Utopia: Real Peace or Real Freedom?
James Hilton's “Lost Horizons” tells the story of a random group of characters who become stranded in a strange lamasery. Located among the Himalayan Mountains, this place called Shangri-la seems to have strange effects on anyone who resides within the valley (Zurich). These individuals, their reactions and this new utopia are the basis for a story that raises the question if given the chance, who would choose to live in a place like Shangri-la?
The book is written as a story within a story. It begins by explaining how the tale of Shangri-La became known. During a dinner between three old friends, a neurologist, a secretary named Wyland and a novelist named Rutherford, the tale of Hugh Conway and Shangri-la become the topic of conversation. Rutherford reveals that he met Conway after the time spent at Shangri-la and had written down what he knew of the story. He then gives his manuscript to the neurologist, who becomes the unnamed narrator.
The story centers around Hugh Conway, a British diplomat and WWI veteran. Conway, along with his assistant Mallinson, is forced to evacuate from India due to an impending war. Conway and Mallinson board a plane they believe will take them to Peshawar. The plane also carries a British missionary named Miss. Brinklow and an American named Barnard.
Several hours after leaving India they realize that the plane has been hijacked and the pilot refuses to tell them where they are going or why. It is only after the plane crashes somewhere in what they guess is Tibet that the pilot finally speaks, instructing the group to find Shangri-la. After a night spent on the plane, a party from the lamasery leads the stranded group through the mountains...
... middle of paper ...
...would be the sole deciding factor in the end. Those who identify with Conway's academic, Miss Brinklow's orthodox, or Bryant's intentions for personal gain, would most likely fair well in a place like Shangri-La. For those who are more like Mallinson, and prefer personal freedom over isolated restrain, would certainly abandon a utopia and rejoin the modern world.
Works Cited
Stableford, Brian. “James Hilton: Overview.” Reference Guide to Short Fiction. Ed. Noelle Detroit: St. James Press, 1994. Literature Resource Center. Web. 2 May 2011.
Stewart, Jule. "Lost Horizon." Geographical (Campion Interactive Publishing) 77.7 (2005): 88. Academic Search Elite. EBSCO. Web. 2 May 2011.
Zurich, David. "Shangri La on the Edge of Tibet." American Geographical Society's Focus on Geography 52.2 (2009): 14-22. Academic Search Elite. EBSCO. Web. 2 May 2011.
One where I can have a use in my life, be joyous, and have a promising future. While some may think that pressing the button will unleash a heaven upon them, it really won’t. Pressing the button would only evolve my current problems, life, family, future, etc., into something considerably more detrimental. To put it in another way, it won’t change me as a person or my destiny, I am who I am, it’ll just change my environment and the paths leading up to my faults. In chapter five, while discussing why people don’t go to paradise, Quinn, said by Ishmael, thoroughly states that “It’s because there’s something fundamentally wrong with humans” (48). This undoubtedly focuses on how snapping one’s fingers to a quality of “paradise” will never work. Moreover, he adds on to why we’re flawed with “something that makes people stupid and destructive and greedy and shortsighted” (48). Evidently shown, this predicts why pressing the button would allow these negative characteristics to take part during pre revolutionary times, therefore, negating all the so-called
What would happen if an utopia wasn’t all that perfect on the inside? Judging by just the appearance of something may lead to a situation of regret and confusion.” The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin and “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson address the theme of religious and traditional symbolism.” The Lottery” demonstrates how something that seems so perfect on the outside isn’t all that great on the inside.
On May 13, 1945, twenty-four officers and enlisted men and women stationed on what was then Dutch New Guinea boarded a transport plane named the Gremlin Special for a sightseeing trip over "Shangri-La." A beautiful and mysterious valley surrounded by steep, jagged mountain peaks deep within the island's uncharted jungle. Then, all of a sudden, the plane goes out of control and crashes with only 5 people, 2 men and 3 women surviving the crash. 2 of the 3 women later died due to their wounds being too great, now Lt. John McCollum, Cpl. Margaret Hastings, and Sgt. Kenneth Decker must fight for survival in the jungle of Shangri-La. Emotionally devastated, badly injured, and vulnerable to disease, parasites, and poisonous snakes in the wet jungle
Classic literature juxtaposes two ways of life that illustrate the poles of true happiness: a life of adventure, exemplified by Odysseus (The Odyssey), and the life at home, which poets and farmers represent. In The Iliad, Achilleus chooses to live a short, glorious life, even though he could have chosen to live a long life in anonymity. Arguments have been put forth that the life of adventure is a living hell, as Achilleus testifies from Hades after his death - in hindsight, he would have settled for the life of a slave and given up his glory, if only he could have lived longer. Alternately, the life of the (metaphorical) farmer has been despised as simple and ordinary, when true immortality is only attained with great accomplishments, such as sacking Troy or surviving heroic adventures which are then recorded. In a modern day autobiography of the 1996 ascent of Mt. Everest (Sagarmatha to the Nepalis, or “goddess of the sky”), Jon Krakauer reveals the human motivation behind adventure and tells the story of the men and women who lived and died on the expeditions to the summit during that spring (Into Thin Air). With epic literature and a recent epic, I will illuminate the values of a reflective life as well as the life of adventure, and delve into the necessary components of the ‘good life.’
