Thomas More's Elemental Character Analysis
Imagine everything perfect, one’s entire life planned out for them, no hunger, no war, no poverty. Thomas More had that same thought in 1516, creating an idea that still lasts today in several places around the world, like Twin Oaks, Virginia . But what is needed to create a utopia? In this modern world, one would need a self-sustaining society that is broken off from the world, a democratic and unbiased government, and a unsegregated and equal view on the society held to the utmost of importance. If a self-sustaining and separated community is in place, then the foundations of a utopian society have been laid. The book Elemental (John) shows these characteristics, sixteen year old Thomas and thirteen others are living on an island off the coast of North Carolina, completely separated from the world,
…show more content…
“Every now and then we’d glimpse clan ships on the horizon.”(John, 22) Their community are separated by ocean, so they have to exist by sustaining in every way possible, if they don’t work hard they may perish altogether. A utopia is like a house, it needs a base, scaffolding and a roof, if one of the components are missing the house could fall apart.
If a utopia is to succeed, it needs to have a unsegregated and equal view on others, this is the scaffolding.
The Giver (Lowry) shows that quality throughout the book, because everyone eats the same food and their lives are laid out for them, their is no color, no bragging, and no interrupting, “‘I apologize for interrupting,’ he added quickly” (Lowry, 77) If there is no difference between people, and everyone is treated as equals then everyone will fit in, making them more apt to work, therefore increasing productivity. Also if you fit in more, then there will most likely not have conflicts, which in More’s summary of a utopia, is key. Another idea of More’s is government
If a democratic government is in place then your utopian house is complete. In The Giver (Lowry) Jonas’s leaders all split up the power and they all work together to make Sameness a better society.The Council of Elders is “...the most important job,” (Lowry, 16) because they have to run the entire society, and they have to choose all of the jobs for all of the population. A democratic government is a key factor since it allows the government control and it allows the people to express
themselves.
In this modern world, one would need a self-sustaining society that is broken off from the world, a democratic and unbiased government, and a unsegregated and equal view on the society held to the utmost of importance.Thomas More stated in the summary of his ideas that a utopia is an imaginary society, but if it is all imaginary, why does it fulfill our need to be perfect so well? We may never know. A blueprint of a society created 500 years ago could possibly change how we might live in the future.
“Every now and then we’d glimpse clan ships on the horizon.”(John, 22) Their community are separated by ocean, so they have to exist by sustaining in every way possible, if they don’t work hard they may perish altogether. A utopia is like a house, it needs a base, scaffolding and a roof, if one of the components are missing the house could fall apart.
If a utopia is to succeed, it needs to have a unsegregated and equal view on others, this is the scaffolding.
The Giver (Lowry) shows that quality throughout the book, because everyone eats the same food and their lives are laid out for them, their is no color, no bragging, and no interrupting, “‘I apologize for interrupting,’ he added quickly” (Lowry, 77) If there is no difference between people, and everyone is treated as equals then everyone will fit in, making them more apt to work, therefore increasing productivity. Also if you fit in more, then there will most likely not have conflicts, which in More’s summary of a utopia, is key. Another idea of More’s is government
If a democratic government is in place then your utopian house is complete. In The Giver (Lowry) Jonas’s leaders all split up the power and they all work together to make Sameness a better society.The Council of Elders is “...the most important job,” (Lowry, 16) because they have to run the entire society, and they have to choose all of the jobs for all of the population. A democratic government is a key factor since it allows the government control and it allows the people to express
themselves.
In this modern world, one would need a self-sustaining society that is broken off from the world, a democratic and unbiased government, and a unsegregated and equal view on the society held to the utmost of importance.Thomas More stated in the summary of his ideas that a utopia is an imaginary society, but if it is all imaginary, why does it fulfill our need to be perfect so well? We may never know. A blueprint of a society created 500 years ago could possibly change how we might live in the future.