Critical Analysis of Sir Thomas Moore's Utopia

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Cora V. Quinones Critical Analysis of Utopia by Sir Thomas More Utopia by Thomas More is the story of an “ideal” state, as told to him by traveler named Raphael. In his telling, he compares it to the various other states, and countries he has visited as an example of an ideal society. Consequently, this gives rise to some serious considerations of the various parts of Utopia “that are less than desirable.” Life in Utopia has transformed the natural inclinations of man to own property, to act as individuals (expressing individual likes and dislikes) and made them carbon copies of each other. From the way they dress to the houses they live in they are practically mirror images each other. On page 557, it tells what would happen if someone left their district without permission, they are treated as a runaway, brought back and punished. The story states that they are encouraged to seek learning, but for what purpose? There is no individual thought, for all thought must conform to the status quo. They tried to create a classless society, but there were still those in charge and then there were the peons. This all sounds somewhat like the societies that Raphael disparages as less than ideal. Another Utopian practice that makes it a less than desirable place to live is their view of family, which is viewed as a microcosm of the state. There is no restriction on the number of children a family may have, but there is on the number of adults in an individual household. For instance if a family had six children who were now adults, and that resulted in more adults than they should have in one household, one or more would be removed and placed in a household that needed more adults. There would be no choice in the matter. Suppose you have a family, living harmoniously together in one dwelling and because they were all adults, the state came by and said that
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