For some people life may not be satisfactory. Life has many troubles including death, pain, and suffering. It leaves little hope. There are ways in which people can live to have a good life. This method of how a person should live is viewed differently thoughout the world. James Hilton represents this combination of ideas and cultures in the novel, Lost Horizon (1933). This novel tells the tale of four distinctively different people retreating from a war zone. In their retreat they are kidnapped and taken by plane deep into the Himalayan mountain wilderness. Little did they know that here in the confines of the mountains there is a paradise. This paradise is called Shangri-La and is a Tibetan Monastery and community in a place of splendid beauty. Surprisingly, the kidnapped group finds that they are considered guests in this elevated community. They are apprehensive of the cerebrated treatment that they receive, but soon accept and enjoy their "misfortune." Shangri-La is a paradise, but the guests become held prisoner to pleasure and happiness.
Shangri-La: a mystical lamasery that serves as either a paradise, prison, or both to those who happen to stumble across it. “Our prevalent belief is in moderation. We inculcate the virtue of avoiding excess of all kinds”(76). Moderation, defined as “the avoidance of excess or extremes, especially in one's behavior or political opinions,” is part of the tenet of Shangri-La and plays an important role in the nearby Valley of the Blue Moon. In James Hilton’s fictional novel Lost Horizon, 4 individuals known as Conway, Mallinson, Brinklow, and Barnard are kidnapped while attempting to escape a revolution. They are rescued, and brought to the secretive and uncharted lamasery known as Shangri-La, where they unlock a world of mystery and impossibilities.
Since the dawn of mankind, humans have always expressed a desire to understand natural phenomenon and to answer questions regarding their way of life, their birth and what happens after death. These needs resulted in the development of a variety of philosophies and theories that can be found all around the world today. These beliefs soon became more and more superstitious. Once these beliefs became part of the social structure like castes and race, these caused a social divide - A divide that affected the economic status of the livelihood in a society. If this trend of religious discrimination around the world is observed and analysed, I felt that this question might be the key to predict how bright our future as a united utopia will prevail.
Involuntarily, humans want, or in some cases need, to live in an utopian world. Calypso, a nymph and a goddess in Greek mythological times, was lucky enough to live in one of these perfect societies, even though it was short-lived. An author states in her online article, “She is a Goddess with several functions, a complex character, and as an individual she represents the dual nature of the feminine as both light and dark in a subtle, integrated/harmonious/in accordance way” (LeVan, par. 2). Her life was made complete by means of Odysseus, a mortal who washed onto the island and later became her prisoner. Calypso’s utopian world of godliness, control, order, and power was shattered due to Athena and Zeus commanding Odysseus be freed. When Athena and Zeus ordered Calypso to free Odysseus from imprisonment, they ruined her utopian life-style.
Human sacrifice killings is a horrific but devastatingly true reality for some that come too close to the jaws of the Matamoros cult. People usually think of a utopia as an amusement park or just an amazing dream. The dictionary version is often defined as “any visionary system of political or social perfection” (“Utopia”). A dystopia is quite the opposite though. Think of your worst nightmare and that is exactly what a dystopia is. The professional definition is “a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding” (“Dystopia”). As it goes in 1984, the whole book is based on a dystopian society. Citizens have horrible lives which leave them dehumanized by the central government. They are also being under
Shangri-La is a perfect society because it includes the necessary traits that one should include: Organization, Equality, Caring, Communication, and education. I believe that these are the traits required in a society to be perfect, to be in peace and harmony. Some may think that problems may arise such as no diversity, pride, hurting of others due to lack of care, and possibly anarchy. All of these things are definitely real, but I think the way you maintain them is to have a leader. One that is a good influence on the people, one that will solve their problems, someone that is smart and thinks of the people and their disputes before anything else. You must take action when it is needed, but
The adventure begins on an airbus, overflying the clouds and the Himalayas. As the passengers admire the view, Eric is thinking about somewhere else. His thought, navigating in 1933 and about a beautiful, hopeful paradise, refer to a book by James Hilton called Shangri-La, an utopian world separate from the normal one and where only lucky soul can go. As a paradise, it contains abundance and comfort, plus it is governed by an High Lama. Some fortunate people want to quit this world, but so doesn’t Conway, a British character to which Erik relate and envy. Eric Weiner lived in India in the 1990s as he was working as a National Public Radio reporter and covering many countries, such as Bhutan, which he calls the closest place to Shangri-La paradise.
The concept of Utopia has been around for many years, tracing back to ancient Greece. The word for Utopia came from the Greek words ou and topos, meaning no place. Even from the beginning, the concept of Utopia was not seemed to be possible.
The beginning of the novel introduces the reader to Esther O'Malley Robertson as the last of a family of extreme women. She is sitting in her home, remembering a story that her grandmother told her a long time ago. Esther is the first character that the reader is introduced to, but we do not really understand who she is until the end of the story. Esther's main struggle is dealing with her home on Loughbreeze Beach being torn down, and trying to figure out the mysteries of her family's past.
At the beginning of the movie, Susan, who is an American tourist in Morocco, gets shot by a Moroccan boy, Yusef. Because of this, other tourists in the bus all scattered into the village. The scene in the village showed many examples of stereotypes and disconnection of the communications. The other tourists feel many stereotypes about the small village, and they get afraid. The stereotype that they have is the people in the village might hurt them; they think the people in the village are dangerous, and might take them as hostage for terror. They decide to leave the village without Susan and her husband, Richard. Richard asks them to wait, but the tourists did not want to. This scene of when Richard and the other tourists get into an argument exposes the selfishness that people have. Because of the stereotype and selfishness they had for each other, Richard and the tourists were not able to communicate well. They did not consider each other’s situations, did not listen to each other, and held fast to one’s view.