Dystopian Literature : The Dark Sides Of Our Dreams

Dystopia is common theme which dates hundreds of years in literature worldwide. Dystopian novels and short stories often depict a society repressed by a totalitarian government which comes to power after a cataclysmic occurrence, wielding unforgiving power and control over inhabitants for their own good. These dystopias are often perceived by the average citizen as a normal or unavoidable way of life, sometimes even a better way of life, yet there is often a single person or group of protagonists who question the justification of such living arrangements and threaten upheaval of the utopia sold by the ruling class.

Dystopian DevicesWhen writing a novel, authors use distinct literary devices to aid in making the genre of their story apparent to their reader. Specifically, many use these literary devices to draw attention to details that establish a dystopian genre. A dystopia is somewhere where people lead dehumanized and fearful lives (Merriam-Webster). Furthermore, in dystopian societies, propaganda, societal oppression, and totalitarian control often elicit fear and obedience. An example of this is the novel 1984 written by George Orwell. This novel contains ambiguous symbols such as Big Brother, the Godlike ruler of Oceania. Aspects such as this contribute to the nature of dystopian genres. After analyzing concepts such as the all knowing Big Brother and the telescreens that are required by the government, the reader notices dystopian aspects. Accordingly, the setting of the city and symbols in everyday life expand the readers view of dystopian aspects. Orwell uses literary devices such as setting, symbolism, and euphemisms in order to portray a dystopian genre through the use of Big Brother, the city Oceania and its citizens, and other concepts in the novel. The government in 1984 controls its population by creating a setting where no one has the freedom to act without a someone watching them. The government does this by requiring all citizens of the Party to own a telescreen. By monitoring the activities of members of the party, the government can keep citizens obedient and

One night, a very dark night, trouble was lurking in the shadows. You could just smell it in the air everywhere you go. It was like choking on a dark cloud filled with danger. Legend has it that it targets one person until they die. It fills them with dreadful thoughts, making them do bad deeds, and leading them to suicide. Today it chose to pick me...

I look to the right of my bed and it’s there; crouching beside me. Its face is pure white and doesn’t resemble skin at all, but a shining porcelain. The monster doesn’t have a mouth - there is just skin running down from the bottom of its nose to its chin. Shielding it’s beady eyes are a pair of raven-black goggles strapped to its bald head. It wears what resembles a completely circular helmet the colour of a neon orange and its hands are covered in tactical gloves, dark as a jet-black night. It wears an amber jumpsuit and stare into my soul. Its wretched face is about five centimetres away from mine and I can feel an ice cold breath creep onto my forehead.The creatures body is hunched over and strange

In this world what people often forget about that a human can do is cause mass destruction, things one should remember can be forgotten easily and just as fast as it came it leave, this can be seen in the books around us. Authors share their opinion through the words they write talking about society and how if we keep going the direction we are going we will find ourselves in deep trouble, the messages authors are trying to send can be seen through social commentary, many books have powerful messages behind them; especially in dystopian novels and movies. They show these messages through diction,syntax, imagery, and character development; for examples the books and movies; Fahrenheit 451, Incarceron, Wall-E, and Hunger games. The authors Ray Bradbury, Catherine Fisher, Andrew Stanton, and Suzanne Collins all convey a message through their works through syntax, diction, camera angles, and imagery; emphasizing their warnings of what they fear may happen.

Do you think that living in a technical world would destroy society? Well, in Bradbury's novel, Fahrenheit 451, technology is very advanced and seems to get people's attention. "You're not important. You're not anything" (Bradbury 163). Fahrenheit 451 is explained as a dystopian literature. Such literature portrays an imaginary world where misguided attempts to create a utopia, or a socially and politically perfect place, results in “large scale human misery." (Critique by Michael M. Levy) This quote makes you realize that technology is taking over humans and the world has to do something about it. By creating an “utopia”, Fahrenheit 451 requires the government to take away citizen’s rights and freedoms to create the perfect society.

