Edwin Abbott Abbott
English
The story is narrated by a Square from the world of Flatland, a two-dimensional plane inhabited by geometric figures. The narrator, a member of the middle class, recounts the rigid social hierarchy and customs of his world. Flatland's inhabitants perceive each other as lines. Social status is determined by the number of sides a figure has: women are lines, soldiers and workmen are isosceles triangles, tradesmen are equilateral triangles, gentlemen are squares and pentagons, and the nobility are polygons with an increasing number of sides, culminating in circles (priests). A male child is born with one more side than his father, allowing for social mobility. However, this is not true for lower classes, and irregular figures are seen as criminals and outcasts. The narrator's society is highly structured, with strict rules for recognition, social interaction, and even house construction (pentagonal being the safest shape). Women are dangerous, being sharp needles, and invisibility is a key defense for them. The narrator himself is a Square, a respectable member of society. His understanding of his world is shattered when a Sphere from Spaceland (a three-dimensional world) visits him. The Sphere tries to explain higher dimensions, first through words and then through demonstrations. The narrator struggles to comprehend this new reality, initially dismissing the Sphere as a madman or magician. The Sphere's ability to move in a direction unknown to Flatlanders ('upward') and to appear and disappear, and even to reach into closed containers, gradually convinces the narrator. He is taken to Spaceland, where he witnesses the three-dimensional world and the Sphere's true form, a being of many circles. Upon his return, the narrator attempts to spread the knowledge of three dimensions. However, he is deemed a heretic and a madman by the rigid authorities of Flatland. His attempts to explain his experiences are met with disbelief and ultimately lead to his arrest and imprisonment. He is sentenced to perpetual confinement, with his brother (a fellow Square who witnessed the Sphere's appearance) also imprisoned for knowing too much. The book concludes with the narrator reflecting on his imprisonment and the inherent limitations of perception within any given dimension. He hopes that his story might one day inspire others to break free from dimensional prejudice.
