UTOPIA
ARCHIVE:
Exploring Human Nature & Utopian Ideals Across Different Media
ARCHIVE:
Exploring Human Nature & Utopian Ideals Across Different Media
UTOPIA
ARCHIVE: Exploring
Human Nature
& Utopian
Ideals Across Different Media
ARCHIVE: Exploring
Human Nature
& Utopian
Ideals Across Different Media
CRITICAL REFLECTION
PRIDE &GREED
DECEPTION
OPPRESSION
Click on the images to be directed to the archive of different texts and medias on topics of human nature, utopia, and crime.
As I thought about my final project for ENGL 332 Literature and Politics, I wanted to explore the relationship between utopia and crime. Utopian thinking questions the inherent flaws of human nature while maintaining the prospects of a society that is considered perfect. The project aims to understand why utopia is impossible due to human nature by exploring power dynamics, conscious thought, and behaviour in the context of crime. I have chosen to create a website archive exploring the different aspects of society as described in the novel Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg.
In Part II of Confessions, Rosenberg introduces the Fens, a group representing those marginalized in society and often subjected to discrimination and exploitation by those in power. Throughout the novel, the Fens serve as a symbol of resistance against oppressive systems and as a reminder of the inequalities present in society, fighting for their liberation. In chapter 10 of part II, Rosenberg introduces the worm with three heads that live in the ground, a symbolic representation of the different aspects of society:
The first head is the head of Pride. He waits until the wind blasts hard over the fen and taketh your reed and eel, and the cold rains weaken you until you are fell'd. The second head is the head of Deception. He shelters underneath your Body from the rains, and tells you sweet things and appears honest but steals your crumbs from your pocket. The third head is the head of Truth and Faith. He is honest and shares his lot with all. This head is Gaol'd and laid low. He is ground beneath jackboots into the soil. For his Truth must not get out. and the oppressions visited on this third head spark a Fire by which the greedy first two keep warm. (Rosenberg, 189)
The first head represents pride and greed, those waiting for opportunities to take advantage of others. They put their needs ahead of others' well-being and wait for opportunities to exploit the weaker or more vulnerable. The second head represents deception, those pretending to be kind while taking advantage of people. They could trick others into believing they are trustworthy through cunning strategies, only to turn on them later. This head draws attention to the harmful impact of deception and the risks associated with believing how things appear without considering the motivations of others. The third head stands for truth and honesty but is suppressed and oppressed by the first two. Those who want to hold onto their authority and control will destroy the innocent, with this head representing the fight for honesty and fairness in a society where dishonesty and corruption are the norms.
I took the themes of pride & greed, deception, and corrupted truth & honesty. I applied them to the persistence of crime and injustices within supposedly utopian societies through other literary texts and media. I wanted to investigate how these qualities of human nature can influence the ideas of utopia within the self and culture due to ambition, manipulation, and oppression. In many texts or media, the protagonist often confronts a utopian shell that reveals itself as dystopian upon closer inspection. They typically challenge socioeconomic or governmental systems that appear idealistic to those in power but are oppressive and flawed underneath.
This website archive will explore additional texts and media that encompass elements of the three heads and will go into how they inspired a deeper analysis of their respective works within this context.The texts I will be looking at are Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, along with the films Soylent Green (1973), Snowpiercer (2013), and Akira (1988). For the head of pride and greed, I couldn't help but think about how, through the characters' relentless pursuit of riches, status, and the American Dream, The Great Gatsby depicts criminality and a distorted vision of paradise. Jay Gatsby commits crimes driven by his pride and greed, with cravings for financial prosperity and social acceptance. For deception, I feature Soylent Green and Brave New World, where the corrupt exploit others, underlining the dangers of believing what someone else wants you to see/think without considering their true motivations. Finally, on the concepts of oppression of truth and honesty, I analyzed Akira and Snowpiercer, bringing to light how those in power prioritize control, which leads to the destruction of the innocent, demonstrating the struggle for honesty in a corrupt society.
