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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is the book that coined the term 'utopia', a word we now widely use to describe an ideal form of society. What many don't know, however, is that the word is a pun. For it is a compound of the Greek prefix 'ou' (no) with 'topos' (place). 'Outopos' is homophonous to 'Eutopos', with 'eu' (good). Utopia thus encompasses both the notion of "no place" and "good place". This has to some academic readings of Utopia as a satire.
But enough about etymology. What utopian ideas are explored by More?
People working in 4-hour shifts to maintain a 24-hour working day. People don't earn a salary, but work for society. There's no fashion, everyone wears the same. You get assigned an industry, but you can switch. You need a travel-pass to travel to other cities. Because there is no class or wealth divide, no capitalist need to own anything, the island has a lot of money lying around, which they give and lend to those countries that are not self-sustainable.
This sounds a lot like communism. But then again, communism is theoretically the ideal form of government, the fairest, the most egalitarian. But, we know that attempts at communism have not worked and though North-Korea tries hard to shut out every capitalist country, we know the country is so poor it cannot take care of its people, unfortunately. Back in the day, however, these ideas were fairly revolutionary (satirical or not). I, for one, am very great I do not live in that utopian island described in Utopia; It sounds boring.
Utopia in the public domain and can be read online and downloaded to your e-reader or Kindle from Project Gutenberg for free.
But enough about etymology. What utopian ideas are explored by More?
People working in 4-hour shifts to maintain a 24-hour working day. People don't earn a salary, but work for society. There's no fashion, everyone wears the same. You get assigned an industry, but you can switch. You need a travel-pass to travel to other cities. Because there is no class or wealth divide, no capitalist need to own anything, the island has a lot of money lying around, which they give and lend to those countries that are not self-sustainable.
This sounds a lot like communism. But then again, communism is theoretically the ideal form of government, the fairest, the most egalitarian. But, we know that attempts at communism have not worked and though North-Korea tries hard to shut out every capitalist country, we know the country is so poor it cannot take care of its people, unfortunately. Back in the day, however, these ideas were fairly revolutionary (satirical or not). I, for one, am very great I do not live in that utopian island described in Utopia; It sounds boring.
Utopia in the public domain and can be read online and downloaded to your e-reader or Kindle from Project Gutenberg for free.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For every good point there's plenty I'd strangle More for.
Plus then there's the smugness & 80% of the jokes haven't aged well.
It also feels quite unfinished to me...and its form I found slightly irritating.
But it's hard to judge something *this* old by our standards.
Plus then there's the smugness & 80% of the jokes haven't aged well.
It also feels quite unfinished to me...and its form I found slightly irritating.
But it's hard to judge something *this* old by our standards.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced