Life as Paradox in Toni Morrison

             Life as a Paradox in Morrison and Butler
             Morrison and Butler have created, in the Oankali and in the citizens of Haven, societies which hold a paradoxical reverence for life. They present two imagined utopian societies, micro chasms of today's society, whose conflicts bring out the undeniable nature of man, showing us that it is not only 'human' nature, but is just 'nature:' Intrinsic to everything alive, even the Oankali. In these societies' attempts at preserving one life, however, they ultimately destroy another. Both these works carry a literary and cultural importance. This significance comes from their function as a sort of 'looking glass,' a fairly unbiased glimpse into today's world. There is much to learn from these miniature societies about ourselves and society as a whole, if we are willing.
             In Paradise, we come to know about the young town of Haven. Once the citizens of Ruby, Oklahoma, Haven's founders were pioneers on exodus in the late 1800s to establish their own promised land, their paradise. This group of founding fathers sought a place all their own; where even freed slaves could live without the intolerance and hate of whites, own their own homes and businesses, flourish and prosper without regulation.
             Haven's history begins as a paradise--a Golden Age of prosperity, leisure, innovation and independence--but quickly shows its true dystopic colors, witness to its transformation into the very society the town's creation rebelled against. The old folks, trying to make life better for their children, welcomed technology such as washers and dryers, irons, and vacuums into their homes. As a result, unimaginable amounts of time saved in housework were devoted to leisure, and the people as a result, found their children getting lazy. The old folks wish to go back to the 'good ol' days,' while the youth feel the town is stuck in the past. Haven is missing the social revolution taking place all over the world,...

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Life as Paradox in Toni Morrison. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 05:59, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/81752.html