Introduction to Dystopia/Dystopian Literature

Mr. Harding

Senior Capstone English

Pre-TestOn a piece of paper, answer the following questions

with “Agree” or “Disagree”

• In an ideal society, everyone is equal.• It is better to be ignorant and happy than to be aware and upset.• The government knows what is best for us.• Rules exist to help us live our lives properly.• The police should be allowed to do whatever they can to protect the

community.• You shouldn’t have to be around people that you don’t agree with.• It is alright to upset some people as long as you’re doing what is best for

society.• If you know you are right, you shouldn’t listen to anyone else.

Dystopian Characteristics

• A dystopia is a negative or undesirable society. They are seen as dangerous and alienating future societies.

Dystopian Characteristics

• Society: most impose severe social restrictions on community members

- social stratification: social class is strictly defined and enforced

- ruthless egalitarian (characterized 

by belief in the equality of all people)

- repression of the intellectual

Dystopian Characteristics

• Social Groups: total absence of social groups other than the “state”

- independent religion is notable because it is absent

- family is attacked: the hostility to motherhood

Dystopian Characteristics

• Nature: characters are isolated from the natural world

- conditioned to fear nature

Dystopian Characteristics

• Political: Government asserts power over citizens

- flawed in some way — portrayed as oppressive

- filled with pessimistic views of the ruling class — rules with an “iron fist”

Dystopian Characteristics

• Economic: state is in control of the economy

- black market—items banned or seen as contraband

- often privatization in businesses

Dystopian Characteristics

• The Hero: protagonist questions society —intuition

- Two options:

* Escape

* Rebel

Dystopian Characteristics

• Conflict: societal group somewhere not under control of state

• Climax: can be unresolved

- death or reeducation/conformity

Dystopian Examples

Starship Troopers• In the distant future high school kids are encouraged to

become citizens by joining the military. What they don’t know is that they’ll soon be engaged in a full scale war against a planet of alien insects. The fight is on to ensure the safety of humanity. (Directed by Paul Verhoeven)

Dystopian Examples

The Running ManSet in 2019, an ex-cop framed and convicted of mass slaughter, becomes a contestant on the most popular game show in which convicted felons race for their lives in decimated L.A. in hopes of a pardon. Adapted from a Stephen King novel. (Directed by Paul Michael Glaser)

Dystopian Examples

Total RecallWhat is reality when you can’t trust your memory? Set in the year 2084, an

Earthbound construction worker keeps having dreams about Mars. A trip to a false memory transplant service for an imaginary trip to Mars goes terribly wrong and another personality surfaces. When his old self returns, he finds groups of

his friends and several strangers seem to have orders to kill him. He finds records his other self left him that tell him to get to Mars to join up with the

underground. The reality of the situation is constantly in question. Who is he? Which personality is correct? Which version of reality is true? (Directed by Paul

Verhoeven)

Dystopian Examples

In a boorish future, the government sponsors a popular, but bloody, cross-country race in which points are scored by mowing down pedestrians–with bonus points for the elderly! Five teams, each comprised of a male and female, compete using cars equipped with deadly weapons. (Directed by Paul Bartel)

Dystopian Examples

Joe Bauers, an Army librarian, is judged to be absolutely average in every regard, has no relatives, has no future, so he’s chosen to be one of the two test subjects in a top-secret hibernation program. He and hooker Rita were to awaken in one year, but things go wrong and they wake up instead in 2505. By this time, stupid people have outbred intelligent people; the world is (barely) run by morons–and Joe and Rita are the smartest people in America. (Directed by Mike Judge)

Dystopian Examples

War of the Worlds

H.G. Well’s classic novel is brought to life is this tale of alien invasion. The residents of a small town are excited when a flaming meteor lands in the hills.

