The definition of “Utopia” writes, “A place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions” (Webster Dictionary).
Ahmed Khaled Towfik plays with the idea of Utopia in a strong way to make a point. the point is that society is becoming corrupt with the ways that things are going today. In utopia, there are two societies split. Utopia, the “perfect society” and the outside world, the “cockroaches” of the society. What is the most ironic about the utopian society is that their world is anything but perfect. The Utopian society is based on class hierarchy with the outside world being thought of as animals. Though in the end of the book the “animals” decide to fight back, which ultimately is the most ironic being that in the book they are seen as powerless and worth nothing.
In todays society, I see a lot of irony happening everyday. We all live in a society that is class based. The top 1% are who make the decisions which affect all of the rest of us who are not part of the top 1%. But today in 2018 the other 99% of us are getting our voices and fighting back. My favorite example of this is Black Lives Matter movement that is currently happening around the country. Because the majority are us are fighting back it gives us the upper hand to get what we want, equality.
Stoop, Jan, et al. “Are the Rich More Selfish than the Rest of Us?” The Conversation, The Conversation, 18 Sept. 2018, theconversation.com/are-the-rich-more-selfish-than-the-rest-of-us-74803.
Upham, Kaylee. “Why ‘Black Lives Matter’ Has It Wrong.” The Odyssey Online, 11 Nov. 2017, http://www.theodysseyonline.com/why-black-lives-matter-has-it-wrong.
To me, Towfik has predicted todays society. Like in the book, the 99% have finally had enough and are fighting back. We are no longer going to be quiet and let the 1% rule how we live our lives. It has taken over 100 years for us to get the courage to fight, but change is finally upon us.
So how has Towfik’s “Utopia” really predicted our society fate? He is giving us a voice. A voice that is going to and already is making a change. Like the members of the outsiders of the Utopian society, we in 2018 have had enough. Its time for change, and most importantly its time for us, the 99%, the have a voice and get what we have been fighting for.
Literary Genres in Translation 