The fantasy-adventure novel “The Twenty-one Balloons”, written and illustrated by William Pène du Bois, talks about a 66-year-old retired math professor, William Waterman Sherman, who wants to spend a year traveling by giant hot air balloon for a new adventure. However, because of the seagulls, the professor accidentally crashes into the ocean and reaches the island of Krakatoa, where he discovers a secret civilization of 20 wealthy families made by diamond. The professor is amazed that the citizens of the island have built a unique Utopian society. Every year they would go out and pay with diamonds to purchase a lot of supplies back in order to keep the whole population fed. Each family shares the same amount of diamonds and resources as well as social responsibilities equally. People on Krakatoa island are intelligent and creative, even children, to invent many items. One day the volcano on Krakatoa erupts, and everyone manages to escape on a balloon platform. The first 19 families landed in India, whereas the F family landed in Belgium. The professor is found with twenty balloons in the Atlantic Ocean, where he is picked up by the S.S. Cunningham, a freighter. After several days with some rest, the professor shares his journey in front of a curious audience.
A Diamond is Forever and Priceless! Its beauty and strength has enchanted people of the world. While diamonds greatly improve the economy and bring richness into people’s lives, diamonds also make people selfish and isolated. The island of Krakatoa has a diamond mine in which everyone has a share of the diamonds. Everything on the island comes from supplies purchased on trips to other lands and paid by diamonds. However, they don’t want to reveal the secret of the diamond mine to the world. The story of "Twenty-One Balloons” and the story of “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz” all talk about a giant diamond mine and the protecting the secret of its existence. Diamonds in reality are very expensive because they are rare. According to the principle of supply and demand, when a thing is scarce, it is precious. But in the island of Krakatoa full of diamonds, people have full access to diamonds anytime or any amount they want easily and quickly. Diamonds then become less valued in people’s minds. In addition, diamonds could make people selfish and unhappy. People in the island of Krakatoa don’t want anyone outside of the island to know about the diamond mine for fear of losing the diamond price value and their wealth, suggesting that they have to live in isolation. How can these richest people be happy living an isolated life without friends or relatives? Every coin has two sides! Diamonds are priceless and bring people huge fortunes, but having diamonds in excess is worthless and could mislead people.
Du Bois introduces the idea of utopian society on the purpose of exploring the ideas of how society could be, which in turn, to provide people opportunity in reflecting their current society. A utopian society is an non-exist ideal society where everything is as good as possible to ensure the safety and welfare of its citizens. People of Krakatoa live on a volcanic island. They are rich, creative, and intelligent. Each day all the citizens eat together at the same restaurant, moving in order from A to B until reaching T and start over. People on the island don’t have to work hard everyday since they have their own endless supply of diamonds. Under Du Bois’s writing, people on the Krakatoa island build a secret utopian society. Each family living there shares the diamond resources and working responsibilities equally. People there have great ability to do anything. They are able to transform the inhospitable volcanic island into a comfortable living environment. They believe their lives are perfect and they don’t have to worry about money. But utopian society is an illusion. When people are already perfect with wealth, will they still have a life goal and pursue it? When people always eat meals with the same people in the same cycle of the restaurant, don’t they feel bored? The utopian emphasizes social equality for every resource and responsibility. But is it really beneficial for each citizen? It seems people in utopian society are living a perfect life, but in fact the utopian society brings the danger of making people feel bored, empty and unfulfilled.
The power of creativity, inquiry, and curiosity lead to many helpful and valuable inventions that have long flourished in society. Inventions have been invented not only to improve human life but also to contribute to one’s sense of accomplishment. Mr. F. shows the professor many of the ingenious devices built into the houses, like making a fully automatic room and furniture. The kids on the island had turned it into a playground for themselves, also they had made a balloon merry-go-around, which combined the concepts of the two. The attitudes and behaviors toward creativity and invention need to be emphasized. Adults should be helpful in providing opportunity and environment to allow the kids to pursue their curiosity. All of the greatest inventions come from the little curiosity in the young’s mind. Through the developmental tasks, people begin to realize their ability and talents and begin to define who they are, which inturn, creates self-confidence. They then might want to develop the hobby of invention and make this hobby into a career to promote better quality of human life. People, especially young kids, young kids or teenagers, should be encouraged to stay curious and to embrace their own creativity for invention.
“The Twenty-one Balloons” by William Pène du Bois is a highly inventive and carefully written story with adventure, which deserves its Newbery Medal. The enlightening story “The Twenty-one Balloons”presents three themes about diamonds, utopian society, and invention. Without questions, diamond in reality is priceless because of its uncountable value and scarcity. But having diamonds in excess is worthless and could mislead people. The topic of the diamond points out how to live a life where people have an extreme amount of high-value items that people want. Also, a utopian society seems an ideal and perfect living ensuring each citizen safety and welfare as well as emphasizing on equally receiving natural resources and sharing social responsibilities. But a utopian might bring the danger of lacking life purpose, feeling empty, and losing intention to fulfill some achievement. Furthermore, du Bois’s writing offers readers many technological wonders, a museum filled with imaginative inventions, and a balloon merry-go-rouond, which addresses the importance of staying curious, being creative, and receiving education. Inventions of man made societies much more convenient. Thus, societies have grown bigger, and they are flourishing.
Comments