What is Dystopian Literature?

Dystopian fiction is a form of speculative fiction that arose as a reaction to utopian fiction.
Dystopia is a literary device and genre used by authors to portray a vision of the future that
encourages readers to consider their current social and political situations, a cruel and terrifying
imagined community or culture. The simplest way to think about Dystopian Literature and
dystopias is to consider that a dystopia is often the result of a society's government and laws
being organized around good qualities for a perfect society, such as order, equality, and
obedience, and taking those qualities to the absolute extreme. Dystopian fiction frequently
depicts civilization in a state of calamitous collapse as a consequence of natural destruction,
technological control, and political repression of individual freedom and expression. A dystopia
is the total opposite of a utopia, which is defined as a flawless society. Dystopian literature
delves into the darkest corners of the consciousness and behavior to understand man's
inhumanity toward his fellow man.

Common core themes appear frequently in dystopian fiction, allowing authors to create different
realities while also conveying meaningful significance to their readers. Here are some examples
of dystopian literature's primary themes:

 Government control: dystopian fiction frequently depicts governmental extremes, ranging

from suffocating dictatorship to violent chaos.

 Environmental devastation: Dystopian fiction is frequently set in "apocalyptic" settings

that depict the extinction of life and the creation of an uninhabitable environment, usually
as a result of conflict and weaponry.

 Technical control: dystopian literature frequently depicts advances in science and

technology that have grown beyond human control and have become oppressive and
terrifying.

 Survival: Characters in dystopian novels are frequently left at home in order to survive
authoritarian or violent regimes.

 Loss Individualism: dystopian literature frequently emphasizes societal requirements and

conformity above individual freedom and expression.

Lowry’s The Giver novel is one of the famous dystopian literature that reflects a collective
human curiosity about the future and progress of society. Lowry believes young adults need and
deserve honesty, as demonstrated by her dystopian novels, The Giver, Gathering Blue, and
Messenger. Lowry creates future communities that are isolated from the rest of the world and
delight in their self-proclaimed perfection in each of these works. The fate of each world, on the
other hand, is in the hands of adolescents, whose newly acquired duties to each of their
communities come at a cost. The adolescent heroes realize the boundaries of their confined
environments, forcing them to choose between maintaining the status quo or defying society's
standards in the pursuit of improvement. She intentionally portrays the disturbing effects of
current mistakes in the aim of motivating young adults to take proactive steps today to secure a
better society tomorrow. Though our country's future remains uncertain, the present generation
of young adults has the ability to significantly influence what happens next; the power is theirs to
take. One of the most crucial roles for adults is to inspire young brains to think for themselves
and take informed action.

References:

Bohdi Green, M. (2021). What is Dystopian Fiction? Definition and Characteristics. Studio
Binder. https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-dystopian-fiction-definition-characteristics/

Dystopia. (n.d.). Literary Devices. https://literarydevices.net/dystopia/

Dystopian Literature. (n.d.). Flagler College. https://library.flagler.edu/dystopian-literature/

Guzman, R. (n.d.). Lois Lowry’s Dystopian Novels.  Students Link.

https://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/mary.warner/StudentLinks/2004_Fall/rguzman.htm