Eli was sophisticated in a desperate post-apocalyptic society where natural instincts like survival made people act uncivilized, which would be seen as unnatural compared to today's society. Similarly, the Native Americans and their decisions around drinking were seen as abnormal by the society that forced them onto reservations and caused their children to suffer, showing how societies can define what is natural. Several documents discuss how governments and societies aim to make everyone conform and act the same through control of information, punishment of dissent, and criticism of differences.

2. Can sophistication be
“unnatural”?

3. Faber was intelligent and sophisticated
in a society that was discouraging knowledge.

4. Fahrenheit 451
The government was
trying to keep the
people from knowing
the past and to only
listen to what they were
teaching them now.
They wanted to form
the society to make
everyone the same.

5. West Side Story
Maria is sophisticated from what she
learned from her parents. It was taught
to her so it did not come naturally to
her.

6. West Side Story
The rivalry between the gangs was a
natural reaction between people in
society. The fighting results from
tension growing between the groups.

7. “The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men
mainly, but as machines, with their bodies.”
Soldiers are a perfect example of how the government
wants society to be. Soldiers work as one as the
government wants them to and are punished if they do
not.

8. “Civil Disobedience”
The government has set expectations of
how individuals in society should act.
Society itself also helps to impact how
people act and when people do not follow
the rules they are seen as an outcast.

9. Eli was sophisticated in a desperate society.
The natural instincts of survival made
people act uncivilized.

10. The Book of Eli
The society in the movie would be seen as
“unsophisticated” and “unnatural” compared
with how our society is today. But, to them
that was the only life they knew and it was
“natural” to them.

11. Donny was seen as an outcast because he wanted to be
different. He did not like the standards society had
made for everyone, so he rebelled.

12. “Teenage Wasteland”
Donny’s mom was sophisticated. She
fit into society and followed society’s
roles. She tried to get Donny to do what
she knew he had to do to fit into
society.

13. Spencer’s dad was not involved in
his life and caused him to act the
way he did. Spencer could not
interact with his dad in a normal
way so he acted out.

14. “Beautiful Spencer”
Spencer wanted to fit in. He wanted
Angela to love him so he acted like
everyone else. In the end it caused him
to kill Angela and for him to be
paralyzed.

15. The boys were raised to be polite but when
they had to fight for their survival their natural
instincts to survive made them act differently
as uncivilized people.

16. Lord of the Flies
Simon was tormented by the Lord of
the Flies because he was paranoid and
scared.

17. The government restricted the Native
Americans to reservations because they
were different than the society they wanted
to form.

18. Native American Poetry
The Native Americans were
“abnormal” because they drank and
hurt themselves and others. Because
of their decisions their children
suffered. Society forced them be in
the area designated to them.

19. “And don’t criticize what you can’t understand”
Bob Dylan
The Times They Are A-Changin’
Society wants us all to be alike and when
people are different they are criticized because
they do not understand.

20. Non-conformist Music
“Speak for yourself or they’ll speak for you”
Billy Talent Red Flag
If you don’t do your own thing you will be forced
to follow the way of society. We are born different
but society tries to makes us all the same.