John Wyndham’s science fiction novel The Chrysalids is dystopic and Sir Thomas More’s novel Utopia is utopic. Both are fictional. Whereas utopia is a perfect world, a paradise. Dystopia reflects a world that is dark and a result of cataclysmic event. It is a dysfunctional world where people are under the control of a power that opposes them. In this report I will explain what utopia and dystopia are, and then apply these theories to an examination of Thomas More’s Utopia and John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids.
Sir Thomas More also Saint Thomas More was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman, and noted Renaissance humanist born in London in 1478. More’s novel has been a victim of a critical tug of love. One of the most troublesome question about his novel is the reason of writing it, which till date is controversial. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_More)
Utopia is a community or society possessing highly desirable or perfect qualities. It is an attempt to create an ideal society the opposite of dystopia. Ecological utopian society describes new ways in which society should relate to nature. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopia)
John Wyndham in his novel The Chrysalids shows the characteristic of a frightening world, Dystopia. He portray it through the scene where David helps Sophie taking her foot out of a “narrow space between two up-pointed stones”(8). And when Sophie tells her mother about it “'Yes,' Sophie told her. 'I'm sorry, Mummy. I tried hard, but I couldn't do it myself, and it did hurt so.'”(10). The author wants the readers to know how frightened her mother was, and Sophie too because they both did not want anyone to know about the extra toe she had. This is because of the times and society they lived in which it is considered as inhuman or not normal. This shows the fear in which people live in Waknuk, a dystopic society.
Dehumanization is an element of Dystopia. Wyndham wants the readers to be conscious of how people were dehumanized. Wyndham illustrate it by demonstrating in detail what a normal person should be according to the society and god. The author states: “'And God created man in His own image. And God decreed that man should have one body, one head, two arms and two legs: that each arm should be jointed in two places and end in one hand: that each hand should have four fingers and one thumb: that each finger should bear a flat finger-nail . . .'”(10-11). According to the people Sophie is not a human because of the extra toe she has on each foot. She is considered a “Mutant” not a normal human as the author also states: “'"The Norm is the Image of God".'”(27). By which he means that any person who is not like the image of god isn’t normal.
Totalitarian government is a basis of dystopia. Wyndham gives the reader a glance of the social system of a dystopic world in his novel. He asserts:” So I learnt quite early to know what Offences were. They were things which did not look right…. if it happened among people it was a Blasphemy”(19).” The commandments and precepts one learns as a child….'And any creature that shall seem to be human, but is not formed thus is not human”(18).” Nevertheless, the question of Offences was not always as simple as one might think, and when there was disagreement the district's inspector could be sent for.”(19). By this the author presents a view on the totalitarian system.
Sir Thomas More in his novel Utopia exhibits the characteristic of Harmony peace and understanding in a utopic world. More believes in harmony peace. More states: "‘thus they have no wars among them; they live rather conveniently than with splendor, and may be rather called a happy nation, than either eminent or famous”(21). He also asserts: “They never sacrifice any animals, for they can’t imagine a merciful God enjoying slaughter and bloodshed. They say god gave his creatures life, because He wanted them to live.”(108). By these 2 lines More explains the understanding between people for no wars and living happily with harmony peace. He also emphasizes on an important aspect that the people in the Utopia do not kill animals as they can not understand why would god like it, thereby they believe that
God gave animals life to live.
Polyculturalism is an important component of Utopia. Polyculturalism refers to the theology that all of the world’s cultures are inter-related. The author believes in one world, one kind person and unity in diversity. “But I our system is indeed the best, and my religion the truest, then keep me faithful to both of them, and bring the rest of humanity to adopt the same way of life, and the same religious faith-unless the present variety of creeds is part of thy inscrutable purpose.”(109). Author also elucidate: “He judged it not fit to determine anything rashly; and seemed to doubt whether those different forms of religion might not all come from God, who might inspire man in a different manner, and be pleased with this variety; he therefore thought it indecent and foolish for any man to threaten and terrify another to make him believe what did not appear to him to be true”(69). By these More wants the reader to get the picture of what kind of Polyculturalism is in Utopia, that everyone has good relations with the people of other religions. All kinds of varying creeds live happily in Utopia, no discrimination or impartialness, everyone treated equally and are fine with other cultures living together.
Total abolition is the root of the utopic world. More shows the readers a view on the society in Utopia. He illuminates: “It’s not as if I’d recommended the system operated in Plato’s imaginary republic, or in utopia today. …. Because it’s based on communal ownership instead of private property.”(42-43). Author wants the readers to interpret the world of total abolition with no personal or private properties owned by anyone. All properties are communal based which means that anyone can enter any property; all properties are shared by each and every single person. There is no money system, everyone only doing the work they enjoy and which if for the common good.
Bibliography
Novel The chrysalids by John Wyndham
Novel Utopia by Thomas More
