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Dystopia at a Glance
[edit]Dystopian literature depicts an imagined society set in the future, where the living conditions of people are unpleasant, harsh, and singularly controlled by a totalitarian government or authority[1]. The world as we know it today no longer exists. People are no longer in touch with nature or each other. Family bonds and the sexuality of a person or anything that is individual are sacrificed in the service of the whole. There is no room for emotions and thoughts. Privacy and independence of a person are dangerous individualistic tendencies that are closely guarded, and conformity is encouraged as a way of control[2]. People are expected to follow the herd, otherwise they will face the cruelty of forced indoctrination.
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| Author | Karin Boye |
|---|---|
| Language | Swedish |
| Genre | Dystopian, political, social science fiction |
| Publisher | Bonniers |
Publication date | 1940 |
| Publication place | Sweden |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 220 |
| ISBN | 978-0-29903894-6 |
The word dystopia which means “bad place” in ancient Greek was first used in 1868 by the English philosopher John Stuart Mill. The term was used as an antonym for “utopia.” Utopian literature was known for its depiction of how technological advancements would form an ideal world and enhance the qualities of people’s lives. However, in the first half of the 1900s, many, seeing that in real life technological advancements or a socialist society were not solving the problems like poverty or war, started to criticize their government in their fictional work[3]. Dystopian novels began based on this outlook on life, describing how dark the future would be if surrendered completely to an authority.
Main Characteristics
[edit]Oppressive Control: A common theme in dystopian literature is oppressive control. In dystopian literature, we often see a totalitarian, dictatorial government which is in full control of their citizens’ lives. Their activities are being watched, their thoughts controlled and their perception of reality manipulated. Freedom no longer exists. A centralized government decides for everything on behalf of the people. Fear is propagated and used as a necessary tool when making people obey higher authorities. People are manipulated into believing complying with the enforced rules will secure their safety[4].
Apart from the bureaucratic control, another type of control used in dystopian literature is the technological control. Society is controlled by computers, robots or artificial intelligence.
Dehumanization: Another important characteristic of dystopian literature is dehumanization. Individualism and self-identity is stripped off. Humans are degraded into being components of a whole society and expected to fulfill the role they are assigned.
Environmental Degradation: Environmental issues play a big role in dystopian literature. Human beings are not acting in harmony with nature, which results in its destruction. Climate change, environmental pollution, radiation leak, overpopulation, famine, deforestation and extinct species are the common natural problems portrayed in dystopian novels[5].
Squalor & Suffering: In dystopian literature, one of the common features is a great suffering and squalor. The reason why people suffer in such profound ways and are in great pain is oppressive control, mass poverty, injustice, and lack of freedom.
Unchecked scientific or technological advancements: Another important aspect of the dystopian literature is the potential dangers of unchecked technological and scientific advancements. While technology can be used to ease life, in dystopian novels we see it being used unethically to manipulate and regulate every aspect of human life. This results in a conformist society lacking the ability to think critically and think for oneself[6].
Themes and Setting
[edit]Though the themes in dystopian fiction can be various, there are some common themes recurring in dystopian novels:
Battle of Good and Evil: Both good and evil are part of human nature, and every human has the potential to be good or bad. This duality of complex human nature makes it difficult to find a balance, and when there is no balance, chaos ensues. In dystopian fiction, the evil shows itself in the form of oppression, while the good tries to survive this adversity.
Dis- or misinformation: In dystopian literature, the society is usually deceived by the misleading information given by the government. The system in place does not give people the chance to confirm, discuss or question the correctness of the information. Misinformation is used as a tool to create the perception of the government being fair and efficient while it is not. Through this deception, the society stays obedient.
Lack of Individuality: Another important theme in dystopian fiction is lack of individuality. Individuality is suppressed because this makes it easy to keep the population under control and conform to the rules. Independent thinking and behavior are seen as threats to the existence of the totalitarian regime. The lack of choices is helping to create a homogeneous society, easier to control.
Resistance and Rebellion: In dystopian fiction, resistance and rebellion against oppressive forces such as a totalitarian government is very common. Usually, a small number of people still capable of thinking for themselves come together and start a rebellion against the ruling power. Although they show the courage and determination to fight against these forces, their success is not always guaranteed. However, the sacrifice they make is still very valuable and thus, there is hope.
Evolution and Extinction: In dystopian fiction, the likelihood of extinction of the human race or apocalypse is high. The circumstances the society is in endanger the continuity of life. The population facing this problem has to take immediate actions in order to prevent this from happening. In other dystopian settings, the population has to evolve and adapt to a new environment or to a new technology.
The Purpose of Dystopia
[edit]The aim of dystopian fiction is often to make us think about the possible consequences of existing social and political practices of today. It’s in a way a warning of how dark our future can be if we are not aware of the dangers of certain political ideologies or social practices. Dystopian fiction is set in a not-so-far future and oftentimes, its resemblances to today’s world are downright scary. Dystopian literature exists to raise the masses’ awareness of the traps that they can easily fall into, which can lead to the destruction of society.
The Subgenres of Dystopia
[edit]As a subgenre of science-fiction or speculative fiction, dystopian literature has its own subgenres based on the main topics explored in its stories:
Totalitarian dystopias: Known also as Orwellian dystopias, totalitarian dystopias are depicting a society where citizens have no freedom, and the totalitarian government makes all decisions on their behalf. The citizens are expected to obey the rules, and in case of rebellion, they face relentless punishments.
