Flatland, Section 20 summary
Section 20 of 22 · Part 2: Other Worlds “O brave new worlds, that have such people in them!” · 5 min to read the section
In Section 20, the narrator hides his experiences from his Wife, then dreams that the Sphere takes him to Pointland, where its ruler cannot recognize anything beyond himself. The failed attempt to challenge this ruler exposes the limits of self-satisfaction, while the Sphere admits his own mistake and encourages exploration beyond three dimensions.
What happens
- The narrator invents a cellar accident to explain his condition, and his Wife urges him to rest.
- He tries to recall how a moving Square forms a Cube, then falls asleep repeating a directional clue.
- In a dream, the Sphere takes him to Pointland and describes its ruler’s complete ignorance of anything beyond himself.
- The narrator challenges the Point, but the ruler treats the criticism as his own creative thought.
- Returning toward Flatland, the Sphere admits his mistake about higher dimensions and teaches constructions beyond Solids.
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How does the ruler of Pointland understand the narrator’s criticism?
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