Hier ist die Facharbeit die Ich über Voyager und Robinson Crusoe geschrieben habe, Ich habe keine Achnung wie Unlesbar sie durch Copy/Paste wird, ausserdem ist dieser Post auch relativ lang und ausserdem auf Englisch. Ihr wurdet gewarnt, also hier ist sie.
How is Isolation dealt with in Utopian Fiction?
Introduction
The Choice of Material
The basic challenge of dealing with utopian fiction and isolation is not to find material to work with. In the contrary,there are so many books movies and audio sources of utopian fiction that deal with the problem of isolation in one way or another that it is difficult to make a choice. However, in many pieces of utopian fiction isolation isn't the main theme and appears in only one of many possible forms. The two sources I chose to examine , "Robinson Crusoe“ by Daniel Defoe and episodes of the tv-series "Star Trek Voyager“ based on "Star Trek“ by Gene Roddenberry , both deal with the topic of isolation in a multitude of ways. Of course it is an added challenge to work with two different media from two different centuries.
In this course work I will first shortly define the terms "isolation" and "utopian fiction" .
I will then attempt to prove that both of my selected media are valid examples of utopian fiction. In a second step I will analyze both stories seperately in detail, concentrating on the topic of isolation.
In a final step, I will compare the two, to see if any general conclusions can be drawn about the treatment of isolation in utopian fiction.
1.Definition of the term Isolation
Before analyzing which kind of isolation the people in my examples are confronted with, I will attempt to explain which aspects of isolation there are, and which I am going to concentrate on. Isolation is a term which has its roots in the latin word for Island (Insula). It describes the state of things or beings being separated from anything in any circumstance and in whatever context.
For example when an electric cable is "isolated" it is separated from outside influences to protect it from the environment or to protect people from the electric current running through the cable, Isolation is used as a technical term.
Of course, this is not the way in which this term is used in most works of fiction. Here the focus is on human beings which are tossed into a situation where they are separated from places, people and systems they are familiar with.
When a person is separated from anything either by a great distance or impassable terrain, this is called geographical isolation. This is the most obvious and most easily definable form of isolation there is, since the separation is physical and thus visible.
The less obvious forms of isolation are psychological or social isolation. They often exist within a society and are not as easily detectable. These forms of isolation describe the way in which people interact with each other. If people have certain habits, opinions or traditions which make them different from the rest of society, there tends to be a separation between this this group and the mainstream society. While psychological isolation describes the personal aspect, the distance one sees between oneself and other people, social isolation describes the effect that psychological Isolation has on groups. The lack of exchange between two groups can lead to ghettoization and thus social isolation can lead to geographical isolation. This happens today in many places of the world, like in Ireland and Israel or as it also happened between east- and west Germany and North- and South Korea. In all these cases religious and political differences were the reasons for Isolation both of social, and later, geographical nature. There is a dynamic of negative reinforcement between social and physical isolation. Even when the original causes for the separation fall away, there remains a feeling of alienation ("Die Mauer in den Köpfen“).
2. Definition of the term: utopian fiction
Utopian fiction isa piece of literature which is not based upon reality, but rather takes place in an imaginary world. The term "Utopia" was first coined by Thomas Morus. This title of a novel is a wordplay on two Greek expressions: "Ou topos" meaning "no place" and "Eu topos" meaning "good place". Thus he implicitly states that a good place cannot exist in reality. In this context modern criticism uses the term "dystopia" to describe a negative fictional world.1
Utopian literature can be defined as a piece of writing containing three main elements:
It must present the intricate network of a society . If this society works or not, if it is an impossible society to live in (dystopos) or to good to be true (eutopos) is left to the decision of the author. This choice offers an answer to what the author wants to tell us about the real world.
Utopias must present a society or system which does not exist ( at least at the time of the writing ). This is the main difference between utopian fiction and other fiction. Fairy tales for example are surely fictitious, but not utopian because they depict the structure of the real society ( for example the medieval feudal system with kings and knights).
Utopian fiction must try to convince the reader that described place exists somewhere or could exist in the future. This is best achieved by making references to places, regimes or methods which really exist, but aren‘t really well known.
If a piece of writing consists of all three presented aspects, then you can say that this piece is truly utopian literature.
3. Analysis
3.1 Can the chosen examples be seen as valid examples of utopian fiction ?
3.1.1"Robinson Crusoe“ by Daniel Defoe
The first indication that "Robinson Crusoe“ could be classed as utopian fiction is the simple fact that it is written in 1719 in the form of a travel account. In the 18th century authors liked to put utopian visions into the form of a travel account in order to add credibility to the tale (v. "Gulliver's travels" by Jonathan Swift or Knigge's "Peter Clausen). In Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe also follows the principle of early utopian fiction that such a text should always present a society which is new and better than the present society. In this book, Robinson builds a society where poverty, crime and in fact all of the social problems of 18th century British society are non-existent. Still there remain many allusions to the British system throughout the novel. In the beginning, Robinson's island is a monarchy and a democracy at once (for he is both the king and the People of his country), just like the ideal of Britain's constitutional monarchy.
Given the Fact that there is no concrete proof of Mr. Crusoe's existence, "Robinson Crusoe“ fulfills ar the criteria of utopian literature: a perfect social system is described, this system is fictitious, but the author attempts to make it sound realistic. Therefore Daniel Defoe's "The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe“ is valid example of utopian fiction.
3.1.2"Star Trek Voyager“ based upon "Star Trek the original series“ by Gene Roddenberry“
There have been many arguments about the question if science fiction is also utopian fiction. There is no reason why it shouldn‘t be considered utopian fiction as long as it fulfills all the criteria mentioned above.
In the case of "Voyager“ the first criterion (the construction of a social system) is obviously fulfilled, since it does not only present the intricate workings of one society, but of many different societies. There is the society of the Kazon for example, who live in a sole social structure of sects, there are the Vulcans whose native society is based on logic and nothing else, and last but not least there is the Federation, an open society with a healthy mix of communism and capitalism. Since all those three societies do not exist , the second criterion (fictitiousness) is also fulfilled. The third criterion (possibility) is also met, since the series takes place in this galaxy, a place which we know exists, but don't know everything about.
