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