Years ago, Charles Darwin developed a theory of evolution. The strong will readjust and change while the weak die off. This became known as natural selection. The world is ever changing and in order to survive, one must adapt to their surroundings. Without doing so, the chances of survival are slim. Much like society today. Society has the top 1%, who are adjusting just fine to this ever changing world. But what about the other 99% of people? Majority of them are the ones struggling to change their life. Whether it be by going to school to earn a degree and a higher paying job, or cutting back on expenses to afford the necessities of life, one must adapt. Dystopian literature gives people an idea of what could happen in this ever growing, refined world. Most dystopian literatures install a sense of fear in people. A fear that society could be taken over by a select few, an unnatural force, or Mother Nature herself. The movie, In Time¸ and the story by Ray Bradbury, The Murderer, give chilling examples of what could, or could not, become of just Earth, but society as well.

A dystopian text is a manifestation of society 's deepest fears. How is this explored in The Handmaid 's Tale and Gattaca?

Dystopian societies starkly resemble our own. They emphasize the idea that if preventive measures are not taken now, there will be turmoil later. They serve as a reminder that if the weakness and passions of man are pursued, disorder will be fostered.

First, a dystopian society is characterized by, among other things: the use of propaganda to control citizens, the restriction of information and independent thought, the constant surveillance of citizens, and the worshipping of a figurehead. We can see these characteristics very clearly in the extreme and cruel Nazi Germany created by Hitler. He used lies to deter Germany’s citizens and restricted the flow of information. Independent thought and freedom of will were against the law, and the people were under constant watch to ensure they did exactly as the government wanted. “If people are to die in the war I will not spend time on them because they did not deserve better, and if we lose than I shall not show sorrow.” (Hitler Remember.org.)

Even though Fahrenheit 451 was written over 50 years ago many of the dystopian elements Bradbury applied to his story also apply to our current society. A large portion of today’s world is in a dystopian state such as North Korea, Sierra Leone, Chad and even Disneyland shows dystopian characteristics. The citizens that live in North Korea believe that they are in a utopian state, they worship their leader as a God, have a bureaucratic control and also propaganda control. Four dystopian themes in Fahrenheit 451 that relate to our current society include, citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance, the society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world, information, independent thought and freedom are restricted and a concept or figurehead is worshipped by the society.

Many people today often enjoy reading books or watching movies from the dystopian genre. A dystopia is a futuristic, fictional world which is most of the time controlled by some sort of government. This government makes it seem that the world they live in is perfect, but in reality, there are multiple things wrong with it. People who experience these worlds are usually intrigued and are engrossed in the plot line of the story. In most cases, the story consists of the main character rebelling against the government because they believe that the things they are doing are not right. This leads the viewers or readers to evaluate the society which they just learned about and relate it back to theirs. Two examples of literature that have a dystopian society are Fahrenheit 451 and The Hunger Games.

Dystopian fiction is an alternate society characterized by a focus on that which is contrary to the author 's ethos, portraying it as mass poverty, public mistrust, police state, or oppression. This genre was chosen because it allows for readers to feel better and thankful for our society’s current state. The works that I used to investigate this genre were The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and 1984 by George Orwell. All of these books are categorized in the dystopian genre but have very different symbols, styles, and implications. Each of these novels have different styles because some include a society with overbearing rules, such as Fahrenheit 451 and 1984, whereas The Road has virtually no society. Despite their differences, the purpose of these novels is to demonstrate that the only thing strong enough to conquer a corrupt and inhumane society is through true love and passion.

A dystopian society, usually illusory, is the reverse of an idyllic utopia: it is generally tyrannical and inhibited. Dystopian societies mirror our future- they are usually a hyperbolic familiar society with satirical exaggeration. This kind of literature is written to amend other people 's idea of the kind of society they should thrive for. As well as that, they are written to express their concerns about the future and humanity. Societies of this nature appear in many works of fiction, predominantly in novels set in a speculative future. Dystopian culture is often mused by societal collapse, dehumanization, poverty, and deprivation.

Indeed, the best works of literature are those which are of relevance to our lives today. Through their relevance, these novels continue to persist and endure on. Through their relevance, we can better comprehend the messages, the themes, and the ideas that are imbued in them. Rather than literature being contradictory and in conflict with the truth and unpleasant reality of daily life, it becomes a weapon through which we can be educated about the existential crises facing our world today. In fact, the statement above could not be more far and distant from the reality of literature today. It is fatally flawed. Literature, whilst at the surface, seems whimsical and amusing is, at its very core, a medium through which we are enlightened