English 12B - Checkpoint 08: Living In An Ideal World

What excerpts from Utopia best support the author's perspective that corruption within a society stems from ineffective governance? (Select all that apply.)

... and it is plain and obvious that it is absurd and of ill consequence to the commonwealth that a thief and a murderer should be equally punished; for if a robber sees that his danger is the same if he is convicted of theft as if he were guilty of murder, this will naturally incite him to kill the person whom otherwise he would only have robbed. 'It seems to me a very unjust thing to take away a man's life for a little money, for nothing in the world can be of equal value with a man's life: and if it be said, that it is not for the money that one suffers, but for his breaking the law, I must say, extreme justice is an extreme injury.'

Read the excerpt from Utopia. As they need less woolen cloth than is used anywhere else, so that which they make use of is much less costly; they use linen cloth more, but that is prepared with less labor, and they value cloth only by the whiteness of the linen or the cleanness of the wool, without much regard to the fineness of the thread. While in other places four or five upper garments of woolen cloth of different colors, and as many vests of silk, will scarce serve one man, and while those that are nicer think ten too few, every man there is content with one, which very often serves him two years; nor is there anything that can tempt a man to desire more, for if he had them he would neither be the warmer nor would he make one jot the better appearance for it. Which option best identifies More's perspective about social equality within Utopian society?

Focusing on the practicality of objects, rather than their appearance, can help to reduce excess and vanity in a society.

Which quotes from Utopia most clearly support the central idea that breaking the law is a direct result of a society's failure to establish fair systems of ruling? (Select all that apply.)

If you do not find a remedy to these evils it is a vain thing to boast of your severity in punishing theft, which, though it may have the appearance of justice, yet in itself is neither just nor convenient; for if you suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded from this but that you first make thieves and then punish them? 'There was no reason to wonder at the matter, since this way of punishing thieves was neither just in itself nor good for the public; for, as the severity was too great, so the remedy was not effectual; simple theft not being so great a crime that it ought to cost a man his life; no punishment, how severe soever, being able to restrain those from robbing who can find out no other way of livelihood.'

Read the paragraph from Utopia in which the character Hythloday addresses those with the power to change society. ...'If you do not find a remedy to these evils it is a vain thing to boast of your severity in punishing theft, which, though it may have the appearance of justice, yet in itself is neither just nor convenient; for if you suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded from this but that you first make thieves and then punish them?' What option most accurately identifies the literary device used in this excerpt and the way it depicts Hythloday's perspective about societal values?

Hythloday uses irony to present his opinion that a society that does not provide for its people creates desperation and is thus responsible for improving living conditions rather than simply punishing people's wrongs.

Which option, indicated by italics, most effectively depicts author Sir Thomas More's use of sarcasm?

It frequently happens that the same house which one person built at a vast expense is neglected by another, who thinks he has a more delicate sense of the beauties of architecture, and he, suffering it to fall to ruin, builds another at no less charge.

Read the excerpt from Utopia by Thomas More. But the time appointed for labor is to be narrowly examined, otherwise you may imagine that since there are only six hours appointed for work, they may fall under a scarcity of necessary provisions: but it is so far from being true that this time is not sufficient for supplying them with plenty of all things, either necessary or convenient, that it is rather too much; and this you will easily apprehend if you consider how great a part of all other nations is quite idle. First, women generally do little, who are the half of mankind; and if some few women are diligent, their husbands are idle: then consider the great company of idle priests, and of those that are called religious men; add to these all rich men, chiefly those that have estates in land, who are called noblemen and gentlemen..." What option most accurately identifies More's perspective about division of labor

More criticizes and exposes the corruption of a social hierarchy that allows the lower class to labor for the benefit of privileged few.

Which responses most accurately identify themes of Utopia? (Select all that apply.)

People are products of their society and the society itself is responsible for whatever happens to its people. The individual is only worth as much as he or she contributes to the community.

Read the excerpt from Utopia . "One day, when I was dining with [Cardinal Morton], there happened to be at table one of the English lawyers, who took occasion to run out in a high commendation of the severe execution of justice upon thieves, 'who,' as he said, were then hanged so fast that there were sometimes twenty on one gibbet! and, upon that, he said, 'he could not wonder enough how it came to pass that, since so few escaped, there were yet so many thieves left, who were still robbing in all places.' "Upon this, I (who took the boldness to speak freely before the Cardinal) said, 'There was no reason to wonder at the matter, since this way of punishing thieves was neither just in itself nor good for the public; for, as the severity was too great, so the remedy was not effectual; simple theft not..." Based on this excerpt, which response most effectively supports the central idea about societal norms

Society should provide for and support its people to establish mutual prosperity and to eliminate the need to commit crimes.

