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Definition of dystopian

Examples of dystopian in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dystopian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

dystopian from dystopia + -an entry 2 ; dystopic from dystopia + -ic entry 1

1962, in the meaning defined above

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“Dystopian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dystopian. Accessed 24 Feb. 2024.

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dystopian meaning essay

Are we living in a dystopia?

dystopian meaning essay

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dystopian meaning essay

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Dystopian fiction is hot. Sales of George Orwell’s “1984” and Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” have skyrocketed since 2016. Young adult dystopias – for example, Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games,” Veronica Roth’s “Divergent,” Lois Lowry’s classic, “The Giver” – were best-sellers even before.

And with COVID-19, dystopias featuring diseases have taken on new life. Netflix reports a spike in popularity for “Outbreak,” “12 Monkeys” and others .

Does this popularity signal that people think they live in a dystopia now? Haunting images of empty city squares , wild animals roaming streets and miles-long food pantry lines certainly suggest this.

We want to offer another view. “Dystopia” is a powerful but overused term. It is not a synonym for a terrible time.

The question for us as political scientists is not whether things are bad (they are), but how governments act. A government’s poor handling of a crisis, while maddening and sometimes disastrous, does not constitute dystopia.

dystopian meaning essay

Legitimate coercion

As we argue in our book, “ Survive and Resist: the Definitive Guide to Dystopian Politics ,” the definition of dystopia is political.

Dystopia is not a real place; it is a warning, usually about something bad the government is doing or something good it is failing to do. Actual dystopias are fictional, but real-life governments can be “dystopian” – as in, looking a lot like the fiction.

Defining a dystopia starts with establishing the characteristics of good governance. A good government protects its citizens in a noncoercive way. It is the body best positioned to prepare for and guard against natural and human-made horrors.

Good governments use what’s called “ legitimate coercion ,” legal force to which citizens agree to keep order and provide services like roads, schools and national security. Think of legitimate coercion as your willingness to stop at a red light, knowing it’s better for you and others in the long run.

No government is perfect, but there are ways of judging the imperfection. Good governments (those least imperfect) include a strong core of democratic elements to check the powerful and create accountability. They also include constitutional and judicial measures to check the power of the majority. This setup acknowledges the need for government but evidences healthy skepticism of giving too much power to any one person or body.

Federalism , the division of power between national and subnational governments, is a further check. It has proved useful lately, with state governors and mayors emerging as strong political players during COVID-19.

Three kinds of dystopias

Bad governments lack checks and balances, and rule in the interest of the rulers rather than the people. Citizens can’t participate in their own governance. But dystopian governments are a special kind of bad; they use illegitimate coercion like force, threats and the “disappearing” of dissidents to stay in power.

Our book catalogs three major dystopia types, based on the presence – or absence – of a functioning state and how much power it has.

There are, as in Orwell’s “1984,” overly powerful governments that infringe on individual lives and liberties. These are authoritarian states, run by dictators or powerful groups, like a single party or corporate-governance entity. Examples of these governments abound, including Assad’s murderously repressive regime in Syria and the silencing of dissent and journalism in Russia.

The great danger of these is, as our country’s Founding Fathers knew quite well, too much power on the part of any one person or group limits the options and autonomy of the masses.

Then there are dystopic states that seem nonauthoritarian but still take away basic human rights through market forces; we call these “capitocracies.” Individual workers and consumers are often exploited by the political-industrial complex, and the environment and other public goods suffer. A great fictional example is Wall-E by Pixar (2008), in which the U.S. president is also CEO of “Buy ‘N Large,” a multinational corporation controlling the economy.

There are not perfect real-life examples of this, but elements are visible in the chaebol – family business – power in South Korea, and in various manifestations of corporate political power in the U.S, including deregulation , corporate personhood status and big-company bailouts .

Lastly there are state-of-nature dystopias, usually resulting from the collapse of a failed government. The resulting territory reverts to a primitive feudalism, ungoverned except for small tribal-held fiefdoms where individual dictators rule with impunity. The Citadel versus Gastown in the stunning 2015 movie “Mad Max: Fury Road” is a good fictional depiction. A real-life example was seen in the once barely governed Somalia , where, for almost 20 years until 2012, as a U.N. official described it, “armed warlords (were) fighting each other on a clan basis.”

dystopian meaning essay

Fiction and real life

Indeed, political dystopia is often easier to see using the lens of fiction, which exaggerates behaviors, trends and patterns to make them more visible.

But behind the fiction there is always a real-world correlate. Orwell had Stalin, Franco and Hitler very much in mind when writing “1984.”

