Impossibility of Utopia

Megan Fernandes

• Which one most represents utopia to you? If any?

• More realistic? Or more fantastical?

Realistic?

Fantastical?

• Utopia is defined as an ideally perfect place, especially in its social, political, and moral aspects.

• It is described as unknown, indefinite, and unreachable.

“Utopia”

• The Puritan society was deeply religious, and in their quest to become closer to God, they developed a system of government combining religion and law which they considered a utopia.

• The civilized society under the World State created an order that dictated and assimilated everyone’s lives which they too considered a utopia.

• Foil Characters

• Motifs

• Significance of Character Names

Foil Characters

• The social identities of the foil characters allow insight into the human condition in a way that refutes the supposed utopian societies in each novel.

Foil Characters(Scarlet Letter)

• Hester Prynne utopia cannot exist with outcasts

• Arthur Dimmesdale utopia cannot exist with reputations based on dishonesty and deceit

• Together utopia cannot exist with sin

Foil Characters(Brave New World)

• Bernard Marx and Helmholtz Watson utopia cannot exist with social unrest

• John the Savage utopia cannot exist with outcasts

Motifs

• The motifs applied in each novel subtly contrast the supposed utopian societies and emphasize the weaknesses in each form of government.

Motifs(Scarlet Letter)

• Civilization vs. Wilderness

Motifs(Brave New World)

• Shakespearean quotes vs. World State propaganda

Significance of Character Names

• The character names in each novel contain certain implications and representations which communicate either the deficiencies of the characters or contradictions to the society.

Significance of Character Names(Scarlet Letter)

• Names have such simple allegorical suggestions– Dimmesdale “dimness”– Chillingworth “chill”– Pearl “pearl of great price”

Significance of Character Names(Brave New World)

• Names have references to past political, scientific, or cultural figures – Bernard Marx (Claude Bernard and Karl Marx)– Helmholtz Watson (Hermann von Helmholtz

and John B. Watson)– Mustapha Mond (Mustapha Kemal Ataturk)

Conclusion

• Emotions and instincts constantly coincide and dispute

• Social constructs mirror defects and flaws of human nature– Religion and law

• Eliminate human condition

• Utopia is defined as an ideally perfect place, especially in its social, political, and moral aspects.

• It is described as unknown, indefinite, and unreachable.