Read the excerpt from Utopia in which the Cardinal responds to a statement concerning capital punishment. 'I would gladly know upon what reason it is that you think theft ought not to be punished by death: would you give way to it? or do you propose any other punishment that will be more useful to the public? for, since death does not restrain theft, if men thought their lives would be safe, what fear or force could restrain ill men? On the contrary, they would look on the mitigation of the punishment as an invitation to commit more crimes.' What option best identifies the Cardinal's perspective about capital punishment for theft?

The Cardinal believes that if punishment for minor offenses like theft were not severe, those prone to crime would be likely to continue committing or even escalating their crimes.

Read the paragraph from Utopia. They have, however, two sorts of games not unlike our chess; the one is between several numbers, in which one number, as it were, consumes another; the other resembles a battle between the virtues and the vices, in which the enmity in the vices among themselves, and their agreement against virtue, is not unpleasantly represented; together with the special opposition between the particular virtues and vices; as also the methods by which vice either openly assaults or secretly undermines virtue; and virtue, on the other hand, resists it. Which words from the text most effectively help indicate the meaning of the word enmity as it is used in this passage? (Select all that apply.)

openly assaults or secretly undermines resembles a battle between the virtues and the vices

What excerpts from Utopia best support Thomas More's perspective that a successful society should value everyone's time and labor? (Select all that apply.)

Then consider how few of those that work are employed in labors that are of real service, for we, who measure all things by money, give rise to many trades that are both vain and superfluous, and serve only to support riot and luxury: for if those who work were employed only in such things as the conveniences of life require, there would be such an abundance of them that the prices of them would so sink that tradesmen could not be maintained by their gains ... And thus, since they are all employed in some useful labor, and since they content themselves with fewer things, it falls out that there is a great abundance of all things among them; so that it frequently happens that, for want of other work, vast numbers are sent out to mend the highways; but when no public undertaking is to be performed, the hours of working are lessened. ... if all those who labor about useless things were set to more profitable employments, and if all they that languish out their lives in sloth and idleness (every one of whom consumes as much as any two of the men that are at work) were forced to labor, you may easily imagine that a small proportion of time would serve for doing all that is either necessary, profitable, or pleasant to mankind, especially while pleasure is kept within its due bounds.

Read the excerpt from Utopia. The same trade generally passes down from father to son, inclinations often following descent: but if any man's genius lies another way he is, by adoption, translated into a family that deals in the trade to which he is inclined; and when that is to be done, care is taken, not only by his father, but by the magistrate, that he may be put to a discreet and good man: and if, after a person has learned one trade, he desires to acquire another, that is also allowed, and is managed in the same manner as the former. When he has learned both, he follows that which he likes best, unless the public has more occasion for the other. Based on this excerpt, what response most effectively explains how the author supports the central idea that in Utopia, needs of the society trump individual aspirations?

Utopians are required to either stay in the family trade or learn another that interests them, as long as their trade is put to use for the benefit of the community.

Read the paragraph from Utopia. First, women generally do little, who are the half of mankind; and if some few women are diligent, their husbands are idle: then consider the great company of idle priests, and of those that are called religious men; add to these all rich men, chiefly those that have estates in land, who are called noblemen and gentlemen, together with their retainers, made up of idle persons, that are kept more for show than use; add to these all those strong and lusty beggars that go about pretending some disease in excuse for their begging; and upon the whole account you will find that the number of those by whose labors mankind is supplied is much less than you perhaps imagined. What option most effectively depicts the literary device used in this excerpt?

sarcasm

Read the paragraph from Utopia. ... if all those who labor about useless things were set to more profitable employments, and if all they that languish out their lives in sloth and idleness (every one of whom consumes as much as any two of the men that are at work) were forced to labor, you may easily imagine that a small proportion of time would serve for doing all that is either necessary, profitable, or pleasant to mankind, especially while pleasure is kept within its due bounds. Based on this excerpt, which option provides the most accurate meaning for the word languish?

to exist in a state of diminished vitality; to become feeble or spiritless

Read the paragraph from Utopia. The building or the repairing of houses among us employ many hands, because often a thriftless heir suffers a house that his father built to fall into decay, so that his successor must, at a great cost, repair that which he might have kept up with a small charge; it frequently happens that the same house which one person built at a vast expense is neglected by another, who thinks he has a more delicate sense of the beauties of architecture, and he, suffering it to fall to ruin, builds another at no less charge. Which words from the text most effectively help indicate the meaning of the word thriftless as it is used in this passage? (Select all that apply.)

to fall into decay neglected by another