Flatland~Structure

Flatland, a book by Edwin Abbott, is a book written about the world of a 2D world, Flatland, and its inhabitants, the 2D shapes. Edwin had described the citizens of Flatland as having a system almost like ours, with different standings of people and the different lifestyles, how the triangles with the least sides are the poorest and should they have a square, an ordinary citizen, it would be sent away to live with other squares, where it will learn and study, away from its parents, like the poor being adopted into families like our modern society.

The book had started off with a story, with the story told an ordinary citizen of Flatland, a Square, who was visited in a dream by a 3D sphere, which convinced the Square of a 3 dimensional world called the Spaceland. The square later tried to tell all the Flatlanders about this world but to no avail. Later, the Square questioned the sphere about the possibilities of a fourth dimension, to which the Sphere angrily leaves the Square, thinking that the Square is incapable of comprehending other dimensions.

Many people after reading this will sympathise with the Square, thinking that it was outrageous for the Sphere to leave the Square after such a plausible theory, after all, Flatland was ignorant of Spaceland and its 3 Dimensional space, but that didn’t mean that Spaceland didn’t exist. Edwin had used the simple story to try and tell us that there is more to the universe than we think. He had first started with a visit from Spaceland. Due to us humans living in a 3 Dimensional world, we would believe that such a world exist and thus believe in Spaceland. We would laugh at the Flatlanders of their ignorance of Spaceland while sympathising with the Square and its valiant efforts to spread the knowledge. When the Square asks the Sphere about the existence of a fourth dimension, we realise, how like the sphere, we easily dismiss the ideas and theories.

With a book like Edwin’s, though it may be short, it managed to express his idea’s through using a simple yet relatable story. Like the Science Delusion, Flatland wants to tell the Scientists to keep an open mind, accept new ideas and not to follow the dogmas so strictly.

 

 

Flatland by Edwin Abbott- 4c’s

You may want to read some of the other posts on Flatland as well.

Connection
I have pondered the idea of a two-dimensional world before, as it is mentioned in the book Albert Einstein and His Inflatable Universe (no plug intended :). It is an interesting idea that poses many logical problems that are sometimes un-answerable by one self’s pondering. Reading Flatland answered some of these questions- though sometimes in creative non-scientific ways. Some of these included how the 2d shapes see each other, because two dimensions is completely flat- which is answered in a creative way by Edwin Abbott- by “essence of vision”, they “just do”.

Challenge
One idea from the book that I did not agree with, and so in accordance with the sub title of this section must challenge (even though it is not a scientific concept I am challenging), is that our place is society is predetermined at birth by our parent’s actions. I am not sure whether the values held in flatland reflect those held by Edwin Abbot; however I do think it is a rather unfair idea. The narrator of the book expresses that in Flatland they believe each generation should automatically improve on his father’s class in society by one step (an added side), but cannot improve their own position no matter how hard they try. Also, if a shape does something despicable and has a side taken away, then his descendants will suffer and they can do nothing about it.

Concept
One of the most important concepts I took away from this book is one of knowledge. It is the idea that our understanding of something- physics, extra dimensions or the universe- possibly anything, could be wrong. It is the idea that we do not know which parts of science we don’t understand and that we should accept challenges to our understanding with grace and in a dignified manner. Not like the square, or the sphere or any of the shapes who met challenges with hostility.

Changes
The changes this book advocate stem from the section above. Although it does not directly state this idea, it is easy to pick up. By illustrating how not to act and the consequences for behaving that way, the book Flatland by Edwin Abbott presents a compelling argument to keep an open mind towards new ways of thinking.

Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott – Structure

Welcome to Flatland, people.

So recently I wrote a post of my delight in reading Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott, and all of the wonderful language conventions it uses to create an intellectually intriguing text. However before I leave Flatland into the archive of science literature analysis posts, there’s something that I feel compelled to talk about, which is Flatland’s structure.

The main reason why I want to talk about the structure of Flatland is because it uses a particular story structure which reappears in many texts including “Jonah and the Whale” in the Bible, and it reappears so often because it’s a story that has strong impact on people.

“So what is this archaic story structure” I hear you ask? Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m talking about the story of what I call “the Failed Prophecy”, which is very much integrated into the story of Flatland.

To start with, here’s a quick chronological summary of what happens in Flatland. So our story starts with Square, a 2-dimensional creature in a 2-dimensional world. Here an extensive introduction is given about the society of these 2-dimensional creatures covering a wide range of topics: gender roles, social class, perception, architecture; pretty much everything we would want to know about the world of Flatland.

After that very long introduction, the book shifts to the world of Lineland where only one dimension exists. Square visits here through a dream, and becomes acquainted with the idea of dimensionality. And then the book shifts again to the world of 3-dimensions, where a prophet from that world comes and reveals Square to a whole new perspective of dimensionality too.

After the departing of the 3D prophet, Square begins his mission to reveal to others this great revelation. He begins with his son, however even after extensive explanations, his son responds in ridicule. Square, although disappointed, continues to spread the world, but person after person, they all reject his inconceivable idea of a 3^rd dimension, and he is sent to prison, cast as a lunatic prophesising about an inexistent truth.

So how does the “Failed Prophet” story fit into Flatland? Well firstly, the primary structure of the “Failed Prophet” story is the introduction, “the Vision”, and “the Prophesy.”

So in this story, the introduction’s role in the Failed Prophesy structure is to introduce the problem. Although various problems exist in Flatland, the main one which is focussed on is the ignorance of a greater truth i.e. dimensionality.

