DYSTOPIAN LITERATURE Definition of Utopia A place state

Definition of Utopia: A place, state, or condition that is ideally perfect in respect

Definition of Dystopia: A futuristic, imagined universe in which oppressive societal control and the

Characteristics of a Dystopian Society • Propaganda is used to control the citizens of

• Citizens have a fear of the outside world. • Citizens live in

Types of Dystopian Controls Most dystopian works present a world in which oppressive societal

Corporate control: One or more large corporations control society through products, advertising, and/or the

Bureaucratic control: Society is controlled by a mindless bureaucracy through a tangle of red

Technological control: Society is controlled by technology—through computers, robots, and/or scientific means. Examples include

Philosophical/religious control: Society is controlled by philosophical or religious ideology often enforced through a

The Dystopian Novel • Plot lines follow one of two directions: terrible things happen

�Act I is largely exposition, establishing the parameters of the society and introducing the

�Act II contains most of the rising action as it follows the attempts of

�Act III contains the falling action, the aftermath of the action in Act II.

Common characters include: �Representative(s) of the powerful, those in control. �Representative(s) of the “typical”

�Sometimes these characters are staunchly patriotic and cannot comprehend anyone’s dissatisfaction with the society.

� Sometimes these characters are passive/philosophical: they are aware of the flaws in the

�Sometimes these characters begin the novel loving the society (and holding a high rank

�Sometimes these characters begin the novel already disliking the society. Often, at the beginning

Point of View �The narrative point of view of a dystopian novel is almost

The Dystopian Protagonist • often feels trapped and is struggling to escape. • questions

• believes or feels that something is terribly wrong with the society in

Common Philosophies/Themes �The individual is worth nothing more in a dystopian novel than his

�Major forms of control in many dystopian novels include the means of communication, education,

� The controlling body (person or party) often uses pop culture to distract its

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DYSTOPIAN LITERATURE

Definition of Utopia: A place, state, or condition that is ideally perfect in respect of politics, laws, customs, and conditions.

Definition of Dystopia: A futuristic, imagined universe in which oppressive societal control and the illusion of a perfect society are maintained through corporate, bureaucratic, technological, moral, or totalitarian control. Dystopias, through an exaggerated worst-case scenario, make a criticism about a current trend, societal norm, or political system.

Characteristics of a Dystopian Society • Propaganda is used to control the citizens of society. • Information, independent thought, and freedom are restricted. • A figurehead or concept is worshipped by the citizens of the society. • Citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance.

• Citizens have a fear of the outside world. • Citizens live in a dehumanized state. • The natural world is banished and distrusted. • Citizens conform to uniform expectations. Individuality and dissent are bad. • The society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world.

Types of Dystopian Controls Most dystopian works present a world in which oppressive societal control and the illusion of a perfect society are maintained through one or more of the following types of controls:

Corporate control: One or more large corporations control society through products, advertising, and/or the media. Examples include Minority Report and Running Man.

Bureaucratic control: Society is controlled by a mindless bureaucracy through a tangle of red tape, relentless regulations, and incompetent government officials. Examples in film include Brazil and The Trial.

Technological control: Society is controlled by technology—through computers, robots, and/or scientific means. Examples include The Matrix, The Terminator, and I, Robot.

Philosophical/religious control: Society is controlled by philosophical or religious ideology often enforced through a dictatorship or theocratic government. Examples include: The Handmaid’s Tale http: //hem. passagen. se/replikant/dystopia_categorisation. htm? k

The Dystopian Novel • Plot lines follow one of two directions: terrible things happen to the characters, but the characters either (a) escape their fate, or (b) the “establishment” wins. • Structurally, dystopian novels are usually divided into three acts:

�Act I is largely exposition, establishing the parameters of the society and introducing the characters. Usually some precipitous event occurs toward the end of Act I that introduces the conflict and begins the rising action.

�Act II contains most of the rising action as it follows the attempts of the main character to either escape or change the society. The climax —the point at which the character’s attempts to fulfill his/her desire and the society’s attempts to thwart him/her reach the point at which one side or the other must win— usually occurs either at the end of Act II or the beginning of Act III

�Act III contains the falling action, the aftermath of the action in Act II. The theme is derived from the resolution of the plot: if the attempt to escape is successful, or the dystopian society is changed, the novel has a positive theme. If, however, the attempts at escape or change fail, the novel has a negative theme.

Common characters include: �Representative(s) of the powerful, those in control. �Representative(s) of the “typical” citizen, perfectly happy with the society or blissfully unaware of the society’s flaws.

�Sometimes these characters are staunchly patriotic and cannot comprehend anyone’s dissatisfaction with the society. �Sometimes these characters naively take for granted that the way things are is simply the way things are.

� Sometimes these characters are passive/philosophical: they are aware of the flaws in the society (though not necessarily troubled by them), but they accept the flaws. They believe eithere is no need to change or no point in trying to change. � At least one character disenfranchised by the society, who desires either to escape or to change.

�Sometimes these characters begin the novel loving the society (and holding a high rank within the society), but events in the novel cause a change in belief.

�Sometimes these characters begin the novel already disliking the society. Often, at the beginning of the novel, they desire change but feel powerless to effect any change. Their attitude toward society may be based on events that occurred prior to the beginning of the novel, or due to some personal quirk or defect that makes the character aware of the flaws in the society.

Point of View �The narrative point of view of a dystopian novel is almost always from the inside—either a member of the society itself or someone who enters and is adopted by the society. Rarely will an outsider offer a convincing evaluation of the dystopian nature of the society of the novel.

The Dystopian Protagonist • often feels trapped and is struggling to escape. • questions the existing social and political systems.

• believes or feels that something is terribly wrong with the society in which he or she lives. • helps the audience recognizes the negative aspects of the dystopian world through his or her perspective.

Common Philosophies/Themes �The individual is worth nothing more in a dystopian novel than his or her value as part of the governmental machine. �Power can reside either in a single dictator or in a larger governmental organization.

�Major forms of control in many dystopian novels include the means of communication, education, mass media, and popular culture. �Military control can be a factor in the dystopian novel, but to a lesser extent than other, more subtle forms of social control.

� The controlling body (person or party) often uses pop culture to distract its members and thus control them (e. g. , allowing, even encouraging, drug and alcohol use, sexual promiscuity, rampant consumerism). � The controlling body finds and uses a scapegoat to deflect the blame for the suffering of the people (e. g. , a foreign enemy, a disenfranchised group within the society, etc. )