In the first part of this creative writing essay you will create an original science fiction text….A new kind of life has been made possible by an unforeseen natural event that took mankind by surprise. In story form, create a new utopian fictional society that has been formed as a result, complete with plot, setting, characters, theme, and any other aspects of fiction. The utopian world may include government, education, employment, outside influences, responsibilities, technology, recreation and entertainment, morals, spirituality, beliefs, and attitudes.
Any simple dictionary definition of “utopia” yields something like the following: “an ideal place or state”; “any visionary system of political or social perfection”; “an ideally perfect place” (www.dictionary.com). In Raymond Williams’ online analysis “Utopia and Science Fiction” (www.depauw.edu), Williams discusses utopia in the following ways: “(a) the paradise, in which a happier life is described as simply existing elsewhere; (b) the externally altered world, in which a new kind of life has been made possible by an unlooked-for natural event; (c) the willed transformation, in which a new kind of life has been achieved by human effort; (d) the technological transformation, in which a new kind of life has been made possible by a technical discovery.” I am sure you can think of science fiction stories and novels for each of these characteristics, or at least for the overall definition of utopia.
Part two of your essay should go on to explain what you are up to in creating this utopia as you have created it. You can be basic about it, or you can also take what Williams says above into consideration. After you have written the creative text, discuss and analyze what your process of creation was about. Do some critical thinking about principles and forms of fiction and science fiction, themes, and icons. Discuss your methods and reasons for creating your text as you have. Provide the method behind your madness. Sometimes it is the most ordinary of events and things in our current lives, reality, the world, culture, that provides writers with the material for their stories and we live in a time of rapidly advancing technology and information that changes our lives daily. Think about what we take for granted in that area and look ahead to what the future might promise. Be creative.
Here are some possible hints at what your utopia might include:
1. Government:
–Who will make the rules, and how will they be enforced? –How will leadership be decided? (vote? competition?
Royal family?)
–What are some of the rules or laws (social standards)
your community will have?
–What will happen to someone who breaks the rules?
2. Education:
–What subjects will be required? (Think about the life you want your students to prepare for.)
–What ages will attend school?
–How will your education system be different from ours? –What special features will your schools have to help
the students?
–Will there be levels of education? Will there be higher
education? Will it be a required social standard? –How will people educate themselves?
3. Employment:
–What kind of work will people in your society do?
–What kinds of business will you have in your society?
–Who will do the essential community work that must be done? –How will these jobs be assigned?
–How will individuals in your society be trained for their work? –How will people be compensated?
4. Outside influences:
–Will your community be self-supporting? (Provide its own food, waste disposal, etc.?), or will you need to get some things from outside the community? If so, what kind of things? How will they be “paid” for?
–Will your community allow Others in (visitors from other communities)?
–Will your community trade with other communities?
5. Responsibilities:
–What will be the responsibilities of various members of your community? Adults? Children? At what age will children begin to have adult responsibilities?
–At what point will a person be considered elderly? How will the elderly be cared for? What place will they have in your society?
6. Transportation/Technology:
–What form of transportation will your utopia use? –Considering pollution problems, what form of
public transportation will there be?
–Will you have any special means of travel other
than roads? (subways? Air shuttles? Future cars?) –What kinds of technology will your utopia include? –What advancements? What will be the relationship
between “man and machine?”
7. Recreation/Entertainment:
–What will people in your community do for entertainment? –What will children do for fun? Teenagers? Adults?
Elderly? Men? Women?
–What types of clothing will community members wear? –What will be fashionable or functional?
8. Morals, Spirituality, Beliefs and Attitudes:
–How will each or any of these be part of your utopia? –Will there be any forms of art? Dance? Music?
Painting? Books? Libraries?
–How will your community define what is “civilized?”
These are just a few areas you might think about; I am sure I have forgotten some aspect of society here that you might think of, so do not take my list as exhaustive. Your community should have a name, of course, and if you choose, you could include a map or graphics, images or clip art. Do not forget to do the second part of the paper to explain the “method behind your madness.” Happy creating!
