Composing Utopia

Enjoy the winter break as well as this video:

http://clairexu89.googlepages.com/home

http://www.personal.psu.edu/jrf5030/Projects.html

-Jonathan Fry

http://courtneyannemurray.googlepages.com/home 

My website is www.personal.psu.edu/eal5058 Then just click on the link for “Remediation Project”.  – Elizabeth 

this is the address to my website:  web.mac.com/justinekendall

Here is a funny and revelant video to our remediation project if you guys wanted a short break

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1731941/

Rosie

The Dispossessed, being the type of novel that it is, includes a plethora of ideas, some of which are very similar to those already explored in this class.  LeGuin’s approach to several of these ideas are somewhat inconspicuous, as she adds new names and includes new situations to what she writes in order to make a more interesting story.  However, it is clear that at points throughout the book that LeGuin is making references to historical happenings.  Through these references, the reader can see the struggle and fight that is involved in Shevek’s life in the novel.  This, perhaps more than anything else, begs a question that needs to be answered.  Is utopia even plausible?

LeGuin constructs the two sister planets of Anarres and Urras in a clever fashion.  Anarres, the planet to which the potential rebels were sent, is sparse, barren, and has little or nothing in the way of natural resources.  However, the people live there, scraping up a meager existence, while those on Urras live a life of luxury and comfort.  Additionally, it is interesting to note that Anarres does not technically have a government to control the planet.  Rather, there is a sensation of fraternity and social equality and thus no need for a governing body.  Those who live on Anarres use very careful, precise language.  This gives light to the Pravic Theory, which states that language has the ability to shape culture and mold it into what the speaker desires.  A prime example of this is when Shevek is told by an Anarres resident, “You can share the handkerchief I use.”  Nowhere in this quote is a possessive noun used.  Anarres, indeed, seems to be ruled by, to an extent, the proletariats.  Anarres is, in effect, a socialist state.  This is made more evident by the creation of beaurocracy and power forms.  Few began to acquire power within Anarres, which holds the potential to upset what little those living on the planet hold dear.  And if one would examine Urras in a similar way, one can derive that Urras, which is fruitful and full of resources and vibrant life, is more or less leaning towards a capitalist state.  In essence, this is the Cold War.

Going on the idea that this novel is really an analogy for the Cold War of the mid to late 1900s, it becomes evident that LeGuin’s utopian novel is, in fact, saying something very different about utopias than other novels do.  LeGuin appears to be delineating a setting, filled with inhabitants, who are not living perfect, happy lives.  It appears to be just the opposite.  Anarres is depicted as a harsh living environment, while Urras is shown as a vibrant center of life and happiness.  While Urras may be somewhat close to a perfect utopia, it is clear that Anarres has significant problems.  And since Anarres, which is such a significant part of the story, is not anywhere close to perfection, LeGuin is almost stating that utopias are impossible.  She throws all notion of perfect existence out the window, along with hope of species unification and progress.  Though LeGuin’s novel may be categorized as utopian, it would seem her universe is anything but.

The Dispossessed is indeed a thought-provoking novel.  And though LeGuin seems to be saying that utopia is impossible, it is a notable source of utopian ideas.  However, given the historical analogies that are used in the novel, coupled with the states of both sister planets, ultimately, after reading the book, there feels to be little hope for a perfect world.  Or, perhaps another way to view the book is to say that utopia takes time, work, and dedication in order to take form.  Maybe through this fashion, humanity can achieve utopia.  Or perhaps humanity may return to its roots, put aside its differences, and live together in harmony.  It is not impossible that this is what LeGuin means.  After all, true voyage is return.

-Chris Zook

Reading through the book, what struck me as most interesting were the numerous, seemingly paradoxical, contradictory, and ultimately thought provoking ideas that were presented. These ideas, scattered throughout the story, added to the overall theme: the idea of possession and freedom.

 In the beginning, on page 26 (I have a library book, page #’s may be different), LeGuin jumps right into presenting a paradox. Young Shevek proposes the well-known paradox of asymptotic reasoning. That is, a point in space can never be reached because there will always be a point in time where you will be half-way between that point in space and where you were a moment before. Theoretically, with this line of reasoning, you will never be able to catch up with someone walking in front of you. Of course, this can be proved wrong mathematically. Nevertheless, LeGuin has opened Pandora’s Box of contradictions.

On page 40, Shevek points out the idea that the boys are not kept from leaving Anarres by any outside force. It is only their identity as Anarres that keeps them there. That is, this identity is their freedom. The concept was contradictory in the way it was stated: Order is not “order.” We don’t leave Anarres because we are Anarres… that is our freedom. To avoid it, would be to lose our freedom.” He then goes on to say that to leave (which would be to exercise that freedom), would be to lose that freedom.

Another example is on page 113 where Shevek notes that the student’s freedom from obligation was in exact proportion to their lack of freedom of initiative. The theme of freedom reappears several more times. On page 202, Shevek says, “Because our men and women are free-possessing nothing, they are free. And you the possessors are possessed.” Where on the moon possessions mean nothing and where “Excess is excrement” (87), earthlings are so obsessed with material goods that the women have even taken to implanting magnets under their skin so that they could secure jewels onto their bodies. (an absurd idea… but then again…)

This last and overlying idea that the possessors are in actuality possessed by their possessions–that is, their freedom to possess enslaves them and takes away their freedom–is reinforced by the many other paradoxical ideas in this novel. For instance, in one of the example I used above, Anarees have the freedom to leave, but to leave would be to lose that freedom.

For me, these paradoxes made the more interesting parts of the novel because they invited reasoning. Did anyone else find other paradoxes? If so, how did it add to the central theme of possession and freedom? And is instantaneous space/time travel possible, or is that a paradox as well?

Bonnie Lu