The Hunger Games Characteristics of Dystopian Literature Dystopian

The Hunger Games Characteristics of Dystopian Literature

Dystopian Setting � Usually set in a bleak (hopeless) world where, against all odds, a portion of the population survives some sort of global disaster or war. � Many dystopias center around a political event like revolutions, or a citizen uprisings. � Man-made disasters like overpopulation, geneticengineering, environmental destruction, global warming, etc. are often the source of the original problem.

Dystopian Government � The aftermath of the disaster results in a shift of power and control, to a government run by a totalitarian dictator. � These governments (usually run by a rich elite) control all aspects of life and try brainwash the population. � Citizens lose access to all knowledge and information and freedom of speech is severely restricted. � The majority of people are cut-off and isolated from the ruling elite and spend most of their day struggling to provide food and shelter for their families. � Everyone must obey the government or face severe penalties. � People are encouraged to spy on each other and report back to the government.

Life is highly controlled � The majority of the population is oppressed and frightened. � The average citizens are systematically dehumanized (lose their self-esteem) because of poverty, hunger, torture, etc. � Religion no longer exists—the government is the new religion. � People have little memory of the past and accept what they are told by the government. � Citizens are expected to believe what they see on government controlled media. � No one is allowed to enjoy any form of entertainment art, music, reading, sports, etc.

Revolution is often the solution � The poor living conditions and lifestyle, the lack of privacy, and the harsh treatment is creating resentment and anger. � Growing numbers of people feel frustrated and unhappy with their lives. � The people gradually begin to feel that the only way to improve their lives is to overthrow their government.

Dystopian Hero/Heroine � The hero/heroine is usually the main character who questions the rules of society. � They feel that something is terribly wrong with the way they are treated by those in power. � The hero/heroine comes to believe that escaping or even overturning the social order is possible. � They decide to act and risk their own lives to change things. � Sometimes the hero/heroine manages to escape or start an uprising. But, ultimately fail to change anything. � Sometimes they themselves give in and end up conforming to the society's rules.

Dystopia: Unresolved Endings � Even if the hero/heroine succeeds in causing the overthrow of society, it is usually unclear as to final result of the revolution. � A new challenge emerges because a new society has yet to be established as a replacement to old one. � Dystopias have unresolved endings and the reader/audience is left to come to his/her own conclusions.

Dystopias: Common Themes Typical themes include warnings about: � too much government control over the lives of citizens � blind faith in government and technology as solutions to problems � laws restricting freedom of information and freedom of speech � government control over media invasion of personal privacy—viewing personal records without court orders.

Dystopias: Common Concerns � Environmental issues (climate change, pollution, etc. ) � World poverty (unequal distribution of wealth) � The increasing gap between the rich and the poor � Mass media: hype and entertainment over substance and truth � loss of values, ethics, morality in society

Dystopia: Author’s Purpose � The author’s intention is to criticize frightening and troubling social trends in our society. � Dystopias are designed to warn the reader/audience about what the future could be like if society continues on its present course. � The bleak conclusions and unresolved endings of dystopian fiction are aimed at getting the audience to work to change current attitude of government and society. � The goal is help future generations avoid facing the horrors experienced by the characters in the novel.

Popular Dystopian Literature