Transcript Introduction to Dystopia/Dystopian Literature

Introduction to
Dystopia/Dystopian Literature
Mr. Harding
Senior Capstone English
Pre-Test
On a piece of paper, answer the following questions
with “Agree” or “Disagree”
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•
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•
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In an ideal society, everyone is equal.
It is better to be ignorant and happy than to be aware and upset.
The government knows what is best for us.
Rules exist to help us live our lives properly.
The police should be allowed to do whatever they can to protect the
community.
• You shouldn’t have to be around people that you don’t agree with.
• It is alright to upset some people as long as you’re doing what is best for
society.
• If you know you are right, you shouldn’t listen to anyone else.
Dystopian Characteristics
• A dystopia is a negative or
undesirable society. They are
seen as dangerous and
alienating future societies.
Dystopian Characteristics
• Society: most impose severe social
restrictions on community members
- social stratification: social class is strictly
defined and enforced
- ruthless egalitarian (characterized
by belief in the equality of all people)
- repression of the intellectual
Dystopian Characteristics
• Social Groups: total absence of social
groups other than the “state”
- independent religion is notable because
it is absent
- family is attacked: the hostility to
motherhood
Dystopian Characteristics
• Nature: characters are isolated from the
natural world
- conditioned to fear nature
Dystopian Characteristics
• Political: Government asserts power over
citizens
- flawed in some way — portrayed as
oppressive
- filled with pessimistic views of the ruling
class — rules with an “iron fist”
Dystopian Characteristics
• Economic: state is in control of the
economy
- black market—items banned or seen as
contraband
- often privatization in businesses
Dystopian Characteristics
• The Hero: protagonist questions society —
intuition
- Two options:
* Escape
* Rebel
Dystopian Characteristics
• Conflict: societal group somewhere not
under control of state
• Climax: can be unresolved
- death or reeducation/conformity
Dystopian Examples
Starship Troopers
• In the distant future high school kids are encouraged to
become citizens by joining the military. What they don’t
know is that they’ll soon be engaged in a full scale war
against a planet of alien insects. The fight is on to ensure
the safety of humanity. (Directed by Paul Verhoeven)
Dystopian Examples
The Running Man
Set in 2019, an ex-cop framed and convicted of mass
slaughter, becomes a contestant on the most popular game
show in which convicted felons race for their lives in decimated
L.A. in hopes of a pardon. Adapted from a Stephen King novel.
(Directed by Paul Michael Glaser)
Dystopian Examples
Total Recall
What is reality when you can’t trust your memory? Set in the year 2084, an
Earthbound construction worker keeps having dreams about Mars. A trip to a
false memory transplant service for an imaginary trip to Mars goes terribly wrong
and another personality surfaces. When his old self returns, he finds groups of
his friends and several strangers seem to have orders to kill him. He finds
records his other self left him that tell him to get to Mars to join up with the
underground. The reality of the situation is constantly in question. Who is he?
Which personality is correct? Which version of reality is true? (Directed by Paul
Verhoeven)
Dystopian Examples
In a boorish future, the government sponsors a popular, but
bloody, cross-country race in which points are scored by
mowing down pedestrians–with bonus points for the elderly!
Five teams, each comprised of a male and female, compete
using cars equipped with deadly weapons. (Directed by Paul
Bartel)
Dystopian Examples
Joe Bauers, an Army librarian, is judged to be absolutely
average in every regard, has no relatives, has no future,
so he’s chosen to be one of the two test subjects in a topsecret hibernation program. He and hooker Rita were to
awaken in one year, but things go wrong and they wake
up instead in 2505. By this time, stupid people have
outbred intelligent people; the world is (barely) run by
morons–and Joe and Rita are the smartest people in
America. (Directed by Mike Judge)
Dystopian Examples
War of the Worlds
H.G. Well’s classic novel is brought to life is this tale of alien invasion. The
residents of a small town are excited when a flaming meteor lands in the hills.
Their joy is tempered somewhat when they discover it has passengers who are
not very friendly. The movie itself is understood better when you consider it was
made at the height of the Cold War – just replace Martian with Russian.
