Natalie Smith

English: 112B

Dr. Warner

11/29/03

Utopias and Dystopias

Books about utopias and dystopias, as explained by Donelson and Nilson in Literature for Today�s Young Adults, �are usually about dissatisfaction with contemporary society�(93). This is not to say that the books actually discuss contemporary society; they usually depict a purely fictional society, or a futuristic society wherein technology plays an important role in the functioning of the government and its citizens, but they often set up a context for a forum of discussion about contemporary social, economic and political issues. For this reason they can be seen as more than mere science fiction or fantasy; they provide a gateway into an interest and active participation in the betterment of society.

The notion of the dystopia seems to stem from a mood of hopelessness about the future of mankind: humans� incapability of creating and sustaining a world of justice and peace. Through discussions and �utopia planning� an attitude of optimism and hope may be fostered in the students. In many of the books described in this unit plan, human progress is often distorted and a supposed utopia turns into a dystopia, but this does not imply that a government and its citizens should not keep trying to improve.

The primary aim of this unit plan will be to provide a context in which students can think about their own political inclinations, discuss problems in contemporary society, and formulate possible solutions. Major themes contained in all of the books include societal problems, understanding society and one�s place within it, politics, individual responsibility, personal identity vs. conformity, censorship, economics, community, and the extent or limit of government control. For young adults the political implications of these books are invaluable. Realization of the fact that they can actively participate, influence and change society can be empowering and scary at the same time.

As twelfth grade students will soon be entering �the real world� and are close to the voting age of eighteen, these issues are extremely important for them to consider and gain insight into. Notions of non-conformity, and questioning of established laws, beliefs and principles are good for teens and an interest in politics and society makes the best kind of citizen�one that will participate in the democratic process. The books and activities in this unit will hopefully incite thoughtful questioning and concerns about humanity and society and encourage students to do all that they can to make a positive contribution.

The central focus of the unit will revolve around Aldous Huxley�s Brave New World which is an excellent example of an attempted utopia and �a society suffering the ill effects of perfection�(Allen 200). In Janet S. Allen�s �Exploring the Individual�s Responsibility in Society in The Giver and Brave New World,� she explains:

The theme I have chosen to examine is that of one person�s responsibility in changing and rebuilding a society where the people have lost their freedom, choice, and power. Jonas in The Giver and Bernard in Brave New World are strong characters who take action to survive in a society that has gone very wrong. Additionally, both Jonas and Bernard learn that society�s problems are not someone else�s responsibility. They discover that change comes from within each individual or it does not occur at all. Exploring the characteristics and the logistics of individuals making differences can be a powerful model for all readers, especially for young adults(199).

Launching the Unit

�Equilibrium dir. Kurt Wimmer: In an attempt to end wars and maintain peace, mankind has outlawed the things that trigger emotion�literature, music and art. To uphold the law, a special breed of police is assigned to eliminate all transgressors. But when the top enforcer misses a dose of an emotion-blocking drug [that all citizens are required to take daily], he begins to realize that things are not as they seem! [Anyone who feels emotion, refuses to take the drugs, or possesses banned materials is a sense-offender and is punished by death.] (Taken from back cover of the movie case).

To begin the unit in a way that will be fun for the students (students LOVE to watch movies), show the movie Equilibrium, which will introduce the students to the genre and get them thinking about the ideas that will be explored throughout.

a) Have students write an essay on what materials, if any, they would ban from society based on the desire to eliminate destruction and violence. For example students could write about book-banning, illegalization of certain drugs, guns, etc�

b) Discuss the irony in the film�s portrayal of the government�s attempt to eliminate destruction and violence by means of destruction and violence. How does this relate to the death penalty? Have students write a brief essay arguing for or against it.

�Republic by Plato: �In his History of Western Philosophy (1945), Betrund Russel sees three parts in Plato�s Republic.

1) Books I-V: the Utopia part, portraying the ideal community, starting from attempt to define justice.

2) Books VI-Vii: since philosophers are seen as the ideal rulers of such a community, this part of the text concentrates on defining what a philosopher is.

3) Books VIII-X: discusses several practical forms of government, their pros and cons.� (Taken from Wikipedia.org)

Plato�s Republic, written in 360 B.C.E. contains one of the earliest known depictions of a utopia and specifically refers to its creation through a prescribed form of government. Read excerpts to the class from Plato�s Republic.

a) Have students write a short essay defining justice.

b) Have students write a short essay defining the ideal ruler.

c) Have students write a short essay defining the ideal government.

�Utopia by Thomas More: The book, written in Latin, is a frame narrative primarily depicting a fictional island and its religious, social and political customs[�] Despite modern connotations of the word �utopia� it is widely accepted that the society More describes in this work was not actually his own �perfect society.� Rather he wished to use the contrast between the imaginary land�s unusual political ideas and the chaotic politics of his own day as a platform from which to discuss social issues in Europe.(Taken from wikipedia.org).