Feminist dystopias: As a very popular dystopian subgenre among young adults, feminist dystopias focus on gender inequalities both in political and civil areas. Women in feminist dystopias find themselves in a subordinate position, and usually, their reproduction ability is used to support the government’s agenda without their consent.
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Eco-dystopias: In eco-dystopian novels, the setting is usually a post-apocalyptic world where an ecological catastrophe has occurred, and the world is now a-hard-to-live place with an uninhabitable climate and scarce resources. The human race faces extinction, and a small number of people try to overcome these harsh conditions and survive.
Overpopulation Dystopia: In overpopulation dystopias, a world with too many people and only very few resources is sketched. In this subgenre the complications and the devastating effects of overpopulation on society are pictured. The citizens feel distressed because of the scarcity of resources, but also because of the extreme probable cautions the government can take to keep the population under control.
Top 10 Dystopian Novels written By Female Authors
[edit]| Author | Title | Year | Theme | Summary |
| Katharine Burdekin | Swastika Night | 1937 | Male-controlled fascist world | Swastika Night projects a totally male-controlled fascist world that has eliminated women as we know them. Women are breeders, kept as cattle, while men in this post-Hitlerian world are embittered automatons, fearful of all feelings, having abolished all history, education, creativity, books, and art. [7] |
| Karin Boye | Kallocain | 1940 | Totalitarian state, meaning of life, power of love | Leo Kall is a zealous middle-ranking scientist in the totalitarian World State who has just made a thrilling discovery: a new drug, Kallocain, that will force anyone who takes it to tell the truth. [8] |
| Margaret Atwood | The Handmaid’s Tale | 1985 | Gender role, feminism, fertility, rebellion | Set in near-future North America, a totalitarian theocracy has overthrown the US government and uses its control to subjugate women, relegating many, including the book’s narrator Offred into the role of domestic sex slaves. [9] |
| P. D. James | The Children of Men | 1992 | Pursuit of power, death and birth, and hope and faith in the face of despair | Set in England in 2021, for reasons unknown all males’ sperm count has plummeted to zero, and mankind now faces its own extinction. [9] |
| Suzanne Collins | The Hunger Games | 2008 | Survival, rebellion, post-apocalyptic world, societal inequality | The Hunger Games is an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged 12–18 from each of the twelve districts surrounding the Capitol are selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle royal to the death. [10] |
| Emily St. John Mandel | Station Eleven | 2014 | Collapse of modern civilization | An audacious, darkly glittering novel set in the eerie days of civilization’s collapse, Station Eleven tells the spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity. [11] |
| Sandra Newman | The Country of Ice Cream Star | 2014 | Survival | In the ruins of a future America, fifteen-year-old Ice Cream Star and her nomadic tribe live off of the detritus of a crumbled civilization. [12] |
| Laline Paull | The Bees | 2014 | Totalitarian society, religion, freedom, independence | Flora 717 is a sanitation worker, a member of the lowest caste in her orchard hive where work and sacrifice are the highest virtues and worship of the beloved Queen the only religion. But Flora is not like other bees. [13] |
| Julie Mayhew | The Big Lie | 2015 | Feminism, sexuality, revolution, protest | A chilling speculative novel set in contemporary Britain, except it was the Nazis who won World War Two. Jessica Keller is an obedient daughter of the Reich until she comes under the sway of her rebellious and radical neighbor Clementine and begins to question the totalitarian authority she’s always known. [14] |
| Jennie Melamed | Gather The Daughters | 2017 | Repression | Set in a post-apocalyptic world, it's about a community of people who rebuild an archaic patriarchal society on an isolated island. [15] |
References
[edit]- ^ Hughes -MDC, Kim. "LibGuides: Dystopias & Utopias: Dystopias". libraryguides.mdc.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "What Is a Dystopia? | Wonderopolis". wonderopolis.org. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "Dystopian Fiction". The International Anthony Burgess Foundation. 2024-05-07. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ Burbage, Megan (2017-09-14). "Modes of Control in Dystopian Fiction". Medium. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ Kowsalyaa, M S, Arul, J (December 2023). "DYSTOPIAN LITERATURE: A TOOL OF REPRESENTATION FOR ECOLOGICAL CONSCIOUSNESS" (PDF). IJCRT. 11 (12).
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Crossroads, Critic's (2023-08-05). "**Title: "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley — A Dystopian Vision of Societal Control and Human…". Medium. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "Swastika Night". Feminist Press. 2016-01-30. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Kallocain". Penguin Random House International Sales. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ a b Passmore, Lynsey (2024-01-08). "Six dystopian novels by women". Women's Prize. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "The Hunger Games (novel)", Wikipedia, 2024-04-13, retrieved 2024-05-22
- ^ "Station Eleven Book by Emily St. John Mandel | Powell's Books". www.powells.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ BookBrowse. "Summary and reviews of The Country of Ice Cream Star by Sandra Newman". BookBrowse.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ BookBrowse. "The Bees by Laline Paull: Summary and reviews". BookBrowse.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "10 feminist dystopian novels you should read immediately". Red Online. 2018-03-07. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Melamed, Jennie (2018-07-24). Gather the Daughters (Reprint edition ed.). Back Bay Books. ISBN 978-0-316-46368-3.
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