Reflecting on the project, I am happy to have achieved my objective of exploring the themes of utopia, human nature, and crime through various literary texts and films. The examination reflected the persistent conflicts between utopian ideals and reality by demonstrating the complex nature of human behaviour and social structures. One aspect to consider differently is expanding the project's scope to include a broader range of cultural and historical contexts. This would provide a more comprehensive understanding of how these themes manifest across different societies and periods. It would be interesting to do this project with different perspectives and voices, integrating other work by authors of marginalized backgrounds or examining alternative narratives that challenge the conventional notions of utopia and crime. The project successfully explored utopian ideals and their influence on crime and human nature.
In Part II of Confessions, Rosenberg introduces the Fens, a group representing those marginalized in society and often subjected to discrimination and exploitation by those in power. Throughout the novel, the Fens serve as a symbol of resistance against oppressive systems and as a reminder of the inequalities present in society, fighting for their liberation. In chapter 10 of part II, Rosenberg introduces the worm with three heads that live in the ground, a symbolic representation of the different aspects of society:
The first head is the head of Pride. He waits until the wind blasts hard over the fen and taketh your reed and eel, and the cold rains weaken you until you are fell'd. The second head is the head of Deception. He shelters underneath your Body from the rains, and tells you sweet things and appears honest but steals your crumbs from your pocket. The third head is the head of Truth and Faith. He is honest and shares his lot with all. This head is Gaol'd and laid low. He is ground beneath jackboots into the soil. For his Truth must not get out. and the oppressions visited on this third head spark a Fire by which the greedy first two keep warm. (Rosenberg, 189)
The first head represents pride and greed, those waiting for opportunities to take advantage of others. They put their needs ahead of others' well-being and wait for opportunities to exploit the weaker or more vulnerable. The second head represents deception, those pretending to be kind while taking advantage of people. They could trick others into believing they are trustworthy through cunning strategies, only to turn on them later. This head draws attention to the harmful impact of deception and the risks associated with believing how things appear without considering the motivations of others. The third head stands for truth and honesty but is suppressed and oppressed by the first two. Those who want to hold onto their authority and control will destroy the innocent, with this head representing the fight for honesty and fairness in a society where dishonesty and corruption are the norms.
I took the themes of pride & greed, deception, and corrupted truth & honesty. I applied them to the persistence of crime and injustices within supposedly utopian societies through other literary texts and media. I wanted to investigate how these qualities of human nature can influence the ideas of utopia within the self and culture due to ambition, manipulation, and oppression. In many texts or media, the protagonist often confronts a utopian shell that reveals itself as dystopian upon closer inspection. They typically challenge socioeconomic or governmental systems that appear idealistic to those in power but are oppressive and flawed underneath.
This website archive will explore additional texts and media that encompass elements of the three heads and will go into how they inspired a deeper analysis of their respective works within this context.The texts I will be looking at are Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, along with the films Soylent Green (1973), Snowpiercer (2013), and Akira (1988). For the head of pride and greed, I couldn't help but think about how, through the characters' relentless pursuit of riches, status, and the American Dream, The Great Gatsby depicts criminality and a distorted vision of paradise. Jay Gatsby commits crimes driven by his pride and greed, with cravings for financial prosperity and social acceptance. For deception, I feature Soylent Green and Brave New World, where the corrupt exploit others, underlining the dangers of believing what someone else wants you to see/think without considering their true motivations. Finally, on the concepts of oppression of truth and honesty, I analyzed Akira and Snowpiercer, bringing to light how those in power prioritize control, which leads to the destruction of the innocent, demonstrating the struggle for honesty in a corrupt society.
Reflecting on the project, I am happy to have achieved my objective of exploring the themes of utopia, human nature, and crime through various literary texts and films. The examination reflected the persistent conflicts between utopian ideals and reality by demonstrating the complex nature of human behaviour and social structures. One aspect to consider differently is expanding the project's scope to include a broader range of cultural and historical contexts. This would provide a more comprehensive understanding of how these themes manifest across different societies and periods. It would be interesting to do this project with different perspectives and voices, integrating other work by authors of marginalized backgrounds or examining alternative narratives that challenge the conventional notions of utopia and crime. The project successfully explored utopian ideals and their influence on crime and human nature.
REFERENCES
Jennifer Brauer 100139371 ENGL 332 - 01
Final Project
Cassidy Picken
Final Project
Cassidy Picken