Gregory ChanWorld Literature IIMr. HathawayFebruary 28, 2014Working thesis: The setting of Flatland and its [something] can be paralleled with several examples of similar [settings] in our story. As we look back at our history, we often see times when laws and regulations seem unfair compared to our society today. The setting and perspective in the world of Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions can easily be paralleled with the events that occurred in our story. For nearly the first half of the story, Abbott describes the world of Flatland and all its idiosyncrasies. Although lengthy, this description is necessary for the reader to fully understand the social structure of Flatland, which is a critical aspect around which the rest of the story revolves. In Flatland there are only two dimensions, as opposed to the three-dimensional world in which we live. There everyone is divided into their respective social classes; the lowest level are the Isosceles Triangles, formed by workers and soldiers. Then come the Equilateral Triangles, which represent the middle class. As we move up the ranks, the Flatlanders gain more and more sides until we reach a Polygon with so many sides that it is essentially a Circle. These are made up of priests and are considered the highest order. The narrator, who is a Square, gives "a feeling of immediacy [and] we feel as if we are receiving the description directly from a participant." Since a Square is neither the lowest nor the highest rank, his opinions and emotions are those common among the civilians of Flatland. This aspect is important because it provides the reader with a reliable description of the setting. The insensitive d... half of Abbott's paper... is often what we are taught, even if there is evidence that contradicts what we think. believe. The result of Square's dissemination of his knowledge was his imprisonment for the rest of his life, an act that often occurred in our society for disagreement with traditional ideas. During the French Revolution, tens of thousands of citizens were executed for attempting to introduce new ideas into the government and the people. The government of Flatland is effective in its satirical projection of the injustices committed by the monarchies of the time. The Square, who is imprisoned simply for spreading his ideas, shows the reader how unfair this system is, according to which one cannot even express what one feels without having to fear going to prison. Ultimately, the world of Flatland has many parallels with several societies of Abbott's era, as well as those of our own era..