In Thomas More�s Utopia, the notion of a utopia is based on the hope for man�s individual and social perfectibility, and the social and political implications this carries. The previous passage describes an important aspect of Utopia: contrasting fictional political ideals with contemporary realities. After reading Utopia:

a) Have student write an essay describing their own personal utopia or �perfect society.� What steps would our society need to take in order to achieve or move closer to their ideal? Do the students believe that a utopia is possible?

b) What society in the world do they believe is closest to functioning in a perfect manner? Why?

c) If the students could change one thing about The United States� government, what would it be? How would they go about making the change: establishing new laws, rewriting the constitution, redistributing wealth, etc�?

Responding to the Text

�Brave New World by Aldous Huxley: Although [the protagonist] Bernard is somewhat of a social outcast because of his physical characteristics, he remains part of the upper class because he is an Alpha Plus. Bernard�s strangeness has been attributed, at least in terms of rumor, to alcohol contamination while he was still in the Embryo Store. [All humans in this new world are manufactured and conditioned for a prescribed position within the community.] Whatever the source of his difference, Bernard�s choice to spend much of his time alone further alienates his peers. In Utopian-like terms, this picture of a disease-free civilization is built around the stability which comes from conformity. Unfortunately for Bernard, he cannot or will not conform.[�] [On a trip to a Savage Reservation, Bernard finds the Director�s son, John, and brings him back to civilization.] As these two men grapple with their individual choices and the subsequent responsibilities that go along with those choices, readers are led to examine their own ideas about what they might or might not be willing to give up in order to have community identity, and stability. (Taken from �Exploring the Individual�s Responsibility in Society in The Giver and Brave New World� by Janet S. Allen).

After reading and discussing the book have students write a paper on a topic of their choice that relates to the themes and issues of the book, or a literary analysis of the book. Some examples of ideas that can be mentioned and discussed in class (and possibly developed into theses for papers) include:

1) To what extent should the government be able to control its citizens? Do the students lean more toward totalitarianism or anarchism? On a scale of one to ten where would they rate themselves?

2) What do the students think about governmental control of consumer products? Should they be allowed to ban foods that contain Trans Fat? Or should they tax potentially harmful goods, such as the Proposition 71 $2.60/pack cigarette tax? Was it out of line for the government to ban alcohol during the Prohibition? What should be the limit of control?

3) If the government is able to control industrial pollution, should they be able to regulate individual pollution, such as how many miles/weak someone can drive? What do the students think about abortion and other civil rights such as the unrestricted liberty of procreation?

4) What do the students think about stem cell research? To what extent should scientific experimentation be allowed when it comes to curing human diseases? What about cloning animals and humans? Should animal testing be allowed or outlawed?

5) What responsibility does the government have in protecting against the oppression of a certain group of people? Until very recently in human history, it has been common for people to be born into a social class without the opportunity for mobility. Does this seem natural or just to the students, or do they feel that it is not right? How does this relate to the lower-classes of humans bred in Brave New World?

Extending the Unit

Arrange a book pass with the novels from the following Young Adult Literature selections. Working in groups of five or six the students should read and discuss the book that they have chosen and then prepare a �Book Talk� presentation to deliver to the class. Students should focus on themes from Brave New World and tie these ideas into the books they have chosen. Students should summarize the books, read passages that represent the themes they have chosen to focus on, and prepare either handouts for the class, posters advertising the book, or overheads to present. Have the students prepare their own artwork for the presentations.

Similar themes in Brave New World, such as scientific experimentation and governmental control of reproduction can be found in The Giver by Louis Lowry and The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer. �The theme of repression in a totalitarian society as shown in [Brave New World] and George Orwell�s 1984 can also be found in Gathering Blue by Louis Lowry and The Last Safe Place on Earth by Richard Peck�(Herz and Gallo 90). All of these books also deal with issues of individual responsibility, identity and conformity.

Young Adult Literature Selections

� The Giver by Louis Lowry: This novel is about Jonas, a boy raised in a futuristic, controlled society in which there is no pain and no freedom. Everyone in the community has an assigned duty to make the society function. As twelve-year-old, Jonas is chosen to be the next Receiver for the community. He soon learns that this means he must receive all memories of life before �sameness.� As he learns about pain, love, death, and freedom, he realizes that he wants to be an individual with the ability to make his own life choices. (Taken from �I AM: Coming to Know Thyself through Literature� by Elizabeth L. Watts). Readers might examine the choices Jonas makes and decide whether or he acts courageously; they may also focus on the consequences of each of these choices, then think about the consequences of their own assumptions, decisions and actions. (Taken from �John Wayne, Where Are You? Everyday Heroes and Courage� by Pamela S. Carroll).