This greater truth is explored when Square goes through the stage which I like to call “The Vision.” Essentially this is where that greater truth is revealed, in this case, the existence of creatures in different dimensions. The visit from the 3-D prophet then allows for his mission to become clear; to prophesize about the existence of different dimensions.

And then this is where the prophecy stage comes into toll, where he attempts to convince people of this truth, which unfortunately for him, results in being cast as a heretic and held in jail because of the inconceivability of his message to a 2-dimensional creature. And that people, is the story structure of the Failed Prophet in Flatland.

The reason why I like the Failed Prophet structure is because although it’s sad, it has a very human, realistic quality, which draws on the relatable feeling of rejection. It’s a story which can really get to you; because everyone at some point has felt rejection before, and when we see a story of what seems like a hero figure ready to spread the word of a greater truth, turn into a story of rejection despite good intentions; it makes you a bit sad.

Now if you read my last post about Flatland, you might be baffled at this response, since I wrote before about how it’s a book for people interested in maths, not for those looking for a down-to-earth, moving narrative. But now that I’ve realised how symbolic and deep this story is, I’ve changed my perspective a bit.

So if you’ve already read the book, I challenge you to read it again, and notice how a seemingly over-wordy math book, is actually a powerful, humanistic story of rejection.

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions –Connections, Challenges, Concepts, Changes.

Flatland is a satirical novel written by English school teacher Edwin A. Abbot. The author uses the setting “Flatland” to state observations about social Victorian hierarchy. The first few chapters of the book are dedicated to explaining the ways in which the world is organised, immediately creating connections with the real world.

A part of Flatland that I could personally relate to is the concept of fear of the unknown. Society is often content with the way things are and view changes to it as threats. This is evident in the book because when Square first heard of Spaceland he refused to believe in it because it opposed his beliefs and ideas. Later in the book when Square is preaching to the Circles he is thrown in prison because the Circles do not understand what he was preaching and because of that were fearful of it. The concept is extremely prevalent in real life in which people with radical new ideas that oppose social norms are often ridiculed

Flatland

and their ideas are often not considered

Although there are some concepts in the text that I personally can relate to there are also some that I do not. For example I can’t relate to the concept that men and women have different roles in society and are not equal. Perhaps it is possible that the readers in the 1800’s may have been able to connect to the ideas of social class displayed in the book, but as society today has less of a social structure and hierarchy it makes it harder for modern readers to fully relate to some of the concepts in the book.

An important concept in the book is that the reality that you perceive may not be entirely correct. In the book Square is amazed at the inability of Lineland and Pointland societies to experience his own perspective of reality, one which he believes is entirely true. Yet when he is dragged into Spaceland he has a similar lack of understanding but realises the possibility of endless dimensions. Each dimension is essentially a view of reality and the book shows how everyone completely believes in his or her view of reality even though it may not be faultless. This concept is evident in life as everyday you meet people that view the world in different ways and have conflicting ideas on the same topics.

The book has changed the way in which I perceive reality. It showed the way in different people can completely believe in their own version of reality when in truth they are only seeing a small part of the whole picture. It shows the way in which people of different cultures with differing beliefs and customs can have differing views on the same thing.

Related articles

• Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions – Connections, Challenges, Concepts, Changes. (pedrodominicfiles.wordpress.com)
• Flatland- Structure (pedrodominicfiles.wordpress.com)
• Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott – Central Ideas (pedrodominicfiles.wordpress.com)
• Flatland – Content (pedrodominicfiles.wordpress.com)
• Flatland: An extraordinary piece of Science Writing (thesciencedimension.wordpress.com)
• Regarding the structure of this 2D land. (thinkingfore.wordpress.com)

Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott – Central Ideas

Published in 1884, Flatland chronicles the adventures of a 2D square who is introduced to space land- the world of the 3D. The book explores ignorance and social classes however the main concept is extra dimensions.

At 80 pages long, Edwin A. Abbott didn’t give himself much room to write this slightly scientific novella.  Indeed, he spends the first 40 or so pages explaining how life in Flatland works, them being only able to see straight lines of varying brightness. The main character, a square, then goes on to explain his dreams of lineland, a one dimensional kingdom, his brief journey into three dimensional space land and also a fleeting encounter with pointland, a no dimensional spot.

Throughout the book, whether a comment on society at the time or not, the square in the story expresses explicit understanding of societal classes. Isosceles triangles measured by the size of their angle, polygons ascending the classes as their sides grow more numerous, being born into an unchangeable class and the inferiority of women, who are merely straight lines in flatland. These are core concepts in the book and many of the explanations build upon this information as the square is constantly referring back to superior circles and inferior women.

Edwin Abbott

The main concept conveyed in this book though is understanding of dimensions and the possibility of more. After flatland, the first dimension we visit if lineland. The king of lineland is completely ignorant to anything outside moving back and forth and is mesmerised by the square’s ability to move in and out of lineland, yet he refuses to believe the square’s explanation for his ability. The square is then introduced into spaceland, first by a description from a sphere, then by being taken out of his 2D plane. At first, however, the square did not believe in the existence of three dimensions and denied it with great passion, just as the king of lineland denied two dimensions existed. Through his interactions with a three dimensional sphere, the square raises the question of more dimensions, possibly four or five, or even six or seven. The sphere denies any more than three exist, just as the square and king of lineland denied extra dimensions. This is perhaps the most profound idea in the entire book of Flatland, that we ourselves may be ignorant of a fourth or even fifth dimension of space. Even though it takes about 40 pages to express this idea, it is well worth the read as the story elements and appreciable characters make it much more insightful than a plain old scientific theory.