3.2 The treatment of the Topic of Isolation
3.2.1 Isolation in "The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe"
When he is stranded upon an uninhabited island by an "unforgiving storm" in which the rest of his ship's crew perishes, Robinson Crusoe is isolated from civilization as it is known to him. Being the sole survivor of the vessel, he is first struck with great hopelessness and shock ( "After I got to shore and had escaped drowning, instead of being thankful to God for my deliverance, having first vomited with the great quantity of salt water which was gotten into my stomach, and recovering myself a little, I ran about the shore, wringing my hands and beating my head and face, exclaiming my misery, …")2 . Not understanding why providence saved his life and killed all other crewmen Robinson Crusoe feels lost and bewildered. He climbs into a tree where he stays up all night in the fear of being "devoured" by animals or cannibals. Thus his initial reaction to his isolation is one of fear and desperation. The awareness, that he is geographically isolated from the rest of the "civilized world" causes an inability to act upon his miserable situation or take care of his needs. The shock of being completely alone is too much for him to bear.
Only after digesting the shock of being cut off from society he is able to make reasonable decisions to set up camp and to scramble to save all assets that can be saved in order to improve his situation. First things first: Robinson gets out of the tree the following day and goes to look for "any fresh water to drink". Having found a source of water, he swims back to his ship to recover any goods he might use. With the aid of these goods he then builds a tent on the shore to stay for the duration it will take him to get things set. Then he goes probing the island for edible things, natives and a final place to stay. Being successful at finding food, water and a cave but no natives, he is somewhat eased, for he is not likely to encounter any serious danger and has enough means to support his life. After making 12 more trips to his ship he begins to build his first "fortress" on the island, outfitting it with everything that he considers necessary to keep himself safe. He handles the situation well, by keeping himself occupied building things, taking his mind off the fact that he is all alone. Exactly how he copes with his isolation is mainly expressed through his work. He is definitely not an inventor, everything he builds has previously existed and is known to him. All the things he constructs are rooted in the British society of his days. He builds things very typical for his society like a chair, a table and a calendar to count the days of his stay on the island. He also uses words from his old life to describe his new surroundings: He calls his tent a "kitchen" and his cave a "magazine".
But anytime he slackens in his creativity, he is again confronted with the thought of his being isolated. It actually turns out that this psychological isolation, the fact that he is alone and has too much time to think, is harder for him to deal with than with the geographical isolation, which doesn't cause him too much trouble, since he is provided with everything he needs.
In order to come to terms with his psychological isolation, Robinson turns to the Bible he brought from the ship. He prays for his deliverance and repents his sins. In his loneliness he begins to reflect and to regret many things he has done in his life, including of course the undertaking of this voyage which ended for him on this lonesome and uninhabited island.
In his reflections upon his life on the island one can also learn a great deal about Robinson's ambitions. While he is, how he often states himself, in one of the most miserable situations, he dreams of being a monarch in his small island state. Being a Monarch would not only better his situation, it would make this island his home country, and in effect, his home. So Robinson indirectly states what he misses and what he longs for, a home. In his struggle to achieve this despite his solitude, Robinson rebuilds in his mind his own British society with its own king (himself), its own fleet (ship ratio of two per capita), and its own colony ( the other side of the island where he gets his highest goods, -the turtle eggs-, from ).
He himself can be regarded as king under God like the members of the British monarchy,, since he doesn't only keep faithfully to the Bible, but was also coincidentally "crowned by God" to rule this island. When he suddenly falls sick, his "society"; like all other societies is threatened by an "enemy from within"; another parallel to British society. So as he gets closer to being the "King" of his island his self-esteem raises and he does not question himself that much anymore about past decisions, but rather explores the island further.
It seems that Robinson has by now settled into something one could call a comfortable, self-sustaining and somewhat British or at least European lifestyle. He has his clothes (he is fully dressed) his routines (writing in his journal, taking walks) and at last a firm belief in God and therefore also a fixed view of what is good and what is evil.
But, just then, as he has bettered his situation, has reached confidence in himself and a thoroughly structured and stable system , something occurs that he has longed for for some time: He sees the imprint of a foot on the beach, a sign that his solitude will come to an end. This foreshadows that Robinson will soon be confronted with a new situation, the end of his isolation. How does Robinson react to this sign of the presence of another human being? Not with joy that there might be another person on the island that he could converse with. His reaction is fear, fear of cannibals who might come and eat him. At first this seems irrational, since he does not pose a direct threat to the cannibals, but could become dangerous to them in case of an attack because of his abilities of defending himself. Still, he seems to believe that the "savages" would actually put one or more people of their tribe into mortal danger for the sole purpose of eating him. At a closer look, it seems thus more likely that he does not fear his being devoured, but rather has a subconscious fear that his society, the home he has built up with his own hands might be destroyed by this interference from the outside. ( At least this anxiety would give a more logical explanation for his building of a second hideaway and other backup systems). To prevent this from happening, he investigates the activities of the strangers on his island. However, in order to act upon this only vague fear he needs to create for himself a good excuse for a preventive strike against the "savages" .
The discovery of a site where undoubtedly human flesh has been consumed provides him with a good enough justification before himself and god for taking any action , even brutal, deadly force against the intruders.
Robinson's strong and unexpected reaction to the sighting of other human beings show a change in attitude. Even though he still mourns the society he has lost contact with, his first thought is not hope for salvation, but fear for his own kingdom, the existence he has created on this island. At this point it becomes clear that Robinson has grown used to and is beginning to accept his isolation.
Thus he is now emotionally committed to his present situation and cannot decide if he rather wants to stay or make an attempt at returning back home. This inner conflict is taken up later on in a conversation between Robinson and Friday
Another dramatic change of mind enters the story when Friday sets foot on the island. For the first time in years, Robinson has the chance to enter into a dialog with somebody and to get feedback on his positions. In this dialog Robinson expresses the conflict mentioned above. In a question to Friday he expresses the question t he has posed himself for some time, when he says: "Friday, do not you wish your self in your own country, your own nation?". When Fridays answers that he would like to return, Robinson is concerned that, would Friday return to his tribe, he would take up cannibalism again (" 'what would you do there?' said I, 'would you turn wild again, eat mens flesh again, and be a savage as you were before?' ")3 . This also expresses what Robinson fears for himself. While isolated on his island he lives without vices, and has spent years repenting what he had done, he fears that in the society of his real home country he could return to his former unfaithful lifestyle and loose everything that he gained intellectually. But when Friday answers:
" 'No, no, Friday tell them to live good, tell them to pray God, tell then to eat corn-bread, cattle-flesh, milk, no eat man again' "4 he gains faith, and sees the possibility of changing his society, instead of letting himself be changed. Convinced now of the possibility to better his society( just as he reformed Friday) he promptly offers to build a canoe. His offer to do it himself shows his new commitment to the thought of leaving the island. His offers Friday to leave also indicates that he has now given up his dream of his own kingdom, for otherwise he would not let his sole subject leave and turn his now existing kingdom back into an imaginary one. Robinson is willing to give up his dream to achieve something he has dreamt of for a long time, his home. For the first time since he was stranded on the island, the prospect of leaving it is not just a dream anymore, it is a reasonable possibility.
