Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy

Name: Looking Backward
Author: Edward Bellamy

The novel is set in the late 19th century and follows the story of Julian West, a young man who falls into a deep sleep and wakes up in the year 2000 to find that the world has changed dramatically. He discovers that the United States has become a socialist utopia where people live in harmony with each other and with the environment. The novel is structured as a series of conversations between Julian West and his host, Dr. Leete, who explains the workings of this new society to him. Through these conversations, Bellamy outlines his vision for a future society that is based on social justice, equality, and cooperation. In this future world, people work only a few hours a day and have ample time for leisure activities. The state provides for all their needs, including food, clothing, shelter, education, and healthcare. People are free to pursue their passions and interests without worrying about material necessities. The novel also explores the concept of nationalism and the role of the state in society. Bellamy argues that the nation-state is an outdated institution that should be replaced by a global cooperative commonwealth. Throughout the novel, Bellamy critiques the social and economic ills of his time, including poverty, inequality, and exploitation, and offers a vision for a more just and equitable society.

By Edward Bellamy · First published 1888 · Genre: Science Fiction, Utopian Fiction, Social Commentary · 28 chapters · 106,580 words

First lines

I first saw the light in the city of Boston in the year 1857. "What! " you say, "eighteen fifty-seven? That is an odd slip. He means nineteen fifty-seven, of course. " I beg pardon, but there is no mistake. It was about four in the afternoon of December the 26th, one day after Christmas, in the year 1857, not 1957, that I first breathed the east wind of Boston, which, I assure the reader, was at that remote period marked by the same penetrating quality characterizing it in the present year of grace, 2000.

What this Textopian page supports

Looking Backward is listed on Textopian as a novel by Edward Bellamy, dated 1888 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Edward Bellamy
Date: 1888 CE
Language: English
Genres: Science Fiction, Utopian Fiction, Social Commentary, Political Fiction, Speculative Fiction
Length: 106,580 words
Structure: 28 chapters, 869 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Science Fiction — The narrative involves a protagonist who wakes up in a future society that is drastically different from his own time, a common trope in science fiction.
Utopian Fiction — The future society depicted is an idealized version of society, which is a characteristic of utopian fiction.
Social Commentary — The book uses its narrative to critique and comment on the social and economic conditions of the author's own time.
Political Fiction — The narrative explores political and economic systems, making it a work of political fiction.