Atwood, whom literary critics call the “ prophet of dystopia ,” recently defined dystopia as when “[W]arlords and demagogues take over, some people forget that all people are people, enemies are created, vilified and dehumanized, minorities are persecuted, and human rights as such are shoved to the wall.”

Some of this may be, as Atwood added , the “cusp of where we are living now.”

But the U.S. is not a dystopia. It still has functioning democratic institutions. Many in the U.S. fight against dehumanization and persecution of minorities. Courts are adjudicating cases. Legislatures are passing bills. Congress has not adjourned , nor has the fundamental right of habeas corpus – the protection against illegal detention by the state – (yet) been suspended .

Crisis as opportunity

And still. One frequent warning is that a major crisis can cover for the rolling back of democracy and curtailing of freedoms. In Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a medical crisis is the pretext for suspending the Constitution.

In real life, too, crises facilitate authoritarian backsliding. In Hungary the pandemic has sped democracy’s unraveling. The legislature gave strongman Prime Minister Viktor Orban the power to rule by sole decree indefinitely , the lower courts are suspended and free speech is restricted.

Similar dangers exist in any number of countries where democratic institutions are frayed or fragile; leaders with authoritarian tendencies may be tempted to leverage the crisis to consolidate power.

But there are also positive signs for democracy.

dystopian meaning essay

People are coming together in ways that didn’t seem possible just a few months ago. This social capital is an important element in a democracy.

Ordinary people are performing incredible acts of kindness and generosity – from shopping for neighbors to serenading residents at a nursing home to a mass movement to sew facemasks .

In politics, Wisconsin primary voters risked their lives to exercise their right to vote during the height of the pandemic. Citizens and civil society are pushing federal and state governments to ensure election safety and integrity in the remaining primaries and the November election.

Despite the eerie silence in public spaces, despite the preventable deaths that should weigh heavily on the consciences of public officials, even despite the authoritarian tendencies of too many leaders, the U.S. is not a dystopia – yet.

Overuse clouds the word’s meaning. Fictional dystopias warn of preventable futures; those warnings can help avert the actual demise of democracy.

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Critical Essays What Are Utopias and Dystopias?

The word utopia comes from the Greek words ou , meaning "no" or "not," and topos , meaning "place." Since its original conception, utopia has come to mean a place that we can only dream about, a true paradise. Dystopia , which is the direct opposite of utopia, is a term used to describe a utopian society in which things have gone wrong. Both utopias and dystopias share characteristics of science fiction and fantasy, and both are usually set in a future in which technology has been used to create perfect living conditions. However, once the setting of a utopian or dystopian novel has been established, the focus of the novel is usually not on the technology itself but rather on the psychology and emotions of the characters who live under such conditions.

Although the word utopia was coined in 1516 by Sir Thomas More when he wrote Utopia , writers have written about utopias for centuries, including the biblical Garden of Eden in Genesis and Plato's Republic , about a perfect state ruled by philosopher-kings. More's Utopia protested contemporary English life by describing an ideal political state in a land called Utopia, or Nowhere Land. Other early fictional utopias include various exotic communities in Jonathan Swift's famous Gulliver's Travels (1726).

The idea of utopias continued to be popular during the nineteenth century. For example, English author Samuel Butler wrote Erewhon (1872) ("nowhere" spelled backward) and Erewhon Revisited (1901), and William Morris wrote News From Nowhere (1891). In the United States, people have attempted to create real-life utopias. A few of the places where utopian communities were started include Fruitlands, Massachusetts; Harmony, Pennsylvania; Corning, Iowa; Oneida, New York; and Brook Farm, Massachusetts, founded in 1841 by American transcendentalists. Although the founders of these utopian communities had good intentions, none of the communities flourished as their creators had hoped.

Dystopias are a way in which authors share their concerns about society and humanity. They also serve to warn members of a society to pay attention to the society in which they live and to be aware of how things can go from bad to worse without anyone realizing what has happened. Examples of fictional dystopias include Aldous Huxley's Brave New World (1932), Ray Bradbury's

Fahrenheit 451 (1953), and George Orwell's Animal Farm (1944) and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949).

Lois Lowry chose to write The Giver as a dystopian novel because it was the most effective means to communicate her dissatisfaction with the lack of awareness that human beings have about their interdependence with each other, their environment, and their world. She uses the irony of utopian appearances but dystopian realities to provoke her readers to question and value their own freedoms and individual identities.

