Dystopian

Literature

All in all, we’re just another brick in the wall…

What do you already know about Utopias & Dystopias?

What is a Utopia?

● A place, state, or condition that is ideally perfect in respect of politics, laws, customs, and conditions

● Impractical● Opposite of Dystopia

Utopian Literature

● Set in an Isolated place

● Advanced Science and Technology

● Everyone is happy – no death or suffering

● Story develops by following the principles of the society

● There is a ruling class

● A tragic development occurs in contrast with reader expectations

What is a Dystopia?

● an imagined place where everything is unpleasant and corrupt

● the condition of life is extremely bad, as from deprivation, oppression, or terror.

● Problems are typically taken to the extreme

Dystopian Literature

● Often describes a society that starts off as a utopia or thinks it is a utopia but turns into an oppressive, miserable, dysfunctional state

● Can serve as a cautionary tale or warning to modern day society

●Divisions between the upper, middle and lower classes are definitive and unbreakable (Caste system).

●The cancellation of individuality.

Characteristics of Dystopia?

● Futuristic, imagined universe

● Oppressive societal control

● Perfect society is maintained through corporate, bureaucratic, technological, moral, or totalitarian control

● Propaganda and Education serve to keep order

Characteristics of Dystopia?

● Constant surveillance by state police agencies

● More advanced technologies OR collapse of technology that leads to pre-technology conditions

● Backstory of a disaster that justified the drastic change in social structure. Post-Apocalyptic. Government collapse

● A protagonist that doubts society

Common Themes and Elements in Dystopian Literature

●Setting & Living Conditions

● Social Structure

●Government Control

●Character Development

Setting & Living Conditions

◆ Futuristic, yet Realistic◆ Often takes place in agricultural,

non-technological future worlds◆ Or… takes place in a mega-

technological world, called “cyberpunk

◆ Bleak/Dark Cities or Urban Decay

◆ Citizens have a fear of the world outside their sometimes very tangible walls

◆ Fear of Nature◆ Citizens live in terrible conditions◆ Citizens live in an often

dehumanized state

Social Structure◆ Class or Caste System

◆ People referred to as numbers rather than names

◆ People are uniform and lose individuality

◆ People required to “not excel” and lose their competence

◆ Society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world

◆ Governing class often lives much better than lower class groups

◆ Concept of families no longer exists

Government Control

A Totalitarian Government ◆ Absolute control over people’s

lives◆ Controls media and economy◆ Uses mass surveillance◆ Uses terror to control citizens◆ A figurehead (person) or concept

is worshipped by the citizens of the society

Restrictions◆ Restricts freedom of speech◆ Restriction of information,

independent thought, and freedom

◆ Citizens must conform◆ Individuality is punished

Propaganda◆ The deliberate spreading of

information or rumors is used to control the citizens of society

◆ Presents facts selectively◆ Creates an emotional, not a

rational response

Character: The Protagonist

◆ Often feels trapped and is struggling to escape

◆ Questions the existing society and political systems

◆ Believes or feels that something is terribly wrong with society in which he or she lives

◆ Helps the audience recognize the negative aspects of the dystopian world through his or her perspective

Character:

Protagonist vs. Antagonist

◆ Average Citizen◆ Often feels trapped and is struggling to

escape◆ Questions the existing society and political

systems◆ Believes or feels that something is terribly

wrong with society in which he or she lives◆ Helps the audience recognize the negative

aspects of the dystopian world through his or her

◆ Represents the elite and powerful (governmental leaders, wealthy or rich, etc.)

◆ Mission is to protect the current state of affairs and to maintain power/control

◆ Operates through greed and selfish motives/desires.

◆ Nature vs. The Mechanistic World (where nature is good and technology is not)

◆ Good vs. Evil◆ Freedom vs. Control◆ Innocence vs. Corruption◆ Adversity in the face of

great opposition◆ The importance of family

and friendship alliances◆ Fight to live, give up and

die mentality

Reoccurring Motifs