• What is good about Omelas? Would you consider it a utopia? Why or why not?
• How specific is LeGuin in describing the city of Omelas?
• What elements does she leave up to the reader? What might this tell us about utopias in general?
• How does it escape the usual charges against utopia?
• Is it the existence of the child that saves the citizens of Omelas from being "bland utopians?" Their knowledge of the child's existence?
• Why do people stay in Omelas?
• Why do they leave?
• Is the world they go to better or worse? In what ways?

• What is good about Plato's Republic? Would you consider it a utopia? Why or why not?
• Is there really no doubt that "the elder must rule the young?"
• What are the characteristics of a good guardian? A good ruler? How are each to be chosen and trained?
• What is Plato's "needful falsehood" in the construction of the Republic? Is it truly necessary?
• Who tells this lie?
• How is class structure maintained?
• What are the rights and responsibilities of each class in the Republic?
• What values are given to freedoms from, freedoms to, individual happiness, general happiness, truth, and stability? What is most valued? Least?
• How would the Republic approach warfare?
• What does Plato have to say about the roles of women, children, and the family in his city-state?
• What are the characteristics Plato ascribes to the "true philosopher?" Why would this suit him to be a leader?
• What does Plato accede is the fate of the philosopher in contemporary society? Why might this be the case?

• What is good about Atlantis? Would you consider it a utopia? Why or why not?
• How is it similar or dissimilar to the Republic?
• What is unusual about its military?
• How is its class structure composed and perpetuated?
• What is the role of the kings?
• What characterizes the island itself?
• Do you see what role is played by technology here?

• What is good about the New Atlantis? Would you consider it a utopia? Why or why not?
• In what fashion is Bacon appropriating and reimagining Plato's Atlantis?
• Why is it significant to say that the city is "not great, indeed, but well built?"
• What is the role of religion in making New Atlantis utopic for Bacon?
• What restriction is placed on the visitors and how do they respond to it? How do you react as a reader?
• What is the history of New Atlantis? What assumptions does this reveal? What prejudices?
• How do you imagine Bacon's history of the Americas might have been read by his contemporaries? His representation of Judaism? Of the spirit of fornication? How did you respond to these elements in the text?
• What purpose does the Feast of the Family serve? How do patriarchs and matriarchs experience it differently? What does this suggest to you about the relations between the sexes in New Atlantis?
• How do the New Atlanteans use their isolation? What goals do they have in surveying the outside world?
• What new technologies have they perfected?
• What are the goals of each of the guilds within Saloman's House? Could this be read metaphorically?

• What would you say is the goal or purpose of Book One?
• How does this prepare us to consider Utopia?
• What relationship does this text have with The Republic.
• How does More navigate the dangerous politics of his own time in this work?
• Who is Raphael? What stories does he have to tell More?
• What is implied or directly stated about the Americas?
• How might the compass prove dangerous to the Americans? Is this risk inherent in new technology?
• Why won't Raphael put himself in service to a king?
• How is a prince responsible for the happiness of his people?
• Why does Raphael argue that hanging is an inappropriate punishment for theft? What reasons does he offer for his position?
• What is Raphael's opinion of standing armies? How is this related to theft?
• What does he claim causes people to become thieves? How are sheep involved?
• Does his alternative punishment for thieves strike you as just? Why or why not?
• What rules does Raphael propose constrain a good king?
• Can utopia exist in a world with private property? Why or why not?
• What objection does More make to this assertion? How is he answered?
• What accounts for the Utopians being "better governed and living more happily" than those in More's world?