So both the beginning and the end of his own society come with the arrival of Friday, his first immigrant. Robinson can consider himself a real king now, for he has a people to govern and an army at his hand. However only Friday's superior knowledge of nature, his physical strength and his moral integrity which surpass Robinson's own abilities (as he states himself) bring him the possibility of returning home. Robinson is now willing to give up one dream to achieve a bigger one. Admitting his own weaknesses gives him the strength to do so.
3.2.2Synopsis
In this book there are all three forms of isolation, psychological, social and geographical play a role, and yet all three are eventually overcome. Robinson Crusoe manages to survive and improve his situation by taking on the standards of his original society which state that one can only better one's situation by plain hard work and by keeping one's faith in god. Both is done, and in the end Robinson is delivered although he has to bring sacrifices which were painful, but always got him closer to Britain, the main objective in his struggle.
Not only does Robinson try to keep his society in order when living on the island, he did it at all costs. For example he does not give up his cave, his magazine, when it collapses. Instead of building a tree house, he rather reinforces and additionally supports his cave. This incident points out his conservative attitude . The conservativeness in this instance stands exemplary for everything Robinson does. He only uses objects and methods which he knows and which have proven to be useful. There is the canoe, which is used so well by the natives he encountered, or the umbrella which he knows is useful against the sun; in fact all his clothes, his baskets, his pottery, his ladder, his fortress, his farming and indeed in anything he thinks, builds, cooks, bakes and prepares, he relies on experience. Even the turtle eggs he is so fond of, he already knows and knows of their good taste.
This unwillingness to make changes serves two main purposes which keep him alive both physically and mentally. Physically it keeps him alive because he doesn't eat any berries which might be poisonous, and he does not waste any energy by trying out methods of which he is not certain that they work. Mentally it helps him to get over the fact that he is all alone, he reads the bible which makes him reflect upon his past life and doesn't give him time to live out his solitude, which would probably degenerate his sanity. It also helps him mentally by giving him something to live up to and constrain him morally so that he rations his assets instead of consuming them all at once.
The only personal change he makes in his state of one is the elimination of sin; he repents all the bad things he has done, he asks for forgiveness before God. He changes his model of the British society by the book (this is meant literally), the only book he has, the bible, into something better. By definition almost all the ten commandments are kept in his state of one, and those which are not kept by definition, Robinson keeps anyway, and is accordingly delivered.
Only in a state of isolation, being thrown upon himself, does Robinson learn to fully understand and live out the social and religious values of his society. Thus isolation plays a central role in this utopian novel by Daniel Defoe.
3.2.3 The theme of Isolation in "Star trek Voyager"
The crew of the starship Voyager, and a ship of he Maquis rebels are isolated from their society by being catapulted from one end of the Galaxy to another, 75 lightyears from known space. Even at full speed it would take their starships 75 years to get them home. Here we find the element of geographical isolation as it also exists in Robinson Crusoe. Only it is taken to extremes, as an isolation which today we could never overcome by any known means of transportation.
When a ship of the Kazon (another civilization from the Delta Quadrant) opens hostilities with the newly arrived strangers, the smaller Maquis vessel is sacrificed to save those who have survived their transfer to the Delta Quadrant. This sacrifice made by the Maquis confronts the Voyager crew with the added responsibility for the unloved Maquis crew, since they had to take the rebels onto their own ship. .5 This social act confronts the crews with the aspect of social isolation. For though both crews live wall to wall now, they remain political enemies until they finally manage to overcome their differences.
Since this whole TV series is too long to work with as a whole, only the last double feature episode (Endgame I and II) will be examined in this paper in order to see how the problem of isolation is being dealt with in this epic.
The last episode "Endgame" begins with a report about the return of the Voyager. The commentator in the background say the following: "These should be familiar images to everyone who remembers the U.S.S. Voyager's triumphant return to Earth after 23 years in the Delta Quadrant. Voyager captivated the hearts and minds of the people throughout the Federation. So it seems fitting that on this the 10th anniversary of their return we take a moment to recall the sacrifices made by the crew." The most surprising aspect of this report for the viewer is at first the fact that in this episode the starship Voyager has already returned to earth. However, the statement also points out another aspect, a parallel to Robinson Crusoe: The crew has had to make sacrifices in order to escape from their state of isolation.
In this first scene, the first person we see is the older admiral Janeway. This admiral Janeway has long surpassed her former rank of captain as much as she has overcome her former state of isolation. This fact is enhanced by the next scene. In this sequence, the admiral attends a dinner party. This can be seen as a symbol of re-integration into society as opposed to her former separation from it.
A little later in the episode, the narrative shifts back 26 years. Still in the Delta Quadrant, Tom Paris, helmsman of the Voyager is about to become a father. His half alien (Klingon) wife, who is also a marquis is having cramps. Nervously Tom gets his wife to sickbay.
The relationship of these two stands exemplary and metaphorically for the crew's overcoming of their isolation. As these two persons settled their differences (of race and character) and became one in marriage, so have the members of the Voyager crew and the Maquis united to father a friendship so strong, that it almost seems to have a life of itself, just like Tom Paris's and B'Elanna Torres's Baby.
The friendship between the starfleet personnel and the and their former enemies is originally based upon the utilitarian motivation of survival in an isolated state, but out of this necessary symbiosis there arises something stronger; they have become, as Mr. Barclay says in his speech at the dinner party, a family.
In the sense of a symbiosis of the two crews in order to survive the geographical isolation, the ranks of the Torres-Paris couple are also be seen as metaphoric. Torres s chief of engineering, and thus responsible for keeping the ship in perfect working order and Paris, the helmsman, is responsible for keeping the ship on a correct course. Without either of them, the whole ship would either deteriorate, or be misguided. Both qualities are vital for the safety of everyone on board. Thus this union enhances the importance of team-work for the well-being and survival of the group as a whole.
In this episode there are other signs that the crew is dealing well with its enforced isolation. The members of the crew enjoy pastime activities like playing games6 and going into the mess hall for dinner.
