style in utopian fiction may be put to the wayside and offer more thought-based reading or analysis.  There are several different genres of texts that are similar, or that may fall into the same type of category; Science and speculative fiction and fiction based upon theology; such as the biblical Book of Revelation.  This can make the genre difficult to define.  I think that that is what draws readers in; the mystery.  Readers and critics have a want to explore and study what they cannot conceptually grasp easily.  On the other hand, some might “run away” from utopian fiction for the same reason.  When people go to a library or a book store, they are drawn to particular sections and genres of books; horror, romance, graphic novels, etc.  Utopian and dystopian dialogue can be found in many different areas.  Some utopian fiction may read like a travel journal, like Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels or Thomas More’s Utopia, while others may seem like a futuristic possibility, like Ernest Callenbach’s Ecotopia.  Regardless, most utopian fiction contains some of the same elements. 

     Some of the common conventions, or elements I have frequently noticed throughout my studies of utopian fiction are: new societies built in a place that is isolated from others, some form of centralized government, some form of controlling the population (either through eugenics or segregation), and the belief that it's community, not individuals, that matters.  The latter convention seems to be the most important.  In all of the texts we have covered, thus far, the focus has been focused more on a community rather than one singular character.  In Ayn Rand’s Anthem, individual characters do not even have names as we know them.  The characters are only given a designation in which to go by.  This shows that the character is not as important as the ideals they stand for.       

     I think my previous knowledge on the subject of utopian literature may be common; that may be why utopian novels are frequently dismissed.  People may not be aware that the literature of ideas is not just fanciful imagination.  It may not be well known that utopias exist in many different forms; most likely as many forms as there are people.  People take what they have read or imagined and actually try and turn it into a reality.

     Disney’s Celebration USA is a prime example, of a modern-day utopian community created from a dream.  The town, which I have learned, still exists.  Pre-planned communities (suburban developments), could also be seen as a sort of utopia.  Some current subdivisions are gated, so only those who live there, or their guests, are allowed on the premises.  Some contain their own schools, stores, restaurants, etc.  I have learned these could be considered intentional communities; communities whose rise was prevalent in the early nineteenth century.  This rise, in part, was due to the growth in apocalyptic, or millennial religions.  A millennium is, essentially, an apocalyptic event.  These events are often the beginning or the end of a utopian literary text. 

     Most of what we have read so far in class has created a version of utopia that arose from some sort of millennium or in anticipation of one.  In Callenbach’s Ecotopia, the utopia was created to mitigate ecological concerns, that could eventually be the downfall of the planet.  Ayn Rand created Anthem, which was set in the future, after some kind of millennium.  Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote Herland; the fictional land was created after war and natural disaster.  We can see evidence of utopias throughout history, as well as in literature; they have been around since biblical times, though they were not called utopias back then. 

     The etymology of the word utopia came from the Greek, with possible meaning of either “no place” or “good place” and was coined by Thomas More.  The Garden of Eden, from the bible, is probably one of the oldest and well-known utopic ideals.  The ideology of a utopic place has been envisioned time and time again.  We have seen hippie communes, striving for there ideal world as well as socialist communes, looking for a place where community comes first.  All of the people in these movements had a commonality; the search for their perfect place.  Unfortunately, for one reason or another, they all failed.  I would question if perfection is even attainable.  Regardless of the failures in creating a real-world utopia, I still find the idea appealing.

     As I previously stated, I have always thought of how my own personal utopia would look like.  I think it began with a pursuit of ultimate happiness; we all want to be happy, right?  I still dream about someday winning the lottery and moving to that cottage in the woods with my family and chickens.  In learning more about what a utopia really is, I have been very interested in learning more and more.

     My first research on the subject, was into doomsday preppers.  I actually know someone who is a prepper, and makes his living selling preparedness items and videos on how to survive after an apocalypse.  I am an avid camper; one of the things we do, is sit around the fire and discuss what our zombie defense plan (ZDP) would be.  I know the probability of this happening is nil; however, it shows that we are thinking about how we would rebuild after a millennium type event.  The Walking Dead television series is a favorite of mine, and may have influenced me. 

     I am not a religious person, but I think most people think of life after the apocalypse.  This mode of thinking tends to get people thinking about how they would create the perfect world from the ashes.  Prior to the beginning of this class, we were told to choose an objective that speaks to us, or we wanted to learn more about.  I chose objective 3e.; “Why do American school curricula emphasize dystopic fiction (Nineteen Eighty-Four, Brave New World, The Giver) over utopian fiction?”  I connected with this objective on a level of personal taste.  My favorite leisure reading material and television shows, often fall in to the realm of dystopic.  I still agree with a statement I made on the first day of class: I think dystopic fiction is popular because it gives hope that we can rebuild from the ashes.  This is a good thing to instill in students; the notion that regardless of what happens in our futures, we can and will rebuild.

     This class has broadened my literature horizons.  I was not a literature undergraduate student, and most of what I have been exposed to thus far have been canonized novels and poetry.  I now have a different perspective on what a utopia is and what it may look like.  Although the notion of a perfect world is far-fetched, I think we can still learn from utopian and dystopian fiction.  The authors of these texts allow for possibilities.  We can analyze why the societies in the novels were created, what worked, and what did not work in their fictional world.  We may even find ways to better the world in which we live.