SECTION 7 Concerning Irregular Figures

In Flatland, the education system plays a crucial role in determining one’s future, with students progressing through university to pass the Final Test. The Polygonal class, having completed their education, rapidly outpaces the Triangular class in every field. The youth of the Polygonal class, initially showing early vivacity, eventually surpass their triangular peers in skill and knowledge, establishing dominance in various professions.

However, a small portion of the Polygonal class fails the Final Examination, and their fate is dismal. They are excluded from both higher and lower social ranks, unable to pursue careers or gain respectable marriages. These failures, lacking both formal education and innate talent, are typically left with few options, often leading them to a life of obscurity or failure. Historically, these individuals have been responsible for many of the uprisings and troubles in Flatland. In response to this issue, some progressive statesmen suggest drastic measures, including imprisonment or painless elimination for those who fail the test, to prevent further social unrest.

Shifting focus, the concept of Irregular Figures in Flatland is essential to understanding the structure of society. Every individual in Flatland is expected to have a regular geometric form. Women, for example, must be straight lines, while men of various professions must possess equal sides. The uniformity of angles is vital for societal order. If figures were irregular, it would be impossible to recognize them through sight or touch, leading to chaos in social interactions. Life would become so difficult that civilization might collapse into disorder.

In this society, irregularity is viewed as both a moral and social failing. An irregular figure is scorned, ostracized, and often destroyed, reflecting society’s harsh treatment of those who deviate from the norm. Although some claim that moral irregularity is not tied to geometric irregularity, the prevailing belief in Flatland sees both as equally damaging, causing widespread social exclusion and despair.