Flatland
Flatland is a commentary and observation on society using mathematical shapes as the society's members. In the book, men are varied shapes and women are simply straight lines. A man's social standing is indicated by his shape, and women have no social standing. At the time of its writing, the book probably describes the social society somewhat accurately. However, since then some cultures have learned that a person is not defined by his/her shape alone. I am going to connect the social hierarchy in Flatland with similar social systems that exist today.
The caste system in India consist levels in their society. A person's social status is dependent on who their parents are. There are five levels in the caste system: Brahamins, Khsatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, and Untouchables. The highest ranking members are the Brahmins (the priests), which are similar to the many sided polygons in Flatland. Next are the Kshatriyas (the warriors or soldiers), like isosceles triangles. The Vaishya are mostly merchants, landowners, and business people. In my opinion, Squares in Flatland would fit into this category. Fourth level is the Shudras (servants and…show more content… Men were varied and multi-sided figures, while women were simply lines with very little to differentiate between individuals. This view point has been held throughout history in many cultures and still exists in some today. This concept of women being unintelligent, purely emotional, incapable of logical reasoning permeates many societies. While most modern cultures have discovered that men and women are equal, and those same societies appreciate gender differences and consider them complimentary instead of one being better than the other. In Flatland, women are considered the lowest members of society, hence their plain design and lack of angular shape. In modern society women are viewed as the more complex and beautiful