As the story develops. the older admiral Janeway from the future undertakes a trip to the past and into the Delta Quadrant to inform the old voyager crew about a shortcut home. In undertaking the trip, the admiral exposes herself to great danger in order to get to the Delta Quadrant. Here the voyager crew has discovered a nebula full of wormholes, folds in the universe which could be a possible shortcut home, but this nebula is also swarming with Borg, a species which multiplies by assimilating beings into their hive stripping those beings of their individuality. The Borg thus are the ultimate enemy of the Federation's society which is based on individuality. When Captain Janeway (not the visiting Admiral from the future!) decides to ignore the nebula because of the Borg, Harry Kim, the youngest officer of the crew, objects.7 He has longed r to go home more than any other person on the Voyager. Later he tries to convince Tom Paris to come into the nebula with him, but Paris objects. When Kim tries to stress the point that one of the wormholes might be a way home, Paris drily remarks: "I am home, Harry8 ."
Here another parallel can be drawn between Robinson Crusoe and Voyager. Just as Robinson starts to regard his island as his true home, apparently some people aboard the voyager develop similar feelings toward their starship. Even the helmsman wo is depicted as a notorious daredevil pilot throughout the series now sees that his responsibility lies with the ship, and not with adventure. This scene shows that there has not only been a profound change of situation, it also demonstrates that the people involved have also changed by dealing with the isolation in accepting the situation as given.
The development of the characters is especially important, because it shows in what ways the attempts at adapting to the situation have been successful. In this case, the superhero-admiring adventurer Tom Paris has changed completely . He is married to a dominant, half-Klingon wife. He is in a stable relationship, he is now willing to take on responsibility toward the ship and his family. But his priorities have changed, the fanatic pilot now takes his father position more seriously than his position in the crew. When his baby is about to be born, he is ready to ask his captain to substitute him on the bridge, even though this is the one mission which is vital for their return back home. Finally he does report to the bridge, but only upon the request of his wife.
To bring up another aspect in the personal development of the characters in the course of the isolation, one has to focus on the person who led the Voyager through isolation, and by what principles that person is guided. this person is The chief officer of the Voyager: Captain Janeway. Captain Janeway as the sole commander reflects best what holds the crew together: discipline and strict adherence to starfleet rules and principles9 . And not any Discipline at that, but military discipline wit a strictly ordered structure. According to these Starfleet principles any actions taken should be beneficial for the greatest amount of people, no matter if they are close friends or total strangers.10 This guideline first explicitly mentioned in the Star Trek movie "The wrath of Kahn" Aboard the Enterprise NCC-1701. Here it is referred to by commander Spock in the final dramatic scene of the film shortly before Spock dies of radiation poisoning. This Context stresses the importance of the guideline.
Only by keeping to these traditional Starfleet guidelines the Voyager crew can survive Isolation. So this frame of reference enlightens the conflict between Admiral Janeway and her alter ego, the captain. Even though the Admiral asks the captain to use the Borg transwarp hub as a shortcut to get the crew back home, the captain refuses to use the hub to save her own people because the destruction of the hub would save millions of lives from the assimilation of the Borg.
Here is another parallel between Robinson Crusoe and Captain Janeway. Both have dreams which are formed in the period of their isolation. Robinson dreams of his own perfect kingdom. Janeway wants to uphold and implement Starfleet tradition by all means. Both try to achieve their respective dream of stability by keeping to the rules of the society they know from the past. But both have to sacrifice some of their ideas in order to get home. Robinson can no longer maintain his virtuous society and Janeway has to give up the strict adherence to her beliefs.
In this painful process, both characters learn to make wise choices and come to terms with themselves and society.
3.2.4 Synopsis
In Star Trek Voyager, as in Robinson Crusoe, all three forms of isolation are important elements of the story. Geographical isolation, here in the form of being light-years away from known space, provides the setting in which the story develops. The social isolation of two groups with opposing ideals who have to share a confined space is a source of conflict throughout the major part of the epic. In the end the communication and cooperation forced on the conflicting parties through their shared state of isolation leads to an understanding of all involved, that teamwork serves the needs of every individual. Psychological isolation leads to frequent irritations between the crew members from different societies, because they have difficulties understanding each other's motivations and decisions. As an example, Captain Janeway is at first not able to understand Tuvok's altruism, his not wanting to save himself, rather than protecting strangers.
In this science fiction series, all three forms of isolation are being successfully dealt with by the protagonists. The solutions found here are interdependent. Only because the crew of the Voyager has learned to overcome their personal differences and to develop a common social structure, they also eventually manage to master their geographical isolation. Through the shared experience of isolation, all the people aboard the Voyager gain something , they did not have, before they came to the Delta Quadrant: a sense of belonging .
3.3 Conclusion
Even though the two works chosen for analysis come from different periods and represent different genres (travel account, science fiction), there are remarkable similarities, especially in their treatment of the topic of isolation.
In both epics, isolation is the driving force for the development of the story. It is the catalyst for the personal development and social improvement of the characters. Only through the problems the protagonists are confronted with in this extreme situation, do they learn to appreciate the importance of social rules and structure for a functioning society.
Thus in both examples, the isolation experienced by the protagonists puts the rules of the home society of the characters to the ultimate test. Since the protagonists of both tales know no other ways of dealing with this unknown and stressful situation, they rely on the rules, principles, habits and techniques they have brought with them from their home. They try to create an ideal state based on the visions of the previous society.
Also in both cases, the subjects are confronted with three forms of isolation, geographical, social and psychological. Because they actively deal with the social and psychological isolation by learning to depend upon one another and applying known social skills, the geographical isolation seems less threatening , because the perceived differences between the new and the former state have become minute. Thus the desire to return to the original society decreases - also because this would mean to leave everything behind one has newly achieved.
Another parallel between the two narratives is that the desire to return is reactivated by the appearance of a stranger , because this stranger presents new perspectives (Friday knows the currents of the sea and how to use them to get to the mainland; Admiral Janeway brings new technology from the future). This new momentum finally enables the people involved to free themselves also from the last burden, from geographical isolation.
Both Robinson Crusoe and Startrek Voyager can be regarded as "eu-topias", since in both cases social and psychological isolation enables the characters to create a harmonious society. The only factor which cannot be resolved by the subjects themselves is the geographical isolation. But even the failure to deal with this looses importance, once the other factors have been eliminated. This effect leads to the positive conclusion that, for the improvement of a society, only the people matter, and not the place.
