Abstract: Utopian literature in essence is a form of “social dreaming,” typifying the kinship between literature and politics. The utopian literature in the United States, despite its relatively short history, witnesses the first wave of growth in the late 19th century and revival in the second half of the 20th century. Together with the births of various subgenres, such as feminist utopias, ecotopias and etopias, many utopian communes or organizations were established, which exemplifies how utopian literature interacts with the society and politics. This paper starts with an investigation of the development of the utopian thoughtsand literature,and then explores the motives behind the flourishing ofutopias in the United States. It concludes that as a form of social dreaming,utopian literature embodies both deconstructive and reconstructive powerand typifies literature’s strong commitment to the society.

Key words:  social dreaming, utopian literature, literary commitment