(Directed by Byron Haskin)
Dystopian Examples
Minority Report
In Washington, D.C., in the year 2054, murder has been
eliminated. The future is seen and the guilty punished before the
crime has ever been committed. From a nexus deep within the
Justice Department’s elite Pre-Crime unit, all the evidence to
convict–from imagery alluding to the time, place and other details–
is seen by “Pre-Cogs,” three psychic beings whose visions of
murders have never been wrong. (Directed by Steven Spielberg)
Dystopian Examples
V for Vendetta
Set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, V For Vendetta tells the
story of a mild-mannered young woman named Evey who is rescued from a lifeand-death situation by a masked vigilante known only as “V.” Incomparably
charismatic and ferociously skilled in the art of combat and deception, V ignites
a revolution when he detonates two London landmarks and takes over the
government-controlled airwaves, urging his fellow citizens to rise up against
tyranny and oppression. As Evey uncovers the truth about V’s mysterious
background, she also discovers the truth about herself – and emerges as his
unlikely ally in the culmination of his plot to bring freedom and justice back to a
society fraught with cruelty and corruption. (Directed by James McTeigue)
Dystopian Examples
The Matrix
Neo is a young software engineer and part-time hacker who is
singled out by some mysterious figures who want to introduce
him into the secret of ‘the matrix’. The cops also seem to be
after him, and he takes a chance on discovering what he has
always suspected: that the world is not quite what it seems to be
and a sinister conspiracy is at work. (Directed by Andy
Wachowski and Larry Wachowski)
Dystopian Novels
• Lord of the Flies
– There is an ongoing argument whether this is truly a dystopian
novel or not. The definition of dystopia isn’t necessarily clear,
though the general definition is that it is a society in which misery
and negative conditions prevail (or a seeming utopia gained at
horrifying costs.)
– As far as a dysfunctional society, the island with its stranded little
boys is it, and once the conch shell is no longer seen as
authority, everything breaks apart. If anyone wants to argue that
an anarchy could work, this book would be an immediate
argument against it. This is an incredible psychological work,
and I’d say their society is definitely dysfunctional enough to
count as a dystopia.
Dystopian Novels
Written by Stephen King under the penname of Richard
Bachman, “The Running Man” is a fantastic dystopian novel
about a frightening future where ratings and entertainment
takes form in a man hunt, and where even the “winners” are
losers. This novel is far superior to the movie, and in my
opinion is one of the best novels written by Stephen King.
“The Long Walk” is also an honorable mention.
Dystopian Novels
Most people will know about the film with Clive Owen and
Julianne Moore. The movie was very good, but is far different
from the book. In this world, for reasons unknown, all men’s
sperm count plummeted to zero, and without reason or
explanation, mankind now faces its own extinction. The
fearmongering during this time has allowed governments
extraordinary powers to keep the peace, and when a woman
becomes pregnant, the implications are enormous.
Dystopian Novels
This isn’t the best written novel, but it is one of the big three of the
dystopian science fiction novels. This could very well be the most
recognizable of the big three, as “1984″ is synonymous with tyrannical
governments, fascism, and dystopian science fiction. Even the phrases
“1984″ and “Big Brother” are now part of the common culture. Orwell’s
detailed novel shows how a government can manipulate the people by
manipulating the truth and manipulating the news. This book is the
source for arguing against a far right government getting unfettered
power.
Dystopian Novels
Guy Montag begins this classic novel as a fireman: meaning he is a man
society calls on to burn all books, which are outlawed. Unlike “1984″ or
“Brave New World,” “451″ doesn’t speak politically against the left or the
right politically, but speaks against the dumbing down of society,
specifically on how Hollywood pop culture slush and TV entertainment can
create an entire nation of people who are not only incapable of fighting for
their rights, but who don’t even realize the importance of doing so. This is a
brilliant novel that shows Guy going from soldier of the state to an
independent free thinker who must go on the run to survive.
Dystopian Novels
While this dystopian masterpiece and “Fahrenheit 451″ could be
interchangeable as the top two, “Brave New World” gets the nod because
the writing itself is the best. This novel is incredible, showing a society
where left leaning thinking and self hedonism is taken so far to the
extreme that one person’s utopia turns out to be an appalling place where
the irony of a peaceful existence has caused society to lose all concept of
art, honor, religious beliefs, or anything that often defines culture. The
“utopia” has people who have no sympathy, no empathy, and this vision of
a future is as chilling as any other on this list.
Any other examples?