Utopia and Cold Equation - Essay Example

College level Utopia and Cold Equation book analysis, comparison, and contrast. The two books clearly represent two different worlds each with its own way of living. Utopia illustrates an island found on planet earth where people have good and admirable life. The cold equations tell of a story of the world on the space as people travel to other planet, which does not have an appealing lifestyle. In the utopian world there is no private property, everything is owned communally. People farm together, their goods are stored together in warehouses, and everyone has access without having to ask for it (More 20). While in the world represented in The Cold Equation various things are privately owned by others, and in case one tries to use them without permission, they have to be punished. For example, there is an Emergency Dispatch Ship (EDS), privately owned, and a girl named Marilyn tries to sneak in an attempt to go see her brother. She desperately wants to see her brother because they have not met for the past ten years, and the ship is her only way. When Barton, the ship pilot realizes the girl is onboard ensures she gets a severe punishment for trespassing into private property (Godwin10). Similarly, in The Cold Equations, things sold both expensive and cheap. They include clothes, shoes and other human worn stuffs. This is the reason Barton realizes Marilyn does not come from a rich background for she is not wearing vegan gypsy instead of vegan leather her sandals were made of grained plastic and instead of sliver buckle, it had gilded iron with colored glass (Godwin26). On the other hand, in the utopian world, all people wear the same type of simple clothes there even no dressmakers. This makes everyone equal, and none is seen to come from a better background or an unfortunate one (More27). The world explained by Godwin in The Cold Equation; one can buy Jewelry maybe even made of gold depending with what a person can afford, and use them to do what he/she desires. Marilyn recalls the precious bracelet made of fire rubies bought by her brother on her sixteenth birthday. She thinks it must have cost him a whole month’s salary (Godwin26). However, on the utopian world things are different, commodities such as gold are properties of the community, and they are used to make chains for weighing down criminals, buy goods from foreign nations and bribe other nations to fight against themselves. It is a place where jewelry are not valued they are worn by children who stop this when they mature (More 50). In the Utopian world, everyone works for six hours and some work more willingly. No one has to leave his or her own area to go to another place in order to earn a living. Unemployment or earning low salaries does not exist. Whatever they get, they use it together and share it equally. For example, they farm, harvest, cook, and eat together in the community-dining hall. It is a place where no one struggles alone for the sake of his family (More 26). Unlike this, in the dystopian world everyman seems to work for oneself and family. Gerry, Marilyn’s brother goes to the frontier to earn a living in order to help his family; in addition, the dad has a little shop, which does not earn much. He has to struggle in a world that is dangerous for the sake of his family. Marilyn has also a part time job to help her family (Godwin 24). In the dystopian world, education is important, expensive, and valued. Barton thinks Marilyn is not from a rich family because she seems to have dropped school in her second year in college, in order to take another course, linguistics, which can enable her to work. To them, education comes first before work. They view it as necessary for one to have a good life (Godwin 26). However, in the Utopian world, education does not seem to be as important as in dystopian world. People are encouraged to go to school in their leisure time. It seems work comes first before education. Moreover, education is free and not so vital in people’s life (More 27). The utopians have laws, when one does wrong is punished, but guaranteed life. For instance, when one commits premarital sex, he/she is forced to celibate, and when one commits adultery, he is forced to slavery. Later if the slave changes, they can be forgiven. They do not like killing and fighting in wars, but occasionally, they capture their enemies as slaves and at times send military help to their neighbors. They are fair rules (More 52). On the contrary, the dystopian have unethical laws. Merlin commits a crime by boarding a ship without permit ion. She knew there would be a punishment maybe pays a fine or enslaved. Unfortunately, this would not happen; instead, she must die through being thrown to the space. They refer to her as a stowaway an intruder and her sin has no forgiveness she has to face the consequences. It does not appear real when she dies, she feels she did not deserve death. They explain nothing can be done because if she stays the pilot will die, as well as seven men whom he is taking a serum to after being infected with a virus. The ship has limited fuel and added weight will make it consume more (Godwin 35). This dystopia world seems to be a very unfair one. It appears as if there is no gender equality because we encounter various men, but only two women Marilyn and her mother. Marilyn is killed, and her mother has no voice in the story. Most workers appear to be men; probably only men have the opportunity to work in this society. However, in the utopian world everyone is equal as both men and women do similar jobs. They all have a voice in the story. It is a place with no bias. It is a world where rules are known to the people unlike the dystopian world where some punishment are unknown like being jettisoned when found in an emergency dispatch ship. If Marilyn knew of this rule, she would not have sneaked in the ship (Godwin 12). However, both worlds have various similarities. They include humans live in both of them. They both have bosses who give guidelines in the utopia there is a prince and a syphograntus among other leaders (More 1). There is a government. The same case in the dystopia world Burton has a boss who gives rules, and he reports to when he finds the girl. They all have rules which have to be followed and when broken there are consequences. Marilyn breaks a rule that is why she is punished. Similarly, in the utopia if one commits crimes like adultery they have to be enslaved as form of punishment. In both worlds, the technology level is remarkable. They all have ships for travelling; one can communicate from different parts example Gerry can communicate with her sister when she is still on the ship though he is in a different planet (Godwin 40). When traveling, one requires a permit. The utopians have passports that one shows when travelling from one place to another. It acts as an identification that grants them permission (More 49). Those who do not have them may be seen as intruders, therefore, punished. In the dystopian world, Burton has a permit to travel on the emergency dispatch ship; therefore, he can travel to the frontier without anyone complaining he is breaking the rules. Marilyn does not have this, and that is why she gets a punishment. In both worlds, educations exist. Marilyn is studying linguistics and has gone to college the utopians are also encouraged to go to school during their leisure time. In addition, people work the utopians work in the farm and trade. Every able-bodied man is entitled to work every six hours per day, and some do it more. Gerry moves to the frontier to work, his father has is a shopkeeper, Marilyn works two hours daily after school and Barton works as a pilot among others in the story. I think the dystopia world is the world we are today. Places where some rules are so unfair some of us suffer having committed crimes, which they are not aware of the consequences. There is a wide gap between the rich and the poor. The gold belongs to the rich and rags to the poor. What bridges the gap is education that is why most work hard it important. Education is a necessity. Some have to live their homes to places where they can earn a living and help our families. The utopia story is another world, a new one. A place that is heaven on earth, with everything is equal and fair. Both stories explain two different worlds with a few similarities. I would like to live in the utopia world. This is because it represents a place where life seems so satisfying. Everything is fair and equal. Nothing is private, and; therefore, no one is rich or poor. This world is truly a paradise. Works cited More, Thomas. Utopia. London: courier Dover publication, 2012. Print. Godwin, Tom. Cold War Eqation. Newyork: Baen Books, 2003. Print. Read More