DystopiaDystopia

English IVEnglish IV

DystopiaDystopia

• A dystopia is a fictional society, usually A dystopia is a fictional society, usually portrayed as existing in a future time, when portrayed as existing in a future time, when the conditions of life are extremely bad due the conditions of life are extremely bad due to deprivation, oppression, or terror. to deprivation, oppression, or terror.

• Science fiction, particularly post-apocalyptic Science fiction, particularly post-apocalyptic science fiction and cyberpunk, often feature science fiction and cyberpunk, often feature dystopias. dystopias.

• Most dystopian fiction takes place Most dystopian fiction takes place in the future but often purposely in the future but often purposely incorporates contemporary social incorporates contemporary social trends taken to extremes. trends taken to extremes.

• Dystopias are frequently written Dystopias are frequently written as warnings, or as satires, showing as warnings, or as satires, showing current trends extrapolated to a current trends extrapolated to a nightmarish conclusion.nightmarish conclusion.

• Social critics, especially Social critics, especially postmodern social critics, also use postmodern social critics, also use the term "dystopian" to condemn the term "dystopian" to condemn trends in post-industrial society trends in post-industrial society they see as negative. In most they see as negative. In most dystopian fiction, a corrupt dystopian fiction, a corrupt government creates or sustains the government creates or sustains the poor quality of life, often poor quality of life, often conditioning the masses to believe conditioning the masses to believe the society is proper and just, even the society is proper and just, even perfect.perfect.

EtymologyEtymology

• According to the Oxford English Dictionary, According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term was coined in the late 19th the term was coined in the late 19th century by British philosopher John Stuart century by British philosopher John Stuart Mill, who also used Jeremy Bentham's Mill, who also used Jeremy Bentham's synonym, cacotopia. synonym, cacotopia.

• The prefix caco means "the worst." Both The prefix caco means "the worst." Both words were created to contrast utopia, a words were created to contrast utopia, a word coined by Sir Thomas More to word coined by Sir Thomas More to describing an ideal place or society. Utopia describing an ideal place or society. Utopia combined the Greek-derived eu ("good") + combined the Greek-derived eu ("good") + topos ("place"). topos ("place").

• Dystopia combined the dys, Greek Dystopia combined the dys, Greek word for "bad" or "negative" with word for "bad" or "negative" with topos. Thus, meaning "bad place". topos. Thus, meaning "bad place". As some writers have noted, As some writers have noted, however, the difference between a however, the difference between a Utopia and a Dystopia can often lie Utopia and a Dystopia can often lie in the visitor's point of view: one in the visitor's point of view: one person's heaven can be another's person's heaven can be another's hell. hell.

Common Traits of Common Traits of Dystopian FictionDystopian Fiction• 1. a hierarchical society where divisions 1. a hierarchical society where divisions

between the upper, middle and lower class between the upper, middle and lower class are definitive and unbending (Caste system)are definitive and unbending (Caste system)

  • 2. 2. a nation-state ruled by an upper class a nation-state ruled by an upper class

with few democratic idealsstate propaganda with few democratic idealsstate propaganda programs and educational systems that programs and educational systems that coerce most citizens into worshipping the coerce most citizens into worshipping the state and its government, in an attempt to state and its government, in an attempt to convince them into thinking that life under convince them into thinking that life under the regime is good and justthe regime is good and just

  

• 3. strict conformity among citizens and the 3. strict conformity among citizens and the general assumption that dissent and general assumption that dissent and individuality are badindividuality are bad

  • 4. a fictional state figurehead that people 4. a fictional state figurehead that people

worship fanatically through a vast worship fanatically through a vast personality cult, such as 1984’s Big Brother personality cult, such as 1984’s Big Brother or or We's The BenefactorWe's The Benefactor

  • 5. a fear or disgust of the world outside the 5. a fear or disgust of the world outside the

statestate

• 6. a common view of traditional life, particularly 6. a common view of traditional life, particularly organized religion, as primitive and nonsensicalorganized religion, as primitive and nonsensical

  • 7. a penal system that lacks due process laws 7. a penal system that lacks due process laws

and often employs psychological or physical and often employs psychological or physical torturetorture

  • 8. constant surveillance by state police agencies8. constant surveillance by state police agencies  • 9. the banishment of the natural world from 9. the banishment of the natural world from

daily lifedaily life  

• 10. a back story of a natural disaster, war, 10. a back story of a natural disaster, war, revolution, uprising, spike in overpopulation or some revolution, uprising, spike in overpopulation or some other climactic event which resulted in dramatic other climactic event which resulted in dramatic changes to societychanges to society

  • 11. a standard of living among the lower and middle 11. a standard of living among the lower and middle

class that is generally poorer than in contemporary class that is generally poorer than in contemporary societysociety

  • 12. a protagonist who questions the society, often 12. a protagonist who questions the society, often

feeling intrinsically that something is terribly wrongfeeling intrinsically that something is terribly wrong  

• Because dystopian literature takes place in Because dystopian literature takes place in the future, it often features technology more the future, it often features technology more advanced than that of contemporary society. advanced than that of contemporary society.

•   To have an effect on the reader, dystopian To have an effect on the reader, dystopian fiction typically has one other trait: fiction typically has one other trait: familiarity. It is not enough to show people familiarity. It is not enough to show people living in a society that seems unpleasant. living in a society that seems unpleasant. The society must have echoes of today, of The society must have echoes of today, of the reader's own experience. If the reader the reader's own experience. If the reader can identify the patterns or trends that can identify the patterns or trends that would lead to the dystopia, it becomes a would lead to the dystopia, it becomes a more involving and effective experience.more involving and effective experience.