The Twenty-One Balloons

by William Pene du Bois

The Twenty-One Balloons: Social Sensitivity


In The Twenty-One Balloons, du Bois pursues an egalitarian ideal. The depiction of the community on Krakatoa is a model of social equality. The families living there have learned to share their resources and responsibilities equally. They have established a government, arrived at by consensus and honored by all. Their considerable free time is devoted to mutually beneficial projects. When the Professor arrives in their midst, the families are constructing an amusement park, a shared aim with joint effort and commitment.

The cooperation, resourcefulness, and mutual respect...

(The entire page is 242 words.)

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