Ecotopia

William Weston is Ecotopia’s protagonist and the primary lens through which we see Ecotopian society. As a journalist from the United States, as well as, to some extent, a representative of his nation, Weston’s stated goal for this assignment is to go into Ecotopia with an open mind and to provide “sound knowledge” of what life there is like for the people of the United States (4). Even so, there is clear bias in Weston’s initial writings, evident in the somewhat caustic tone: “But most of such sound and fury seems to signify nothing” (an allusion to Shakespeare’s Macbeth) (10). This marks the beginning of Weston’s journey as a character: skeptical of this strange and foreign way of life.

On the outside, Weston seems to have it all: star journalistic status, a beautiful girlfriend in Francine, and a family, even if his marital relationship did not last, and he seems to take his children for granted. Much of these qualities embody the American Dream—Weston is a hard worker, devoted to his job, who has become a success story through merit. However, we also see his faults as a character early on, imperfections which make him more relatable and human, while also offering up a more interesting and complicated character.