Reflections on "The Happy Valley"

The Happy Valley describes a a very secure environment that is filled with kind animals. There are mountains that reenforce this security and plenty of forestry that the animals fill. There is a cavern that you must go through that is secured with a gate and only the royal family is welcome in the Happy Valley. Entertainers come in at certain times to entertain and bring mirth to the inhabitants and many times these entertainers want to stay but they are never allowed to. Resources were abundant and there was never any want in this valley. Everything Rasselas could ever want was immediately granted to him. Finally Rasselas is discontent with his life in the valley and wishes to leave. His instructor tells him of the people and animals that are not kind and that life is not good outside of the valley. This discontent that prince feels shows us that there is no value or appreciation to anything for him because he has never had to want anything. Everything has always been given to him, therefore he knows nothing of true appreciation. His instructor, in an attempt to discourage this search the prince is desperate to set forth on, that if he only saw the miseries of the world he would not feel this way. He claims, in the end, that his true desire would be to see the miseries of the world so he would be able to understand. This idea of everything being granted to you without work or a great wanting of it is so distopic to me. When nothing has value, what is the point? In my utopia, people will work for things and have true appreciation for the material objects they have.