Jonas' community appears to be a utopia, but, in reality, it is a dystopia. The people seem perfectly content to live in an oli-garchy — a government run by a select few — in which a Community of Elders enforces the rules. In Jonas' community, there is no poverty, starvation, unemployment, lack of housing, or prejudice; everything is perfectly planned to eliminate any problems. However, as the novel progresses and Jonas gains insight into what the people have willingly given up — their freedoms and individual-ities — for the so-called common good of the community, it becomes more and more evident that the community is a bad place in which to live. Readers can relate to the disbelief and horror that Jonas feels when he realizes that his community is a hypocrisy, a society based on false ideals of goodness and conformity. As Jonas comes to understand the importance of memory, freedom, individuality, and even color, he can no longer stand by and watch the people in his community continue to live under such fraudulent pretenses.

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What is Dystopian Fiction Definition and Characteristics - StudioBinder

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What is Dystopian Fiction? Definition and Characteristics

F rom movies to novels to video games, dystopian fiction is consistently one of the hottest genres in entertainment. But given its broad scope and variety of forms, the dystopian genre can sometimes be hard to categorize. What is dystopian fiction? What are its defining features and how can we account for its enduring popularity? This article will define dystopian fiction, explain its purpose and function, and provide important examples of it from across the storytelling spectrum.

Utopian and Dystopian Fiction

First, let’s define utopia and dystopia.

A Utopia is considered an ideally perfect place, especially in its social, political, and moral aspects. The idea of it is derived from a 1516 book by Sir Thomas More that describes an imaginary ideal society free of poverty and suffering.

What is Dystopian Fiction - Thomas More's Vision of Utopia

Thomas More’s vision of Utopia

More coined the expression “utopia” from Greek words. It literally means “no place,” conveying the idea that no such place could actually exist because it doesn’t reflect the realities of human nature or existence.

Examples of utopia include the mystical “Shangri-la” from the 1933 novel Lost Horizon and the 23rd century Earth depicted in Star Trek .

Is Star Trek a Utopia?

Dystopia is the opposite of utopia: a state in which the conditions of human life are extremely bad as from deprivation or oppression or terror (or all three). A dystopian society is characterized by human misery in the form of squalor, oppression, disease, overcrowding, environmental destruction, or war. Below is an example of a real dystopia in present-day Syria.

Drone capturing the Destruction of Aleppo, Syria

Other real life dystopias include the massive fire destruction in the Western United States due to climate change; and the pandemic raging through authoritarian countries such as India and Brazil.

Dystopian fiction meaning

Characteristics of dystopian fiction, dystopian fiction definition, what is dystopian fiction.

The dystopian genre imagines worlds or societies where life is extremely bad because of deprivation or oppression or terror, and human society is characterized by human misery, such as squalor, oppression, disease, overcrowding, environmental destruction, or war.

Dystopian fiction worlds — whether in novels, films, comic books/graphic novels, or video games — tend to contain many of the same narrative features. Common elements of dystopian fiction include societies engaged in forever wars, and characterized by extreme social and economic class divides, mass poverty, environmental devastation, anarchy, and loss of individuality.

As the video details, social control is another major feature of dystopian fiction. Dystopian authors represent social control as wielded by any number of powerful entities, including:

  • Religious/Philosophical
  • Technological
  • Bureaucratic
  • Reproductive

Totalitarianism — defined as total social control over a given population through techniques such as thought police and surveillance — is also a feature of dystopian fiction. It figures prominently in famous dystopian novels such as George Orwell’s 1984 , which we investigate further below.

Dystopian speculative fiction

The purpose of dystopian fiction .

Dystopian fiction is usually set in the near — rather than far — future to generate urgency about real current events. Because dystopian literature and cinema is set in the future, it is by definition science fiction. However, this can also look very different than the best sci-fi movies .

Both science fiction and dystopian fiction belong to the larger category of “speculative” fiction. This type of fiction speculates what might happen to society if humans don’t deal with existential threats such as climate change, nuclear war, over-population, or authoritarianism. 

In this video, Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid’s Tale , discusses dystopian speculative fiction and her experience writing dystopian fiction:

Margaret Atwood on Speculative Fiction

While not all allegories are dystopias, dystopias are also almost always allegories. Allegories are stories that comment on and criticize contemporary events, people, policies, etc. The purpose of dystopian fiction as allegory is to serve as a warning about how things could go wrong if we don’t change.

Here's one of the most famous allegories — Plato's Allegory of the Cave .

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave

Dystopian fiction examples include allegories about the catastrophic effects of climate change such as Wall-E (2008), and the Roland Emmerich films The Day After Tomorrow (2004) and 2012 (2009).

The Day After Tomorrow •  Dystopian Fiction on Screen

To sum up: the dystopian genre typically belongs to the literary and cinematic categories of science fiction, speculative fiction and allegory.

