Utopian Essay Topics                                                                                                                                    Name ______________________________

AC History 8  2002

 

Plan an answer that can be written in 40 minutes.

 

Points of Grading Emphasis: Fully responding to the question, easily identifiable, high quality main points, main points developed with evidence, and demonstration of knowledge of historical utopias.

 

Staple this page to your essay.

 

 

ANSWER EITHER “A” or “B”

 

A.     Compare and contrast the utopian societies portrayed in Orwell’s 1984 and Huxley’s Brave New World.  In what ways do they represent the ideas contained in the classical utopias we have studied (reference these whenever possible)?

 

B.     Choose two of the following theses.  Defend it, referencing whenever possible the body of utopian thought that we have discussed.  Make sure that you include an introductory paragraph, write good topic sentences, and defend your thesis as specifically as possible.

 

Utopian thought is inherently unrealistic and absurd.

 

It is possible to enhance the relationship between the sexes in our society by changing certain gender roles and societal expectations.

 

There are great benefits to educating teenagers separately by gender.

 

Equality should be the highest goal of a just society.

 

The right to inherit wealth/property should be limited to $10,000 (except in the case of spouses).

 

Rule by an elite group is superior to democracy.

 

Everyone in a society should have an equal role in decision-making.

 

Although designed to enhance human existence, the major technological advancements of the past century have had the opposite effect.

 

The best way to eliminate greed, jealousy, and other conflict in society is (fill-in).

 

 

 

 

Writing Prompts (one word per box)