Dystopian Literature A futuristic, imagined universe in which oppressive societal control and the illusion of a perfect society are maintained through corporate, bureaucratic, technological, moral, or totalitarian control.
UTOPIA: Described by Saint Thomas Moore as a perfect society. Utopian Example: Garden of Eden
DYStopian is the opposite of this. The Purpose:
Dystopias, through an exaggerated worst-case scenario, make a criticism about a current trend, societal norm, or political system.
CAN YOU THINK OF ANY DYSTOPIAN LITERATURE? DYSTOPIAN LITERATURE THE DYSTOPIAN PROTAGONIST
...feels trapped...... struggling to Escape…
...questions current social/political system…
...helps us realize negative impact through their perspective….
...behaves/feels there is something wrong with society... DYSTOPIAN SOCIETY: You Know It!
● Propaganda is used to control the citizens of society.
(The Capital replays uprisings to show devastation in Hunger Games)
● Information, independent thought, and freedom are restricted.
(The Aptitude Test in Divergent, you don’t decide)
● A figurehead or concept is worshipped by the citizens of the society.
(WICKED in The Maze Runner)
● Citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance.
(In the Maze in The Maze Runner) ● Citizens have a fear of the outside world.
(Won’t leave districts in Hunger Games)
● Citizens live in a dehumanized state.
(Factionless in Divergent)
● The natural world is banished and distrusted.
(The Maze/The Arena/The Palace/Stimulations)
● Citizens conform to uniform expectations. Individuality and dissent are bad.
(Katniss/Tris/America/Thomas)
● The society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world.
(President Snow in The Capital) Interested In This Genre?
Best Books for Teens: Dystopian Works Cited
"Dystopians: Definitions and Characteristics." Read Write Think. 2006. Web. 04 Feb. 16.