�1984 by George Orwell: 1984 has come and gone, gut George Orwell�s prophetic, nightmarish vision in 1949 of the world we were becoming is timelier than ever. 1984 is still the great modern classic of �negative utopia��a startlingly original and haunting novel that creates an imaginary world that is completely convincing, from the first sentence to the last four words. No one can deny the novel�s hold on the imaginations of a whole generation, or the power of its admonitions�a power that seems to grow, not lessen with the passage of time. (Taken from back cover of book).

�Gathering Blue by Louis Lowry: Kira is young, especially young to be left alone in the world. She has fought, and her mother has fought for her, since she was born fatherless and with a twisted leg. It was the custom of the community to take such infants to the Field of Leaving, unnamed, before the spirit filled the infant, making her human. Kira, though, like two others in this novel, has gifts the community wants and needs. Kira can thread: her fingers simply �know� the stories and convey the memories in the threads. Matt, from the people of the Fen, is her only companion and supports against the women of the village led by the vindictive Vandara. Kira eventually is taken by the Council of Guardians to become the one who repairs the robe for Singer. Her privileged position does not come without cost, nor does it for the others selected to be the artists for the community. (Taken from Adolescents in the Search for Meaning: Tapping the Powerful Resources of Story by Mary L. Warner).

�The Last Safe Place on Earth by Richard Peck: Todd lives on Tranquility Lane and attends Walden Woods High School. It seems idyllic, the �last safe place on earth.� But when his younger sister Marnie is strangely afraid of Halloween and The Diary of Anne Frank is challenged by a group of junior high parents, Todd and his family must respond. At the same time, Todd�s sophomore English class is reading and discussing Fahrenheit 451, making Peck�s book practically made-to-order as a reading circle selection. What does Todd�s class think of the book, and what points do they make in their discussions? Can Todd help his friend Laurel, or does she even need his help? What say should a small group of parents have in the selection of what entire class reads, and what happens when parents disagree? (Taken from �Exploring Censorship, Exploring the Future: Fahrenheit 451 and Young Adult Literature� by Bonnie O. Ericson).

�The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer: To most people around him, Matt is not a boy, but a beast. [�] But El Patron, lord of a country called Opium�a strip of poppy fields lying between the U.S. and what was once called Mexico�Matt is a guarantee of eternal life [he is a harvested clone]. El Patron loves Matt as he loves himself for Matt is himself. They share identical DNA.

As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister, grasping cast of characters, including El Patron�s power-hungry family, [�] a dangerous army of bodyguards and the mindless slaves of Opium, brain-deadened eejits who toil in the poppy field. And escape from the Alacran Estate is no guarantee of freedom because Matt is marked by his differences in ways he doesn�t even expect. (Taken from front flap

of book).

Works Cited

Allen, Janet S. �Exploring the Individual�s Responsibility in Society in The Giver and

Brave New World.� Adolescent Literature as a Complement to the Classics. Ed.

Joan F. Kaywell. Vol. 2. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.,

1995. 199-212.

Carroll, Pamela S. �John Wayne, Where Are You? Everyday Heroes and Courage.�

Books and Beyond: Thematic Approaches for Teaching Literature in High

School. Ed. Pamela S. Carrol and Gail P. Gregg. Norwood, MA:

Christopher-Gordon Publisher, Inc., 1998. 27-46.

Donelson Kenneth L. And Aileen Pace Nilsen. Literature for Today�s Young Adults.

Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2006.

Ericson, Bonnie O. �Exploring Censorship, Exploring the Future: Fahrenheit 451 and

Young Adult Literature.� Adolescent Literature as a Complement to the Classics.

Ed. Joan F. Kaywell. Vol. 3. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.,

1997.

Equilibrium. Dir. Kurt Wimmer. Perf. Christian Bale, Emily Watson, and Taye Diggs.

Dimension Films.

Farmer, Nancy. The House of the Scorpion. New York: Atheneum Books for Young

Readers, 2002.

Herz, Sarah K. and Donald R. Gallo. From Hinton to Hamlet: Building Bridges between

Young Adult Literature and the Classics. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2005.

Orwell, George. 1984. New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc., 1981.

�Republic (Plato).� Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 2006. 26 November.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platos_Republic>.

�Utopia (book).� Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 2006. 21 November.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopia_by_Thomas_More>.

Warner, Mary L. Adolescents in the Search for Meaning: Tapping the Powerful Resource

of Story. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2006.

Works Referenced

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1946.

Lowry, Louis. Gathering Blue. USA: Laurel Leaf Books, 2000.

---. The Giver. USA: Laurel Leaf Books, 1993.

More, Thomas. Utopia. New York: Dover Publications, 1997.

Peck, Richard. The Last Safe Place on Earth. New York: Delacorte Press, 1995.

Plato. The Republic. New York: Dover Publications, 2000.