What is your vision of the future?
If you are an optimist, your view is probably Utopian. But things go wrong, and we worry. . . what if. . .?
Machines replace humans
and a social elite benefits from the labor of the working classes. - Metropolis (1927) A Grim, Dark View of the Future - from Oxford Dictionaries
|
photo © 2007 Kari | more info/Wylio.cmo
Your government is watching out for you. All the time. - George Orwell's 1984 (1949) |
What are characteristics of a dystopia?The following articles attempt to define the dystopian theme in terms of the work's subject matter and intent. While dystopias share elements of science fiction, fantasy, apocalyptic fiction and cyberpunk, the overriding themes for our literary, film, and game selections are summarized here.
- Dystopia - Definition - Word IQ.com - Dystopia - from Charles' George Orwell Links |
Dystopian elements we used for selection:flickr.com
loss of individual freedoms an oppressive authority in power emphasis on conformity a society that is Utopian for some, at the expense of others
|
Student commentaries: Young adults and teens are avid readers of dystopian literature. Here are two articles written by student enthusiasts.
- Defining Dystopia - by contributor, Fictionpress.com A high school senior discusses dystopian themes by comparing George Orwell's 1984 to Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. - Dystopian and the Apocalypse: What's the Difference? - posted by K. Ward, YA Highway In a website for young adult authors, a writer points out that post-apocalyptic fiction is not always dystopic. |