Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions covers many issues and aspects of human life, starting from the difference in perceptions and metaphysics to social values and norms. The author highlights certain features of society and modern beliefs that might be limited to some points through satire and the fictional world. Therefore, this paper aims to discuss the book’s central idea and recognize the author’s claim in his work.
One of the themes that take a leading position in Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions is social norms and meanings that represent the actual situation in the current world. The citation “…learn this lesson, that to be self-contented is to be vile and ignorant, and that to aspire is better than to be blindly and impotently happy” clearly depicts this concept (Abbott). Each dimension cannot accept the existence of other worlds and keep ignoring the multifaced reality. Through the ignorance of the citizens of the lands, the author demonstrates the absence of interest and desire to broaden the mindset and learn about other cultures and societies. It is significantly easier to follow the already familiar rules and standards, stick to the hierarchy and justify the oppression and inequalities among the diverse groups. Abbott reveals the irony of this social phenomenon through the citation and exposes the narrow perspective of the people, which is one of the critical statements in the book.
Overall, Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions depicts the vices of the population and common unwillingness to learn more and widen the knowledge about the surrounding world. The author specifically highlighted this in the book to remind the readers that the world is multidimensional, and it is necessary to challenge the familiar perceptions and outlooks. Thus, a key point is the absurdity of the current social structure and the lack of awareness and self-education among people.
Work Cited
Abbott A., Edwin. Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions. Seeley & Co, 1884. The Project Gutenberg Ebook, Web.