As can be seen, the topic of isolation does not only play a major role in the development of both narratives, it actually is the very essence for the creation of these pieces of utopian fiction.
How is Isolation dealt with in Utopian Fiction?
Introduction
The Choice of Material
The basic challenge of dealing with utopian fiction and isolation is not to find material to work with. In the contrary,there are so many books movies and audio sources of utopian fiction that deal with the problem of isolation in one way or another that it is difficult to make a choice. However, in many pieces of utopian fiction isolation isn't the main theme and appears in only one of many possible forms. The two sources I chose to examine , "Robinson Crusoe“ by Daniel Defoe and episodes of the tv-series "Star Trek Voyager“ based on "Star Trek“ by Gene Roddenberry , both deal with the topic of isolation in a multitude of ways. Of course it is an added challenge to work with two different media from two different centuries.
In this course work I will first shortly define the terms "isolation" and "utopian fiction" .
I will then attempt to prove that both of my selected media are valid examples of utopian fiction. In a second step I will analyze both stories seperately in detail, concentrating on the topic of isolation.
In a final step, I will compare the two, to see if any general conclusions can be drawn about the treatment of isolation in utopian fiction.
1.Definition of the term Isolation
Before analyzing which kind of isolation the people in my examples are confronted with, I will attempt to explain which aspects of isolation there are, and which I am going to concentrate on. Isolation is a term which has its roots in the latin word for Island (Insula). It describes the state of things or beings being separated from anything in any circumstance and in whatever context.
For example when an electric cable is "isolated" it is separated from outside influences to protect it from the environment or to protect people from the electric current running through the cable, Isolation is used as a technical term.
Of course, this is not the way in which this term is used in most works of fiction. Here the focus is on human beings which are tossed into a situation where they are separated from places, people and systems they are familiar with.
When a person is separated from anything either by a great distance or impassable terrain, this is called geographical isolation. This is the most obvious and most easily definable form of isolation there is, since the separation is physical and thus visible.
The less obvious forms of isolation are psychological or social isolation. They often exist within a society and are not as easily detectable. These forms of isolation describe the way in which people interact with each other. If people have certain habits, opinions or traditions which make them different from the rest of society, there tends to be a separation between this this group and the mainstream society. While psychological isolation describes the personal aspect, the distance one sees between oneself and other people, social isolation describes the effect that psychological Isolation has on groups. The lack of exchange between two groups can lead to ghettoization and thus social isolation can lead to geographical isolation. This happens today in many places of the world, like in Ireland and Israel or as it also happened between east- and west Germany and North- and South Korea. In all these cases religious and political differences were the reasons for Isolation both of social, and later, geographical nature. There is a dynamic of negative reinforcement between social and physical isolation. Even when the original causes for the separation fall away, there remains a feeling of alienation ("Die Mauer in den Köpfen“).
2. Definition of the term: utopian fiction
Utopian fiction isa piece of literature which is not based upon reality, but rather takes place in an imaginary world. The term "Utopia" was first coined by Thomas Morus. This title of a novel is a wordplay on two Greek expressions: "Ou topos" meaning "no place" and "Eu topos" meaning "good place". Thus he implicitly states that a good place cannot exist in reality. In this context modern criticism uses the term "dystopia" to describe a negative fictional world.1
Utopian literature can be defined as a piece of writing containing three main elements:
It must present the intricate network of a society . If this society works or not, if it is an impossible society to live in (dystopos) or to good to be true (eutopos) is left to the decision of the author. This choice offers an answer to what the author wants to tell us about the real world.
Utopias must present a society or system which does not exist ( at least at the time of the writing ). This is the main difference between utopian fiction and other fiction. Fairy tales for example are surely fictitious, but not utopian because they depict the structure of the real society ( for example the medieval feudal system with kings and knights).
Utopian fiction must try to convince the reader that described place exists somewhere or could exist in the future. This is best achieved by making references to places, regimes or methods which really exist, but aren‘t really well known.
If a piece of writing consists of all three presented aspects, then you can say that this piece is truly utopian literature.
3. Analysis
3.1 Can the chosen examples be seen as valid examples of utopian fiction ?
3.1.1"Robinson Crusoe“ by Daniel Defoe
The first indication that "Robinson Crusoe“ could be classed as utopian fiction is the simple fact that it is written in 1719 in the form of a travel account. In the 18th century authors liked to put utopian visions into the form of a travel account in order to add credibility to the tale (v. "Gulliver's travels" by Jonathan Swift or Knigge's "Peter Clausen). In Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe also follows the principle of early utopian fiction that such a text should always present a society which is new and better than the present society. In this book, Robinson builds a society where poverty, crime and in fact all of the social problems of 18th century British society are non-existent. Still there remain many allusions to the British system throughout the novel. In the beginning, Robinson's island is a monarchy and a democracy at once (for he is both the king and the People of his country), just like the ideal of Britain's constitutional monarchy.
Given the Fact that there is no concrete proof of Mr. Crusoe's existence, "Robinson Crusoe“ fulfills ar the criteria of utopian literature: a perfect social system is described, this system is fictitious, but the author attempts to make it sound realistic. Therefore Daniel Defoe's "The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe“ is valid example of utopian fiction.
3.1.2"Star Trek Voyager“ based upon "Star Trek the original series“ by Gene Roddenberry“
There have been many arguments about the question if science fiction is also utopian fiction. There is no reason why it shouldn‘t be considered utopian fiction as long as it fulfills all the criteria mentioned above.
In the case of "Voyager“ the first criterion (the construction of a social system) is obviously fulfilled, since it does not only present the intricate workings of one society, but of many different societies. There is the society of the Kazon for example, who live in a sole social structure of sects, there are the Vulcans whose native society is based on logic and nothing else, and last but not least there is the Federation, an open society with a healthy mix of communism and capitalism. Since all those three societies do not exist , the second criterion (fictitiousness) is also fulfilled. The third criterion (possibility) is also met, since the series takes place in this galaxy, a place which we know exists, but don't know everything about.
