"Looking Backward: 2000-1887"

Paper Summary:

"Looking Backward: 2000-1887" revolves around the author's portrayal of a society formed after a revolution that liberated the people from the terrors of capitalism. In this idealized version of the future, individuals and nations had abandoned the separate groupings and wishes of the former frenzied era in order to establish a communitarian utopia characterized by a singular party for the nation. This paper examines how some of Bellamy's pre-assumptions on human nature, history and social relationships shaped his novel.

From the Paper:

"Nevertheless, Edward Bellamy's presumptions fell short of a thoughtful analysis. In his liberation of individuals and safeguarding of human rights, Bellamy lost his grip on the basic element of collectivism in his utopian collectivist community. It is apparent that Bellamy's fabricated society rests upon an institution of isolated individuals, since less is told on the practical working and functioning of the society. An example of this is the telecommunication system setup in Bellamy's world that destabilized and weakened social interaction. Seemingly, hardly any one used to go to concerts and very few people went to churches as the purpose was served through telephonic, counseling, sermons and entertainment (Abrash, 1991)."

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• Book Review # 65410 : "Looking Backward"

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