The popularity of movies and
television shows like The Hunger Games,
Doctor Who and The Walking Dead reflect
a renewed interest in dystopian themes. Even Orwell’s classic novel, 1984, has seen a spike in sales in
recent months. The irony, of course, is how closely these dystopian societies reflect
the world we live in.
Let’s begin by examining the
meaning of dystopia. Often seen as the direct opposite of utopia, dystopia
refers to an imaginary place in which everything is unpleasant or bad. It is
typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded state in which the
population is oppressed by corrupt leadership.
In literature, a dystopian
society is usually characterized by those beliefs which are contrary to the
author’s real feelings. For example, the author may portray a future society where mass poverty,
public mistrust and suspicion, a police state or oppression are the norm. The
author will then use the story to explore reasons why things are that way as an
analogy for similar issues in the real world. Dystopian fiction is speculative in nature and provides a framework for mapping out the future. It extrapolates
elements of contemporary society and thus can be read as political warnings.
In dystopian fiction, society
itself is the antagonist. It is society
that is actively working against the protagonist’s aims and desires. This oppression frequently is enacted by a
totalitarian or authoritarian government, resulting in the loss of civil
liberties and untenable living conditions, caused by a number of circumstances,
such as world overpopulation, laws controlling a person’s sexual or
reproductive freedom, and living under constant surveillance” (Adams, 2011). The
interesting point is that some people within a dystopic society may not recognize
or care about their loss of personal freedoms. They have been manipulated into
passivity by the oppressive rules of the society in which they live.
In dystopian literature, the
story is often unresolved. The
oppression that is tantamount to maintaining control of society is not brought
down. The hero may make a valiant stand
against it, but he often fails. However, his attempt gives hope to others.
Sometimes the climax is the hero’s escape from the dystopia (e.g. The Giver). Other times the hero fails
to achieve anything and the dystopia continues as before.
One cannot help but draw certain
parallels between the dystopian societies of literature and the events taking
place in the world today. If we are to avoid the dire predictions presented in
dystopian fiction, we must take heed of the warning signs present in real life.
We cannot afford to be passive observers of the world around us and hope things
will eventually work out for the best.
We must take action to preserve those personal freedoms we hold most
dear.
Wanda DeHaven Pyle is the award-winning author of Windborne, and the legacy trilogy available now on Amazon and Kindle.
