REVIEW: A journey to Utopia
I remember growing up watching the movie “Ever After” and wondering what was so great about the book the main character is always reading. Then I read it.
“Utopia,” by Thomas More, has become one of my favorite books. It changed my life. And the best thing? It is only 100 pages. Many people have the misconception that the best (and most impressive) classics have to weigh around five pounds and look like a brick, i.e. “Bleak House” by Charles Dickens, one of the four Dickens books I have to read by the end of the semester. Yeah, aren’t you jealous of English majors? But I’m digressing.
Utopia is the story of a fictional island with strange customs and political ideals. They have no concept of riches, and despise gold, rich fabrics and jewels. In fact, when visitors arrive on the island dressed as royals to impress the natives, the natives do not take them seriously until they learn to dress in plain clothes like everyone else.
The island lives on the idea of work, communal property and an avoidance of war. They are happy to be isolated from the world and have no desire to expand their territory. It appears as a primitive society, but is actually quite forward in thinking.
On the surface, Utopia may seem like an island full of crazy people. But if you read the book with an open mind, you begin to see the logic behind their beliefs.
As punishment for misdeeds, Utopia dresses their citizens up in fancy clothing with chains of jewels so they may feel ashamed. This sounds crazy at first, but the writer thinks a society who doesn’t value money and status seems to be a much happier one.
More doesn’t just present a political system he thinks is infallible, but he criticizes those who are shut off from new ideas, perhaps referring to potential readers of his book. It is about three fictional charactersw sitting around discussing one of the group’s recent journeys to the island of Utopia. The other two tell him he would make a perfect counselor to the king, King Henry VIII. But he wisely responds by saying kings want advisers who will agree with them, and wouldn’t want to hear new ideas from an unknown man.
There are a few parts that are a little hard to get through, but most of “Utopia” is fascinating. The names and relations of the characters can get confusing and hard to figure out, since the three men don’t get a lot of introduction. However, the meat of the book — the discussion about Utopia — is one of the most interesting things I have ever read.
I also like how this book doesn’t blatantly tell you how to think. I am a stubborn person, and I am much more open to change if I am allowed to make my own judgments and decisions. Rather than a personal commentary in which the author’s strong opinion is easy to see, it presents a situation and lets you be the judge. It submits a hypothetical situation for a political system, and gives you the chance to decide in your own mind which aspects of it you agree with. It is basic, simple and short. Does a classical novel get any better than that?
“Utopia” is a book for the masses. You don’t have to be a political science major for it to relate to you. It is one of those books that you finish and can’t stop thinking about — can’t stop comparing it to your own life. It is a book that makes you question the things we take for granted every day.
— Kellyn Neumann is a senior English major and The Statesman’s features editor. Her column runs every other Friday. She loves reading both her Kindle and paperback novels and can be reached at kellyn.neumann@aggiemail.usu.edu