3.2 The treatment of the Topic of Isolation
3.2.1 Isolation in "The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe"
When he is stranded upon an uninhabited island by an "unforgiving storm" in which the rest of his ship's crew perishes, Robinson Crusoe is isolated from civilization as it is known to him. Being the sole survivor of the vessel, he is first struck with great hopelessness and shock ( "After I got to shore and had escaped drowning, instead of being thankful to God for my deliverance, having first vomited with the great quantity of salt water which was gotten into my stomach, and recovering myself a little, I ran about the shore, wringing my hands and beating my head and face, exclaiming my misery, …")2 . Not understanding why providence saved his life and killed all other crewmen Robinson Crusoe feels lost and bewildered. He climbs into a tree where he stays up all night in the fear of being "devoured" by animals or cannibals. Thus his initial reaction to his isolation is one of fear and desperation. The awareness, that he is geographically isolated from the rest of the "civilized world" causes an inability to act upon his miserable situation or take care of his needs. The shock of being completely alone is too much for him to bear.
Only after digesting the shock of being cut off from society he is able to make reasonable decisions to set up camp and to scramble to save all assets that can be saved in order to improve his situation. First things first: Robinson gets out of the tree the following day and goes to look for "any fresh water to drink". Having found a source of water, he swims back to his ship to recover any goods he might use. With the aid of these goods he then builds a tent on the shore to stay for the duration it will take him to get things set. Then he goes probing the island for edible things, natives and a final place to stay. Being successful at finding food, water and a cave but no natives, he is somewhat eased, for he is not likely to encounter any serious danger and has enough means to support his life. After making 12 more trips to his ship he begins to build his first "fortress" on the island, outfitting it with everything that he considers necessary to keep himself safe. He handles the situation well, by keeping himself occupied building things, taking his mind off the fact that he is all alone. Exactly how he copes with his isolation is mainly expressed through his work. He is definitely not an inventor, everything he builds has previously existed and is known to him. All the things he constructs are rooted in the British society of his days. He builds things very typical for his society like a chair, a table and a calendar to count the days of his stay on the island. He also uses words from his old life to describe his new surroundings: He calls his tent a "kitchen" and his cave a "magazine".
But anytime he slackens in his creativity, he is again confronted with the thought of his being isolated. It actually turns out that this psychological isolation, the fact that he is alone and has too much time to think, is harder for him to deal with than with the geographical isolation, which doesn't cause him too much trouble, since he is provided with everything he needs.
In order to come to terms with his psychological isolation, Robinson turns to the Bible he brought from the ship. He prays for his deliverance and repents his sins. In his loneliness he begins to reflect and to regret many things he has done in his life, including of course the undertaking of this voyage which ended for him on this lonesome and uninhabited island.
In his reflections upon his life on the island one can also learn a great deal about Robinson's ambitions. While he is, how he often states himself, in one of the most miserable situations, he dreams of being a monarch in his small island state. Being a Monarch would not only better his situation, it would make this island his home country, and in effect, his home. So Robinson indirectly states what he misses and what he longs for, a home. In his struggle to achieve this despite his solitude, Robinson rebuilds in his mind his own British society with its own king (himself), its own fleet (ship ratio of two per capita), and its own colony ( the other side of the island where he gets his highest goods, -the turtle eggs-, from ).
He himself can be regarded as king under God like the members of the British monarchy,, since he doesn't only keep faithfully to the Bible, but was also coincidentally "crowned by God" to rule this island. When he suddenly falls sick, his "society"; like all other societies is threatened by an "enemy from within"; another parallel to British society. So as he gets closer to being the "King" of his island his self-esteem raises and he does not question himself that much anymore about past decisions, but rather explores the island further.
It seems that Robinson has by now settled into something one could call a comfortable, self-sustaining and somewhat British or at least European lifestyle. He has his clothes (he is fully dressed) his routines (writing in his journal, taking walks) and at last a firm belief in God and therefore also a fixed view of what is good and what is evil.
But, just then, as he has bettered his situation, has reached confidence in himself and a thoroughly structured and stable system , something occurs that he has longed for for some time: He sees the imprint of a foot on the beach, a sign that his solitude will come to an end. This foreshadows that Robinson will soon be confronted with a new situation, the end of his isolation. How does Robinson react to this sign of the presence of another human being? Not with joy that there might be another person on the island that he could converse with. His reaction is fear, fear of cannibals who might come and eat him. At first this seems irrational, since he does not pose a direct threat to the cannibals, but could become dangerous to them in case of an attack because of his abilities of defending himself. Still, he seems to believe that the "savages" would actually put one or more people of their tribe into mortal danger for the sole purpose of eating him. At a closer look, it seems thus more likely that he does not fear his being devoured, but rather has a subconscious fear that his society, the home he has built up with his own hands might be destroyed by this interference from the outside. ( At least this anxiety would give a more logical explanation for his building of a second hideaway and other backup systems). To prevent this from happening, he investigates the activities of the strangers on his island. However, in order to act upon this only vague fear he needs to create for himself a good excuse for a preventive strike against the "savages" .
The discovery of a site where undoubtedly human flesh has been consumed provides him with a good enough justification before himself and god for taking any action , even brutal, deadly force against the intruders.
Robinson's strong and unexpected reaction to the sighting of other human beings show a change in attitude. Even though he still mourns the society he has lost contact with, his first thought is not hope for salvation, but fear for his own kingdom, the existence he has created on this island. At this point it becomes clear that Robinson has grown used to and is beginning to accept his isolation.
Thus he is now emotionally committed to his present situation and cannot decide if he rather wants to stay or make an attempt at returning back home. This inner conflict is taken up later on in a conversation between Robinson and Friday
Another dramatic change of mind enters the story when Friday sets foot on the island. For the first time in years, Robinson has the chance to enter into a dialog with somebody and to get feedback on his positions. In this dialog Robinson expresses the conflict mentioned above. In a question to Friday he expresses the question t he has posed himself for some time, when he says: "Friday, do not you wish your self in your own country, your own nation?". When Fridays answers that he would like to return, Robinson is concerned that, would Friday return to his tribe, he would take up cannibalism again (" 'what would you do there?' said I, 'would you turn wild again, eat mens flesh again, and be a savage as you were before?' ")3 . This also expresses what Robinson fears for himself. While isolated on his island he lives without vices, and has spent years repenting what he had done, he fears that in the society of his real home country he could return to his former unfaithful lifestyle and loose everything that he gained intellectually. But when Friday answers:
" 'No, no, Friday tell them to live good, tell them to pray God, tell then to eat corn-bread, cattle-flesh, milk, no eat man again' "4 he gains faith, and sees the possibility of changing his society, instead of letting himself be changed. Convinced now of the possibility to better his society( just as he reformed Friday) he promptly offers to build a canoe. His offer to do it himself shows his new commitment to the thought of leaving the island. His offers Friday to leave also indicates that he has now given up his dream of his own kingdom, for otherwise he would not let his sole subject leave and turn his now existing kingdom back into an imaginary one. Robinson is willing to give up his dream to achieve something he has dreamt of for a long time, his home. For the first time since he was stranded on the island, the prospect of leaving it is not just a dream anymore, it is a reasonable possibility.
