Brook Farm Utopian Society

Brook Farm, or properly known as the Brook Farm Institute of Agriculture and Education, was just one of multiple utopian communities throughout North American history. Between 1663 and 1858, around 138 of these “perfect societies” were established in the continent (“Utopia”). While it is up for debate as to whether Brook Farm succeeded in creating the perfect society, it has remained as one of the most well known and preserved entities of the United States’ utopian past. In 1841, a man by the name of George Ripley started Brook Farm, located in Boston, with the help of his wife, Sophia Dana Ripley (‘Brook Farm”). Before he instituted the utopian community, Ripley was a journalist and literary critic for the New York Tribune. He was also
Their work could either be mental or physical. They were also given housing, food and clothing (“Brook Farm”). One of the main goals of the members was to ensure that everyone had an equal opportunity for personal growth. Specifically, Ripley despised the separation between educated workers and laborers. His plan was to divide the labor amongst the population to increase efficiency and stop wage discrepancies (Gordon, Jessica). Another core value held by the members of the Farm is education. It was said to strive for “perfect freedom of relations between students and teaching body” (Brook Farm”). Students were not required to have study hours, but they did need to perform a few hours of manual labor. They were expected to take responsibility for their own personal education and acquire a passion for intelligence (“Brook
It is representative of the utopian societies being described in both 1984 and Brave New World. However, the members of Brooks Farm were awarded the right to think freely. In fact, that was highly encouraged and expected. As a whole, Brooks Farm seems to be a much more positive representation of the utopian ideal. Despite its short-lived existence, it succeeded in providing a stable and seemingly pleasant living for those willing to buy in. The farm failed because of financial reasons, not a riot or public degradation. In contrast, the main characters we follow in 1984 and Brave New World express their discontent with a utopian society. Throughout 1984, Winston speaks very harshly of the Party and the stringent lifestyle he is forced to accept. He would often describe his life in horrible ways, for example: “We are the dead” (Orwell 113), and “The proles are human beings…we are not humans” (Orwell 137). Instead of the Party making Winston feel like a productive member of society, he hates the intense homogeneity and lack of individualism. Like Winston, John the Savage also despised the utopia in Brave New World. He craved more intellectual freedom than was accepted in London. Despite the apparent success of Brook Farm, it failed just like those in the