Utopias in Children's Literature

Paper Summary:

This paper examines utopias in children's literature in the stories "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift, "The Giver" by Lois Lowry, and the cartoon "The Smurfs". It explains how utopias have been created by the authors, in these stories, in order to explore the benefits and negative aspects of utopian life. The writer describes each of these three utopias in the stories. The writer further suggests that what may appear to be a utopia on the surface can be quite ugly when all of the implications are pondered, and when it is realized what has to be given up in terms of individuality and freedom in order to establish a rigidly controlled society. The writer concludes that all of these fictional utopias present moral themes important for children to learn, but also present deeper implications for adults to reflect upon.

From the Paper:

"Reading and analyzing Gulliver's Travels, The Giver, and The Smurfs indicates that the basic purpose of these children's story utopias is the same, for they are meant to provide an easy, trouble-free existence for the inhabitants. The basic needs of daily life are well taken care of by established authorities, everything is meticulously planned, and dangers never arise. For children, these utopian environments are emotionally comforting, while providing a way of teaching morality and the importance of cooperating with others."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Lowry, Lois. The Giver. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1993.
• Schmidt, J. Mark. "Socio-Political Themes in The Smurfs." Online. Available: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Cinema/3117/sociosmurf2.htm. 4 December 2006.
• Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver's Travels. New York: Penguin Classics, 2003.

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