So both the beginning and the end of his own society come with the arrival of Friday, his first immigrant. Robinson can consider himself a real king now, for he has a people to govern and an army at his hand. However only Friday's superior knowledge of nature, his physical strength and his moral integrity which surpass Robinson's own abilities (as he states himself) bring him the possibility of returning home. Robinson is now willing to give up one dream to achieve a bigger one. Admitting his own weaknesses gives him the strength to do so.
3.2.2Synopsis
In this book there are all three forms of isolation, psychological, social and geographical play a role, and yet all three are eventually overcome. Robinson Crusoe manages to survive and improve his situation by taking on the standards of his original society which state that one can only better one's situation by plain hard work and by keeping one's faith in god. Both is done, and in the end Robinson is delivered although he has to bring sacrifices which were painful, but always got him closer to Britain, the main objective in his struggle.
Not only does Robinson try to keep his society in order when living on the island, he did it at all costs. For example he does not give up his cave, his magazine, when it collapses. Instead of building a tree house, he rather reinforces and additionally supports his cave. This incident points out his conservative attitude . The conservativeness in this instance stands exemplary for everything Robinson does. He only uses objects and methods which he knows and which have proven to be useful. There is the canoe, which is used so well by the natives he encountered, or the umbrella which he knows is useful against the sun; in fact all his clothes, his baskets, his pottery, his ladder, his fortress, his farming and indeed in anything he thinks, builds, cooks, bakes and prepares, he relies on experience. Even the turtle eggs he is so fond of, he already knows and knows of their good taste.
This unwillingness to make changes serves two main purposes which keep him alive both physically and mentally. Physically it keeps him alive because he doesn't eat any berries which might be poisonous, and he does not waste any energy by trying out methods of which he is not certain that they work. Mentally it helps him to get over the fact that he is all alone, he reads the bible which makes him reflect upon his past life and doesn't give him time to live out his solitude, which would probably degenerate his sanity. It also helps him mentally by giving him something to live up to and constrain him morally so that he rations his assets instead of consuming them all at once.
The only personal change he makes in his state of one is the elimination of sin; he repents all the bad things he has done, he asks for forgiveness before God. He changes his model of the British society by the book (this is meant literally), the only book he has, the bible, into something better. By definition almost all the ten commandments are kept in his state of one, and those which are not kept by definition, Robinson keeps anyway, and is accordingly delivered.
Only in a state of isolation, being thrown upon himself, does Robinson learn to fully understand and live out the social and religious values of his society. Thus isolation plays a central role in this utopian novel by Daniel Defoe.
3.2.3 The theme of Isolation in "Star trek Voyager"
The crew of the starship Voyager, and a ship of he Maquis rebels are isolated from their society by being catapulted from one end of the Galaxy to another, 75 lightyears from known space. Even at full speed it would take their starships 75 years to get them home. Here we find the element of geographical isolation as it also exists in Robinson Crusoe. Only it is taken to extremes, as an isolation which today we could never overcome by any known means of transportation.
When a ship of the Kazon (another civilization from the Delta Quadrant) opens hostilities with the newly arrived strangers, the smaller Maquis vessel is sacrificed to save those who have survived their transfer to the Delta Quadrant. This sacrifice made by the Maquis confronts the Voyager crew with the added responsibility for the unloved Maquis crew, since they had to take the rebels onto their own ship. .5 This social act confronts the crews with the aspect of social isolation. For though both crews live wall to wall now, they remain political enemies until they finally manage to overcome their differences.
Since this whole TV series is too long to work with as a whole, only the last double feature episode (Endgame I and II) will be examined in this paper in order to see how the problem of isolation is being dealt with in this epic.
The last episode "Endgame" begins with a report about the return of the Voyager. The commentator in the background say the following: "These should be familiar images to everyone who remembers the U.S.S. Voyager's triumphant return to Earth after 23 years in the Delta Quadrant. Voyager captivated the hearts and minds of the people throughout the Federation. So it seems fitting that on this the 10th anniversary of their return we take a moment to recall the sacrifices made by the crew." The most surprising aspect of this report for the viewer is at first the fact that in this episode the starship Voyager has already returned to earth. However, the statement also points out another aspect, a parallel to Robinson Crusoe: The crew has had to make sacrifices in order to escape from their state of isolation.
In this first scene, the first person we see is the older admiral Janeway. This admiral Janeway has long surpassed her former rank of captain as much as she has overcome her former state of isolation. This fact is enhanced by the next scene. In this sequence, the admiral attends a dinner party. This can be seen as a symbol of re-integration into society as opposed to her former separation from it.
A little later in the episode, the narrative shifts back 26 years. Still in the Delta Quadrant, Tom Paris, helmsman of the Voyager is about to become a father. His half alien (Klingon) wife, who is also a marquis is having cramps. Nervously Tom gets his wife to sickbay.
The relationship of these two stands exemplary and metaphorically for the crew's overcoming of their isolation. As these two persons settled their differences (of race and character) and became one in marriage, so have the members of the Voyager crew and the Maquis united to father a friendship so strong, that it almost seems to have a life of itself, just like Tom Paris's and B'Elanna Torres's Baby.
The friendship between the starfleet personnel and the and their former enemies is originally based upon the utilitarian motivation of survival in an isolated state, but out of this necessary symbiosis there arises something stronger; they have become, as Mr. Barclay says in his speech at the dinner party, a family.
In the sense of a symbiosis of the two crews in order to survive the geographical isolation, the ranks of the Torres-Paris couple are also be seen as metaphoric. Torres s chief of engineering, and thus responsible for keeping the ship in perfect working order and Paris, the helmsman, is responsible for keeping the ship on a correct course. Without either of them, the whole ship would either deteriorate, or be misguided. Both qualities are vital for the safety of everyone on board. Thus this union enhances the importance of team-work for the well-being and survival of the group as a whole.
In this episode there are other signs that the crew is dealing well with its enforced isolation. The members of the crew enjoy pastime activities like playing games6 and going into the mess hall for dinner.
