Utopian Society - Is it the Answer?

An accompaniment for  The Giver by Lois Lowry

A Language Arts WebQuest written by:
Elaine Fitzgerald and Bonnie Bourg

Introduction |  Task  |  Process  |  Evaluation  | Conclusion

Introduction

The Giver shows a society that is very different from ours. Jonas’s world is perfect.  There is no war, fear, or pain.  Everything is controlled, the everyday decisions that we make are not available.  They do not get to decide what they wear, eat or even where they work.  Every person is assigned a role in the Community based upon their talents.  Would living in such a society make things easier?  We wouldn’t have crime or poverty. Is it worth giving up our choices for a perfect world?

Task

Your task is to learn more about Utopian societies, and decide if we should strive for a utopian society of peace and harmony even if it means giving up variety, choice, love, etc..  Why or why not?  You will be writing a persuasive letter to a government official to persuade him/her to either push a movement toward or away from a utopian society.

Process

1. What is Utopia?  Using the resources provided learn about Utopia and the Utopian society.  What are the benefits of this society, what are the pitfalls of this society?  Make a chart showing the benefits and the pitfalls.

•  Definition of Utopia -  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopia

• Utopian Philosophy - http://users.erols.com/jonwill/

2. Here are some examples of Utopian societies. How does the society in the Giver reflect a Utopian society?

• Acorn Community http://www.ic.org/acorn/
• The Farm http://www.thefarm.org/index.html
• Twin Oaks http://www.twinoaks.org/
• Victory City http://www.victorycities.com/
• Utopian States http://www.utopianstates.com/US1/index.html
• Utopian World http://www.utopianworld.org/

3. What freedoms or choices would you miss most of all? Think about the possibility for a utopian society.  Are you willing to give these freedoms/choices away?

4. You are now well informed about Utopian societies and have considered the costs and benefits. Using the knowledge you have gained, write a persuasive letter to a government official. Persuade him/her to either push a movement toward or away from a utopian society.  You may want to use this Process Guide to help you with your persuasive argument.

Evaluation

You will be evaluated using the LEAP writing rubric.

Conclusion

You have learned more about Utopian societies and have made a decision if we should support a move toward or away from a Utopian society.  While there was no right or wrong answer, it was important to be able to support your position.