"sometimes a word is written with a negative sign, when it means as much as if we had pronounced it affirmatively, if not more " John Smith (225)Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Thomas More's Utopia is a work that embodies and embraces ambiguity. In fact, almost every aspect of the book is imbued with a range of interpretable and unclear meanings, from the subtleties of its language (such as the alternate meanings of its title, which suggests both "good place" and "not of space") to the presentation of seemingly paradoxical ideas with a range of compromises in between. One of More's most frequently used techniques for presenting ambiguous statements and ideas is the inclusion of litotes, or double negatives. Perhaps the most striking example is the phrase “no less beneficial than entertaining” (3) used to describe the purpose of the book in the opening statement. Many similar examples are scattered throughout the book, such as in the description of the thief whose punishment is "no less" severe for theft than for murder (228), and in the utopian idea that he There are “no less” provisions for those who are powerless today but who have already worked than those who are still working (228). In these cases, More twists the language in order to imply but not implicitly state his ideas. This leaves the reader somewhat uncertain as to the emphasis of his statements, and at first glance it gives the impression that More's thoughts are open-minded and fairly non-polarized. But on a deeper level, it is a rhetorically compelling technique that tends to steer the reader toward a one-sided interpretation despite the illusion of ambiguity. Just as a statement such as "not rare" implies commonalities, More's understatements imply more than they openly admit. This type of effect can be observed not only at the grammatical level, but also in broader and arguably more significant dimensions of the book, up to its division into two parts. The first and second parts of Utopia, with their contradictory arguments for practicality and idealism respectively, are, in a sense, two halves of a double negation. For this reason, the first part is both a prelude to the second book in the sense that it introduces the conflicting identities of the two central characters, as well as the rhetorical way in which More will use the humanist argumentative style, but it is also a postscript in the sense that it is the second part of a litotes. The discourse between the character of Thomas More and the character of Raphael Hythloday that constitutes the first book is essentially a one-sided discussion about possible ways of reforming England. This focus on reform naturally tends to emphasize problems rather than ideals, in the form of a scathing critique of contemporary English society from the character of Hythloday. During his conversation with Hythloday, More's character occasionally attempts to tie a convenient anchor to Hythloday's comments in an undermining way that is absent from the second book, where naive idealism is rampant and rampant. In the first book, however, More argues that ideas are useless without action, and through his personality he prescribes the achievement of practical reforms through direct involvement in politics. Hythloday disagrees with More on the grounds that submission to authority is "absolutelyrepugnant to [his] mind” (7), but he is nevertheless accustomed to exploring the major problems of England from a fairly practical point of view. These problems include the uprooting of yeomen, excessive and ineffective criminal punishment, unequal distribution of wealth, hypocritical religious values, and idle nobility. The insightful and provocative arguments Hythloday makes on these topics have an air of pure philosophy filled with compelling logic to influence the reader. The effectiveness of such an argumentative style can be seen in examples such as his comment disparaging the justice system that "when the punishment is the same, murder is safer, because you cover up both crimes by killing the witness" (15) and others Remarks such as these are made about human nature: "it is impossible to make all institutions good unless you make all men good, and that I do not expect to see him before long” (26). Although these points remain unquestioned in Utopia, Hythloday's most radical idea, the elimination of private property, is met with a skepticism on More's part that is only found in a brief, somewhat diluted reappearance at the end of the book. This skepticism serves to provide a controversial view on the issue of private property (which is actually the central theme of the text) and thus sets the stage for the second book, which is essentially Hythloday's counterargument to the tone interrogator of More. Thus, the first part of Utopia consists mainly of practical analysis of England's problems, with a quick turn to speculation and idealism at its end. The second book can be interpreted as an idealistic guide to how we (or rather 16th century England) might be able to build a society close to perfection (or at least closer to perfection). The model for how to achieve this is delivered through the shining example of utopia, and in the process all of Hythloday's practicality is thrown to the wind as he delivers a fantasy-filled account of the strange island and its inhabitants until the last minute. detail. He begins by telling us about a landmass comparable in size and with similar characteristics to that of England, but as his narrative develops, these similarities only highlight the fundamental societal differences that have arisen despite the geographical and regional similarities between the island, England and Europe as a whole. In describing the utopian way of life, More places strong emphasis on those characteristics which specifically serve to oppose the undesirable elements of English society criticized in Part One. Money is eliminated, even scorned, with gold turned into chamber pots and chains for slaves, thus eliminating the imbalance of wealth (47). There is no room for idle nobility in the system of government, which resembles the Platonic idea of ​​a republic as opposed to the English feudal system of which Hythloday is so critical. The justice system is lenient in comparison to the harsh punishments More describes in his home country. A work schedule of only a few hours per day, with an emphasis on agriculture, contrasts sharply with the long and grueling working hours of most English citizens. There is even a relatively high degree of religious tolerance, although one could argue that this is only on a superficial level, since all utopians tend to believe in a suspiciously Christian God anyway. The naive and impractical view that More displays in creating this book The Opponent of English Society is essentially that of a communist idealist. He.