At the start of the novel, the men and women at Blithedale define the goals for their new society, which they hope will lead to greater equality for and progress of the human race. Their purpose, according to Coverdale, was “to give up whatever [they] had heretofore attained, for the sake of showing mankind the example of a life governed by other than the false and cruel principles, on which human society has all along been based” (19). In order to live out this utopian ideal, the group sought to share the labor of running a farm and become self-sufficient in the process. The community also tried to encourage the intellectual life of the residents by providing educational opportunities for all of them. In addition to economic freedom and educational equality, the community expressed a desire to develop communal bonds between members.

Despite the establishment of specific goals, however, individual community members often propose other purposes for Blithedale. Zenobia, for instance, advocates for greater gender equality in labor while Hollingsworth uses his time at Blithedale to advance his own personal project—the establishment of a rehabilitation center for criminals. Coverdale, drawn to the community by his hope for spiritual renewal and artistic inspiration, hopes to find enlightenment and truth.