Their joy is tempered somewhat when they discover it has passengers who are not very friendly. The movie itself is understood better when you consider it was

made at the height of the Cold War – just replace Martian with Russian. (Directed by Byron Haskin)

Dystopian Examples

Minority Report

In Washington, D.C., in the year 2054, murder has been eliminated. The future is seen and the guilty punished before the crime has ever been committed. From a nexus deep within the Justice Department’s elite Pre-Crime unit, all the evidence to

convict–from imagery alluding to the time, place and other details–is seen by “Pre-Cogs,” three psychic beings whose visions of

murders have never been wrong. (Directed by Steven Spielberg)

Dystopian Examples

V for VendettaSet against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, V For Vendetta tells the story of a mild-mannered young woman named Evey who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked vigilante known only as “V.” Incomparably charismatic and ferociously skilled in the art of combat and deception, V ignites a revolution when he detonates two London landmarks and takes over the government-controlled airwaves, urging his fellow citizens to rise up against tyranny and oppression. As Evey uncovers the truth about V’s mysterious background, she also discovers the truth about herself – and emerges as his unlikely ally in the culmination of his plot to bring freedom and justice back to a society fraught with cruelty and corruption. (Directed by James McTeigue)

Dystopian Examples

The MatrixNeo is a young software engineer and part-time hacker who is singled out by some mysterious figures who want to introduce him into the secret of ‘the matrix’. The cops also seem to be after him, and he takes a chance on discovering what he has always suspected: that the world is not quite what it seems to be and a sinister conspiracy is at work. (Directed by Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski)

Dystopian Novels

• Lord of the Flies– There is an ongoing argument whether this is truly a dystopian

novel or not. The definition of dystopia isn’t necessarily clear, though the general definition is that it is a society in which misery and negative conditions prevail (or a seeming utopia gained at horrifying costs.)

– As far as a dysfunctional society, the island with its stranded little boys is it, and once the conch shell is no longer seen as authority, everything breaks apart. If anyone wants to argue that an anarchy could work, this book would be an immediate argument against it. This is an incredible psychological work, and I’d say their society is definitely dysfunctional enough to count as a dystopia.

Dystopian Novels

Written by Stephen King under the penname of Richard Bachman, “The Running Man” is a fantastic dystopian novel about a frightening future where ratings and entertainment takes form in a man hunt, and where even the “winners” are losers. This novel is far superior to the movie, and in my opinion is one of the best novels written by Stephen King. “The Long Walk” is also an honorable mention.

Dystopian Novels

Most people will know about the film with Clive Owen and Julianne Moore. The movie was very good, but is far different from the book. In this world, for reasons unknown, all men’s sperm count plummeted to zero, and without reason or explanation, mankind now faces its own extinction. The fearmongering during this time has allowed governments extraordinary powers to keep the peace, and when a woman becomes pregnant, the implications are enormous.

Dystopian Novels

This isn’t the best written novel, but it is one of the big three of the dystopian science fiction novels. This could very well be the most

recognizable of the big three, as “1984″ is synonymous with tyrannical governments, fascism, and dystopian science fiction. Even the phrases “1984″ and “Big Brother” are now part of the common culture. Orwell’s detailed novel shows how a government can manipulate the people by

manipulating the truth and manipulating the news. This book is the source for arguing against a far right government getting unfettered

power.

Dystopian Novels

Guy Montag begins this classic novel as a fireman: meaning he is a man society calls on to burn all books, which are outlawed. Unlike “1984″ or “Brave New World,” “451″ doesn’t speak politically against the left or the

right politically, but speaks against the dumbing down of society, specifically on how Hollywood pop culture slush and TV entertainment can create an entire nation of people who are not only incapable of fighting for their rights, but who don’t even realize the importance of doing so. This is

a brilliant novel that shows Guy going from soldier of the state to an independent free thinker who must go on the run to survive.

Dystopian Novels

While this dystopian masterpiece and “Fahrenheit 451″ could be interchangeable as the top two, “Brave New World” gets the nod because the writing itself is the best. This novel is incredible, showing a society where left leaning thinking and self hedonism is taken so far to the extreme that one person’s utopia turns out to be an appalling place where the irony of a peaceful existence has caused society to lose all concept of art, honor, religious beliefs, or anything that often defines culture. The “utopia” has people who have no sympathy, no empathy, and this vision of a future is as chilling as any other on this list.

Any other examples?