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bcrmbst Look up the term dystopia in Wikipedia. Please explain how you would define a dystopian work of literature. What might we learn from studying a dystopian novel? Have you seen any of the movies referred to in the article? Can you add any alternate suggestions of dystopian books or movies?
In my mind, a dystopian story is any where the government or other leading force exerts control over every aspect of a population's behaviour for its own benefit, while simultaneously claiming it is for the good of the people. From the study of such world, which are essentially exaggerated versions of the real fascist regimes throughout history, we learn the corrupting ability of power, the ability to spot it, and the need to fight totalitarianism. We can also develop an appreciation of the freedoms our own society grants us, and a respect for the struggles people living under non-democratic leaders must face. While I have never seen a dystopian movie, I have read Fahrenheit 451, Nineteen Eighty-Four, and the Hunger Games trilogy. I would add The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer to the list, as well, which takes place in a mechanized city where police and lawyers have virtually unlimited power.
In my mind, a dystopian story is any where the government or other leading force exerts control over every aspect of a population's behaviour for its own benefit, while simultaneously claiming it is for the good of the people. From the study of such world, which are essentially exaggerated versions of the real fascist regimes throughout history, we learn the corrupting ability of power, the ability to spot it, and the need to fight totalitarianism. We can also develop an appreciation of the freedoms our own society grants us, and a respect for the struggles people living under non-democratic leaders must face. While I have never seen a dystopian movie, I have read Fahrenheit 451, Nineteen Eighty-Four, and the Hunger Games trilogy. I would add The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer to the list, as well, which takes place in a mechanized city where police and lawyers have virtually unlimited power.
