Education
William is at first shocked and baffled by the lack of a formal system of education in 21st-century England. However, Dick and Old Hammond tell and show him that people actually learn and retain much more when there is not a formal system of schools and teachers. Instead, children learn by watching their elders and getting to practice and research the things that interest them.
Misunderstandings and Gaps in Knowledge
Morris creates humor and irony in the moments when William asks a question or explains something he sees as simple and the people around him cannot understand, and vice versa. A good example of this comes when William asks Dick about poor people and Dick simply cannot understand the concept of being poor no matter what other terms William uses. At other times, William is unable to cope with there being no system of money, and struggles to do things such as accept a pipe and tobacco for free when they are of such good quality.
Greylocks the Horse
In News from Nowhere, all of the characters living in the 21st century are free to do whatever work they like, and often switch jobs throughout the year, going from studying to working the land to doing handicrafts. However, there is still one character who does not have choice over his job and lot in life: Greylocks, Dick's horse. This difference is emphasized by Dick himself at one point in the book, when Morris writes, "So he burst out laughing at last, and said: 'Excuse me, neighbours, but I can't help it. Fancy people not liking to work!—it's too ridiculous. Why, even you like to work, old fellow—sometimes,' said he, affectionately patting the old horse with the whip" (39). Dick's use of the word "sometimes" and the emphasis of him patting the horse with a whip shows the lack of choice in Greylocks' life and the imbalance between the horse and his master, a supposed hater of slavery in any form.
Lack of Machinery
The lack of machinery in Morris's imagined future is a purposeful irony. Whereas a reader in the 19th century and even later would likely believe that the future would include more advanced technology than in contemporary society, Morris depicts advancement in society through a lack of machinery, creating people who are happier and more connected to the products they make and use.
