In all of human history, the notion of a perfect society has been considered and attempted, but never truly attained. A positive perfect world, were every member is blissful, is a utopia. Alternatively, a negative perfect, world full of disdain and melancholy, is a dystopia. 1984 is a dystopia because its society is decadent and miserable. The Dispossessed is a world full of tranquility and freedom; therefore its society is a utopia. Both novels can be considered complete opposites for their contradicting societies-one with restriction, the other with liberty. Both societies differ because the 1984 society lacks basic rights, while The Dispossessed society does not; in 1984, the government has absolute control of the people, while the society of The Dispossessed has autonomy.
Every now and then, complete opposites have some things in common. For instance, one way or another all societies in the world have similarities. In the case of 1984, a dystopia, and The Dispossessed, a utopia, similarities do exist.
President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the 1964 Civil R...
Cover of first paperback edition
The DispossessedBoth of their societies, thought structured differently, are concepts of perfect worlds under different point of views. In 1984, the inner party does everything in its power to have their vision of a perfect world, even if it means killing, lying to the public, and rewriting history- all for the purpose of benefiting themselves. The inhabitants of The Dispossessed live their own idealistic lives on the principles of Odo, which are peace, love, freedom and other positive values. Both of these societies are isolated from other societies. Oceania does not involve itself with other societies because of the war being fought. The Odonian society separated itself from the mother-planet Urras by migrating to a moon, thereafter keeping communication with Urras to an absolute minimum. The few similarities between these two societies cannot compare with the significant differences...