As the story develops. the older admiral Janeway from the future undertakes a trip to the past and into the Delta Quadrant to inform the old voyager crew about a shortcut home. In undertaking the trip, the admiral exposes herself to great danger in order to get to the Delta Quadrant. Here the voyager crew has discovered a nebula full of wormholes, folds in the universe which could be a possible shortcut home, but this nebula is also swarming with Borg, a species which multiplies by assimilating beings into their hive stripping those beings of their individuality. The Borg thus are the ultimate enemy of the Federation's society which is based on individuality. When Captain Janeway (not the visiting Admiral from the future!) decides to ignore the nebula because of the Borg, Harry Kim, the youngest officer of the crew, objects.7 He has longed r to go home more than any other person on the Voyager. Later he tries to convince Tom Paris to come into the nebula with him, but Paris objects. When Kim tries to stress the point that one of the wormholes might be a way home, Paris drily remarks: "I am home, Harry8 ."
Here another parallel can be drawn between Robinson Crusoe and Voyager. Just as Robinson starts to regard his island as his true home, apparently some people aboard the voyager develop similar feelings toward their starship. Even the helmsman wo is depicted as a notorious daredevil pilot throughout the series now sees that his responsibility lies with the ship, and not with adventure. This scene shows that there has not only been a profound change of situation, it also demonstrates that the people involved have also changed by dealing with the isolation in accepting the situation as given.
The development of the characters is especially important, because it shows in what ways the attempts at adapting to the situation have been successful. In this case, the superhero-admiring adventurer Tom Paris has changed completely . He is married to a dominant, half-Klingon wife. He is in a stable relationship, he is now willing to take on responsibility toward the ship and his family. But his priorities have changed, the fanatic pilot now takes his father position more seriously than his position in the crew. When his baby is about to be born, he is ready to ask his captain to substitute him on the bridge, even though this is the one mission which is vital for their return back home. Finally he does report to the bridge, but only upon the request of his wife.
To bring up another aspect in the personal development of the characters in the course of the isolation, one has to focus on the person who led the Voyager through isolation, and by what principles that person is guided. this person is The chief officer of the Voyager: Captain Janeway. Captain Janeway as the sole commander reflects best what holds the crew together: discipline and strict adherence to starfleet rules and principles9 . And not any Discipline at that, but military discipline wit a strictly ordered structure. According to these Starfleet principles any actions taken should be beneficial for the greatest amount of people, no matter if they are close friends or total strangers.10 This guideline first explicitly mentioned in the Star Trek movie "The wrath of Kahn" Aboard the Enterprise NCC-1701. Here it is referred to by commander Spock in the final dramatic scene of the film shortly before Spock dies of radiation poisoning. This Context stresses the importance of the guideline.
Only by keeping to these traditional Starfleet guidelines the Voyager crew can survive Isolation. So this frame of reference enlightens the conflict between Admiral Janeway and her alter ego, the captain. Even though the Admiral asks the captain to use the Borg transwarp hub as a shortcut to get the crew back home, the captain refuses to use the hub to save her own people because the destruction of the hub would save millions of lives from the assimilation of the Borg.
Here is another parallel between Robinson Crusoe and Captain Janeway. Both have dreams which are formed in the period of their isolation. Robinson dreams of his own perfect kingdom. Janeway wants to uphold and implement Starfleet tradition by all means. Both try to achieve their respective dream of stability by keeping to the rules of the society they know from the past. But both have to sacrifice some of their ideas in order to get home. Robinson can no longer maintain his virtuous society and Janeway has to give up the strict adherence to her beliefs.
In this painful process, both characters learn to make wise choices and come to terms with themselves and society.
3.2.4 Synopsis
In Star Trek Voyager, as in Robinson Crusoe, all three forms of isolation are important elements of the story. Geographical isolation, here in the form of being light-years away from known space, provides the setting in which the story develops. The social isolation of two groups with opposing ideals who have to share a confined space is a source of conflict throughout the major part of the epic. In the end the communication and cooperation forced on the conflicting parties through their shared state of isolation leads to an understanding of all involved, that teamwork serves the needs of every individual. Psychological isolation leads to frequent irritations between the crew members from different societies, because they have difficulties understanding each other's motivations and decisions. As an example, Captain Janeway is at first not able to understand Tuvok's altruism, his not wanting to save himself, rather than protecting strangers.
In this science fiction series, all three forms of isolation are being successfully dealt with by the protagonists. The solutions found here are interdependent. Only because the crew of the Voyager has learned to overcome their personal differences and to develop a common social structure, they also eventually manage to master their geographical isolation. Through the shared experience of isolation, all the people aboard the Voyager gain something , they did not have, before they came to the Delta Quadrant: a sense of belonging .
3.3 Conclusion
Even though the two works chosen for analysis come from different periods and represent different genres (travel account, science fiction), there are remarkable similarities, especially in their treatment of the topic of isolation.
In both epics, isolation is the driving force for the development of the story. It is the catalyst for the personal development and social improvement of the characters. Only through the problems the protagonists are confronted with in this extreme situation, do they learn to appreciate the importance of social rules and structure for a functioning society.
Thus in both examples, the isolation experienced by the protagonists puts the rules of the home society of the characters to the ultimate test. Since the protagonists of both tales know no other ways of dealing with this unknown and stressful situation, they rely on the rules, principles, habits and techniques they have brought with them from their home. They try to create an ideal state based on the visions of the previous society.
Also in both cases, the subjects are confronted with three forms of isolation, geographical, social and psychological. Because they actively deal with the social and psychological isolation by learning to depend upon one another and applying known social skills, the geographical isolation seems less threatening , because the perceived differences between the new and the former state have become minute. Thus the desire to return to the original society decreases - also because this would mean to leave everything behind one has newly achieved.
Another parallel between the two narratives is that the desire to return is reactivated by the appearance of a stranger , because this stranger presents new perspectives (Friday knows the currents of the sea and how to use them to get to the mainland; Admiral Janeway brings new technology from the future). This new momentum finally enables the people involved to free themselves also from the last burden, from geographical isolation.
Both Robinson Crusoe and Startrek Voyager can be regarded as "eu-topias", since in both cases social and psychological isolation enables the characters to create a harmonious society. The only factor which cannot be resolved by the subjects themselves is the geographical isolation. But even the failure to deal with this looses importance, once the other factors have been eliminated. This effect leads to the positive conclusion that, for the improvement of a society, only the people matter, and not the place.
As can be seen, the topic of isolation does not only play a major role in the development of both narratives, it actually is the very essence for the creation of these pieces of utopian fiction.
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