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Dystopian Fiction Examples

Dystopian literature.

Dystopian literature is very common and has been around since at least the late 19th century. One of the first dystopian fiction novels is Erewhon (1872) by Samuel Butler, an early commentary on the dangers of artificial intelligence. Another example of early dystopian literature is The Iron Heel (1908) by Jack London, which prophecies the extreme class divides and fascist regimes of the 20th century.

Other famous dystopian novels include:

  • Brave New World  (1932) - Aldous Huxley
  • Fahrenheit 451 (1953) - Ray Bradbury
  • Lord of the Flie s (1954) - William Golding
  • A Clockwork Orange (1962) - Anthony Burgess
  • V for Vendetta (1982) - Alan Moore and David Lloyd
  • The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) and The Testaments (2019) - Margaret Atwood
  • The Children of Men (1992) - P.D. James
  • The Road (2006) - Cormac McCarthy
  • The Hunger Games series (2008-2010) - Suzanne Collins

Each of these famous dystopian novels has also been made into a movie, showing how popular the genre is with mass audiences. Elements of dystopian fiction translate well into cinema largely because the worlds are so epic and visually striking.

What is Dystopian Fiction - What is Dystopian Novel

What is a Dystopian Novel?

One of the most famous dystopian fiction examples is George Orwell’s 1984 (1948). Orwell's book imagines what England would be like under extreme fascist or totalitarian rule, such as that of Nazi Germany or The Soviet Union. The video below summarizes the novel and illuminates its dystopian elements, including thought police and loss of individuality.

Dystopian Fiction Novels

1984 has influenced countless dystopian authors since its publication and has become a cultural touchstone, commonly referenced to describe dystopian threats to the real world. One famous example of its influence is Ridley Scott’s famous Apple commercial, which aired during the 1984 Super Bowl.

Elements of Dystopian Fiction

In the ad, Apple Macintosh is portrayed as the revolutionary brand bursting through the rigid constraints of the thought police.

Dystopian Fiction definition and examples

It may seem counterintuitive, but utopian fiction is really often just dystopian fiction. In other words, such stories may present utopian worlds on the surface — societies free of war, poverty, and environmental decay.

But these utopias are usually portrayed as resulting from class exploitation, and/or the loss of individual liberties such as free expression and reproductive rights, giving them many shared characteristics of dystopian fiction.

Examples include H.G Wells’ novel The Time Machine (1895), in which a future Utopian world is powered by the underground slave community. Or consider the world of the film Pleasantville (1998) in which a perfect society can only exist because of bland conformity.

Utopian and Dystopian Fiction  •  Pleasantville

Wall-E features both a traditional dystopia and utopia. On Earth, environmental devastation has rendered unfit for human inhabitation. This is paired with a nominal “utopia” on the galactic cruise ship where humans now live. Supposedly all human needs are provided for in this utopia, but people lack access to the kinds of experiences that would make them fully human.

Utopia/Dystopia in Wall-E

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Filmed Dystopian Fiction Examples

Dystopia examples in film and tv.

Dystopian speculative fiction continues to be among the most popular types of science fiction not only in literature, but also in film and television. But what does dystopian fiction mean to so many people? Why is it so popular?

One reason is that dystopian fiction is a form of prophecy. We are fascinated and terrified by our possible futures and what might become of us, especially because of a general perception that things are getting worse, that we are edging towards real life dystopia

Famous dystopian examples in cinema include:

  • A Clockwork Orange (1971) - Stanley Kubrick
  • The Mad Max series - (1979 - present) - George Miller
  • Escape from New York - (1981) - John Carpenter
  • The Terminator (1984) - James Cameron
  • Brazil (1985) - Terry Gilliam
  • Robocop (1987) - Paul Verhoeven
  • 12 Monkeys   (1995) - Terry Gilliam
  • The Matrix   series (1999 - present) - The Wachowskis
  • Minority Report (2002) - Steven Spielberg
  • A Scanner Darkly (2006) - Richard Linklater
  • Children of Men (2006) - Alfonso Cuarón
  • The Book of Eli (2010) - The Hughes Brothers
  • Snowpiercer (2013) - Bong Joon-Ho
  • The Divergent series (2014-2016) - Various

Dystopian Science Fiction Films

Conversely, dystopian fiction examples can also be comforting, because we can become pleasurably involved in a compelling story world while recognizing that our world is not yet as awful as the one presented on screen. We can come away from a dystopian film or TV show feeling like there is still hope for change in our own world.

