Chapter 8, Of the Ancient Practice of Painting Summary

A. Square points out life in Flatland is dull, but that this was not always so. He explains that Chromatistes, an ancient ancestor, developed color and a style of painting. He painted his home, his children, and eventually himself. When others saw him, they saw immediately the benefits to color, in that no one had to use feeling or sight recognition to see his shape, nor had to determine whether one side was front or back. His movements were easily noted, and suddenly, others wanted color. The trend spread and soon, nearly all shapes in all areas were painted. Within two generations, all but Circles and Women were painted in Flatland.

Circles, however, had no sides to paint, but only a circumference, and clearly, Women had no sides either. However, the...