Graduation Date
Spring 2023
Document Type
Project
Program
Master of Arts degree with a major in English, emphasis in Applied English Studies
Committee Chair Name
Dr. Renée Byrd
Committee Chair Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Dr. Andrea Delgado
Second Committee Member Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Keywords
Utopia, Critical utopia, Samuel Delany, Ursula Le Guin, Dystopia, Anarres, Urras, Triton, Utopian theory
Subject Categories
English
Abstract
The purpose of this project is to analyze the critical utopias of two sci-fi novels: The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia (1974) by Ursula K. Le Guin and Trouble on Triton: An Ambiguous Heterotopia (1976) by Samuel R. Delany. Both novels were published within two years of each other, with Delany rewriting his novel to intentionally put it into direct dialogue with Le Guin’s. This project will attempt to establish the landscape of utopian fiction, draw out this dialogue between these two grandmasters of the science fiction genre, and answer this question: “As a result of Delany positioning his novel in this way, what contrasts and overlaps occur between these two authors’ view of an improved society?” This will be accomplished by examining the concepts of utopia, dystopia, and critical utopia; the backgrounds of the authors themselves; the utopian worlds they constructed; and, finally, showing where Le Guin and Delany’s worlds were in agreement and where they were in conflict.
Citation Style
MLA
Recommended Citation
Lowe, Anthony Michael, "Make a foreigner of yourself: an analysis of the dueling critical utopias of The Dispossessed and Trouble on Triton" (2023). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 617.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/617