Bleh. This is an essay for school.

I had to read a book called The Last Book in the Universe and didn't really read this over since I have so much homework. It had to be four pages long. Ugh. Good luck reading this...please revise it for me!

A Perfect World

Have you ever envisioned a world of peace and beauty, where luxury is given to you within the blink of an eye? A world where your insecurities and flaws in your DNA could be changed within a day? Rodman Philbrick, author of Last Book in the Universe, has.

In this futuristic novel, an epileptic foster boy referred to as Spaz boy talks about living in a world where people are placed into latches after an earthquake at least 200 years ago. These latches, or communities, are lead by latch bosses. Latch bosses are selected depending upon their power and ruthlessness, accompanied with their own group of young criminals. Those who live in the Urbs are considered normals and are often looked down upon by the occupiers of Eden for their anarchist-type violence and lower class living circumstances.

Eden was formed by the richest and most powerful survivors of the “shake”. It is one, if not the only, of the remaining latches that is closest to the back times that existed before the tragedy. Unlike the cities outside of it, there is a breath taking, naturistic sort of theme set upon the land with homes that are almost like palaces in comparison to the Urbs. Because of their advanced technology, those who were born in Eden are genetically formed to be perfect; perfect hair, perfect skin, perfect nose, perfect eyes—perfect everything! They are known as Proovs, and if a normal were to step foot on their grounds or even stare at them, they would more than likely be cancelled from their latch and/or sentenced to death (this also applies to any rules either sides break).

As you can see, the perfect world in this novel is in fact Eden. Picture it as a glamorous Montana, or even South Carolina.

But how exactly is it to be perfect? I find this sort of idea of Proovs and Eden being as they have been brought up to be somewhat controversial.

The imagery of a perfect human being is different in everyone’s imagination. For instance, someone could imagine a perfect human being to be tall and tan. Yet even so, someone else may not feel the same way and see perfection as someone whom is short and pale. The possibilities range, whether it be on appearance or skill. You are your own judge.

For me, I see it like this: all people have flaws, and each flaw is unique to its owner. In order to fulfill perfection, you must be able to express them in a way that would in fact make them something to be beautiful and respected. Perfection, in one way or another, is built up of unique, stricking details to a person’s personality and DNA. Take a look at top models—you would not expect some of them to be doing what they do if it weren’t for the camera and the way they pose. They’re beautiful because of their unsual appearance; it seperates them from the crowd.

With that reason, I disagree with the idea in this book that Spaz was speaking of when talking about the perfect world with perfect people. Besides, if it really was so magnificent, wouldn’t he and the others of the Urb be living the same life style? Would there be any need for Eden to have guards locking them out? I think Eden is a little overrated at some points.

What if that type of atmosphere were to actually be accomplished internationally? Think about it: what do you think keeps humans on this Earth? In order for us to advance as a general society, we must have some type of conflict and some sort of problem. Otherwise, the world would become boring and we would feel unaccomplished due to lack of purpose.

Of course, in the book, Spaz encounters a problem. He discovers through a latch runner (messages in the wind) that his foster sister, Bean, is sick with leukemia and would like a visit from him since he had been kicked out of his foster home and sent to see his latch boss, Billy. The old man, Ryter, that he had robbed ended up finding out about this, which lead them through a journey out of their city. Where they live is definitely no comfort zone. People starve and the pollution is so bad that there are no blue skies; in fact, nobody in the Urb knows they exist! In addition, there is no such thing as grass, trees, or hills in their latch, and yet they are confined in this prison. This is clearly why they dare to take such an adventure, seeing as to it that Bean won’t last very long.

Along the way, they meet a Proov girl that Ryter names Lanaya. You would think that they would be the only ones having any trouble, but alas, that is not the case. Lanaya is allowed to go wherever she may since she will become a master of Eden, but if she were to allow a normal to come into her latch, she and the others would be punished accordingly. Of course, she ends up breaking this rule.

The four of them, including a little boy who can only say the word “Chox”, end up embarking on this trip. As they pass through city after city, and latch boss after latch boss, they finally reach their destination.

Coincidentally, they just so happen to make it there when two latch bosses, Lotti Getts and Billy Bizmo, are at war with one another. The conditions of Bean are not at top notch, and due to the lack of time they had until the latch bosses returned, the four discussed their options: either they let Bean die, or take her to Eden.

As you may have guessed, this is where Lanaya engages herself in some trouble for breaking the rules of allowing a normal there. But due to a kind heart, she gets her and the other three down there immediately.

Unfortunately, they are unable to figure out a cure for her at first. Before the earthquake, there were curing methods for leukemia called chemotherapy. But the task to figure out this method was failed, thus leaving them with no way to help her. Clearly, the world is not as perfect as it seems.

Lanaya is determined, though, and when she speaks with her “contributors” (parents), they find a way. After genetically improving poor Bean’s blood, Bean comes back to being a healthy 12 year old girl and ends up staying with them.

It may seem like a happy ending, and I wish it could be. With every up, there is a down. After a week of enjoying the scenery and learning new games such as chess, the masters of Eden come to put them all on trial to decide wether or not Lanaya’s law breaking was reasonable. You would think that a world such as this would accept anybody, but no. These people do not care for her explanation, and Eden ends up being convicted.

So, I ask again. What is a perfect world?