Remember
Dystopias follow a basic pattern: a dystopian society plus a person or persons who fight or in some way rebel against the system. Some rebels succeed; others don’t. We read them because they explore a possible future, and we want to see what might happen in our future and what people might do in this kind of society.
Dystopian Novels and Films
Back in 1615, Sir Thomas Moore wrote Utopia. He combined two Greek words: ou meaning “not” plus topos meaning “place.” Utopia is often translated as “no place” and is a perfect world as Moore imagined it, a place that doesn’t and can’t exist because there is no perfect place. Utopia has come to mean an ideal society, heaven on earth, or paradise.
Dystopia is the opposite: a horrible society, where things might appear to be good or might be bleak from the outset. The government is usually some form of totalitarianism. Often the environment is deteriorated, sometimes from war, environmental upheaval, or nuclear accident. Nearly always it’s a controlled environment. The Giver is an example of a novel where the dystopian society, at first glance, appears to be perfect, happy, and ideal, but when you pull back the curtain and see beneath the outward perfect, all is not well. The Hunger Games is an example of the harshness of the dystopian society being clear from the beginning.
What They Are?
A Hero’s Journey
These stories are as old as the first recorded stories. Joseph Campbell’s sketched out the basic structure of the hero’s journey. The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Giver fall into this category.
A hero’s journey looks like this:
1) A call to adventure: someone is called to go on a dangerous and difficult journey; our hero can either go willingly or reluctantly.
2) The hero crosses the threshold into someplace different and dangerous.
3) The hero experiences trials.
4) The hero is helped, often by an older and wiser individual.
5) The hero overcomes and matures.
6) The hero returns home.
Holy Shit, “this is bad” or The Lose, Lose Scenario
Yeah, not all dystopia turn out well for the protagonist. In “holy shit” stories our hero usually accepts society as it is, but along the way, his point of view changes, and he rebels against society. Often our reluctant hero tries to keep her rebellion secret, but someone finds out and things don’t go so well. George Orwell’s 1984, Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, and Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep fall into this category.
What do you think?
I’m sure there are more ways to slice up dystopias, but these are the basic ways I see. If you have something to add, please leave a comment and explain your idea.
Why Do We Like Them? Why Are They Popular?
Let’s count the reasons why:
1) They are action packed, edge of your seat, sweaty palms kind of books and movies. In other words they are fun.
2) The new YA dystopias have strong female and male characters. I love cheering for strong characters.
3) I hear people say, “Well at least it can’t get worse.” My first thought is “Oh, yes it can.” A dystopia tells us how it can get worse. I see them as cautionary tales, warning us to change things before it’s too late.
4) YA dystopias tend to show people fighting back and overcoming, always a good thing.
5) Often grown-up dystopias aren’t so optimistic. We’re back to “Holy shit, this is bad.” The exception is film, Hollywood tends toward happy endings.
6) Often they reflect current society and the direction things might go.
George Orwell said: “My novel 1984 is not intended as an attack on socialism, or on the British Labor Party, but as a show-up of the perversions to which a centralized economy is liable . . . I do not believe that the kind of society I describe necessarily will arrive, but I believe . . . that something resembling it could arrive.”
Let’s face it, our society is in upheaval and chaos isn’t some unknown commodity. In many ways, these novels reflect our society and what might happen in our future. Who isn’ fascinated with the negative possibilities we see around us? How often do we discuss the possibilities?
Here Are Parts I & III
Part I: “Why are YA Stories, Dystopias, and Superheroes Popular? Part I”
Part III: “Why Are YA Stories, Dystopias, and Superheroes Popular? Part 3”
If you enjoyed this post, please share. You can use the links at the top or below the post. Thanks!