Page 137 - SpringBoard_ELA_Grade8_Flipbook

aCTIvITy 2.3
Utopian Ideals
and dystopian reality
learNING STraTeGIeS:
Close Reading, Rereading, Diffusing, Paraphrasing, Marking the Text, Shared Reading, Think Aloud
About the Author
Kurt Vonnegut (1922–2007) was one of the most influential American writers of the 20th century. He wrote such works as Cat’s Cradle (1963), Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), and Breakfast of Champions (1973), blending satire, black comedy, and science fiction. He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.
Word CoNNeCTIoNS
Roots and Affixes
The word utopia is made from the Greek ou-, meaning “no” or “not,” and topos, meaning “place.” But it is also similar to eutopia, made from the English prefix eu-, meaning “good,” and topos. This implies that the perfectly “good place” is really “no place.”
Word CoNNeCTIoNS
Roots and Affixes
A dystopia is a community
or society, usually fictional, that is in some important way undesirable or frightening.
The word dystopia comes from the Latin prefix dys-, meaning “bad, abnormal,” and the word utopia, which you’ve already learned means “good place” or “no place.”
Learning Targets
• Use direct quotations and correct punctuation for effect.
• Closely read a story and analyze the relationship between character and theme.
The Concept of Utopia
A utopia is an ideal or perfect community or society. It is a real or imagined place considered to be ideal or perfect (politically, socially, economically, technologically, ecologically, religiously, etc.). People in a utopia lead civilized lives filled with peace, fulfillment, and happiness.
The western idea of utopia originates in the ancient world, where legends of an earthly paradise (e.g. Eden in the Old Testament, the mythical Golden Age of Greek mythology), combined with the human desire to create, or re-create, an ideal society, helped form the utopian idea.
The English statesman Sir Thomas More (1478–1535) wrote the book Utopia in 1516. Describing a perfect political and social system on an imaginary island named Utopia, the term “utopia” has since entered the English language, meaning any place, state, or situation of ideal perfection.
Both the desire for Eden-like perfection and an attempt to start over in “unspoiled” America led religious and nonreligious groups and societies to set up communities in the United States. These experimental utopian communities were committed to such ideals as simplicity, sincerity, and brotherly love.
Once the idea of a utopia was created, its opposite, the idea of a dystopia, was also created. It is the opposite of a utopia. Such societies appear in many works of fiction, particularly in stories set in a speculative future.
Preview
In this activity, you will read a story and expand your understanding of the concepts of utopia and dystopia.
Setting a Purpose for Reading
• As you read, take note of the setting and the rules of the community. Underline any sentences that give you this information.
• Circle unknown words and phrases. Try to determine the meaning of the words by using context clues, word parts, or a dictionary.
110 SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 8
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