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Utopian literature has a fundamental problem where there is no conflict...because it's a Utopia. The only popular utopian literature I can think of is Star Tre
by tnecniv 9y ago
Utopian literature has a fundamental problem where there is no conflict...because it's a Utopia.
The only popular utopian literature I can think of is Star Trek and all of their plots either involve characters leaving the utopia to explore or defending it from those who would destroy it.
- mch82 9y agoInteresting comments on the Star Trek plots... sort of like Tsun Tsu's Art of War concept that people need dystopia to recognize utopia.
- mch82 9y agoYou've really hit on the key point: dystopia is a source of drama in storytelling. It's (at least to me) much more challenging to tell an engaging story set in a utopian world. If anyone has tips for utopian story telling please share...
- dragonwriter 9y agoUtopian literature typically uses conflict with a non-utopian society both because it drives drama/interest and because it provides a context (especially where the non-utopian society is familiar to the intended audience) for illustrating the contrast between what is proposed and the status quo. A classical form of this conflict is the form of the interaction of a member (or group of members) of the non-utopian society (especially one with a strong pre-existing bias against the utopian society) thrust into the utopian society. Typically, the outsider is converted (if single; if there a multiple, the response is often that most convert, but having a minority of unconvinced holdouts isn't uncommon.) Among others Walden Two and Ecotopia use variations of this.