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Essay on Edward Bellamy

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                        Question 1: How Edward Bellamy Demonstrated Optimism in 1800

Edward Bellamy demonstrated optimism in the 1800 by writing about a better future American economy, when the real economy at the time was in problems. In the book, Edward Bellamy explains how the future American people will produce goods and services and how they will consume them. He further explains how the industries will be working better than they were. Before the man in the book, Julian West took a sleep that wakes him to a utopian world; America was in problems with workers’ strikes, building delays and labor conflicts (Bellamy 10). However, he explains of a better economy, where Julian West wakes up with no labor problems.

In addition, Edward Bellamy demonstrated optimism by giving a contrast of the world at the time, year 1800 with the future world, which is the year 2000. This contrast gives the future, the best place in the book. As a result, the American society feels optimistic that the future will be better than the past. More specifically, Bellamy describes the specific things that the future society will do better than the current one in the late nineteenth century. For instance, he explains the family of Doctor Leete who live in a better society, with equal opportunities, better products, good morals and friendly people.

            Question 2: Why Bellamy’s Book was Influential

The book by Edward Bellamy was so influential to the American society because it gave the American society the image of how the future looks like. The book became influential because it related the current situation with the idea of progress, of the human race, and gives people hope of a better America. In addition, the book is so influential because it addressed the issues that Americans were facing when the book was written. He explains that there will come a time when these problems will be over. For instance, he addressed the problem of women not being treated equally in the society at the time, year 1800. He describes a future society where women will be respected, and will have equal opportunities with the men like it is in Dr. Leete’s family (Bellamy 18).

            Question 3: Bradbury Building and the Book

I think the Bradbury building has to do with the future buildings that Bellamy describes in his book. Bellamy explains that the future will have magnificent buildings that he observed in his morning walk while in the utopian world (Bellamy 35). The building illustrates the real type of buildings that Bellamy writes about as being the buildings of the future.

                                                            Work Cited

Bellamy, Edward. Looking Backward From 2000 to 1887. Project Gutenberg Association / Benedictine University, Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1889, Print