Current and recent TV shows featuring dystopias include:

  • The Handmaid’s Tale
  • Years and Years
  • The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead
  • The Society
  • The Capture
  • Altered Carbon
  • The Man in The High Castle
  • Black Mirror

Dystopian TV Shows

Features of dystopian fiction, visualizing dystopia in film.

Dystopian science fiction films rely heavily on elaborate special effects and mise-en-scene to create their futuristic worlds.

Mise-en-scene elements:

  • Shot composition

The seminal movie dystopia Blade Runner (1982, dir. Ridley Scott ) is famous for its mise-en-scene, cinematography and visual effects. All of which have been hugely influential on dystopian fiction books, TV, video games, and graphic novels.

Blade Runner features many typical characteristics of dystopian fiction such as environmental devastation, authoritarianism, and corporate control.

Dystopian science fiction films

Blade Runner 2049 (set 30 years after the original) expands the mise-en-scene of the original, using more sophisticated special effects to present a larger world more fully in the grip of dystopia.

A monolithic corporate structure dwarfs regular skyscrapers. A dirty bomb has turned Las Vegas into a glowing orange ghost town. And the city formerly known as San Diego is now a gigantic garbage dump.

New Dystopian Fiction

The dystopian vision of Blade Runner has influenced many video games, including CyberPunk 2077 , which owes much of its look and feel to Ridley Scott’s movie.

The dystopian genre extends to video games  •  Cyberpunk 2077

The visual aesthetic of the Blade Runner movies’ dystopian landscape has become so prevalent in culture that it’s not uncommon for real life dystopian visions to be compared to it. Take this video of San Francisco being affected by wildfire and the eerie similarities to Blade Runner .

San Francisco skies go full Blade Runner

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Sci-Fi movies featuring dystopias

In reviewing features of dystopian fiction, we have established that dystopian fiction is a subgenre of science fiction. Next, let’s discover famous dystopian fiction examples within science fiction cinema by looking at a list of important science fiction films. Take a look at features of dystopian fiction in the larger context of sci-fi now.

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What is Dystopia? Definition, Usage, and Literary Examples

Dystopia definition.

Dystopian literature is a genre of fiction set in future or near-future societies where life and social structures are in calamitous decline. Authors of dystopian literature typically use the  setting  to examine social and political systems and contemplate what would happen if these systems were amplified. The result is often a society in shambles, with rampant oppression, violence, poverty, and revolution.

The etymology of the word  dystopia  (dis-TOE-pee-uh) describes these settings succinctly but perfectly. By combining the Ancient Greek  dys , meaning “bad” +  topos , meaning “place,”  dystopia  literally means “bad place.”

The Characteristics of Dystopian Settings

Many dystopias share similar characteristics, including:

  • Economic challenges:  There’s widespread poverty that the citizens must endure, or there are massive gaps in wealth that create a ruling class of elites and relegate everyone else to a life of scarcity and hardship.
  • Environmental damage:  Environmental devastation wreaks havoc on the lives and fates of the characters. This destruction might take the form of major weather events, like earthquakes or floods; climate change and its disastrous effects; or the ramifications of pollution, overpopulation, or disregard for the planet and its finite resources.
  • Government influence:  Typically, there’s either no government overseeing law, order, and civilization, or there’s a domineering government that operates a police state and controls and monitors the lives of all citizens.
  • Loss of freedom or individual identity:  A dystopian society often robs its citizens of their basic freedoms and/or individualism. It reduces them to sheep who must blindly follow the dictates of a tyrannical and unjust system.
  • Propaganda:  The existing power structure in a dystopia produces propaganda to keep the citizenry in line. Such propaganda might present a deceptive “everything is fine“ picture of life in order to control the population, or it might incite fear and terror and, thus, generate an excuse to engage in further domination and subjugation.
  • Survival:  The characters in a dystopian setting are in a fight to survive the oppressive conditions in which they find themselves. They must resort to extreme measures to protect themselves and those around them, which usually means rebelling against the powers that be.
  • Technology:  Advancements in technology tend to play a key role in controlling or tracking the citizens of a dystopia. Rather than solving problems, technology creates them—damaging relationships, reinforcing hierarchies and power structures, and reducing quality of life.

Subsets of Dystopian Literature

Dystopian literature is itself a subgenre of speculative fiction. Speculative fiction takes place in settings that could potentially be a reality but are hypothetical at the time of writing. This hypothetical quality separates speculative fiction from works of pure  science fiction or fantasy . Speculative fiction possesses certain plot points that root them to existing realities. The  narratives  are not as hyper-focused on science, technology, supernatural elements, and other hallmarks of science fiction and fantasy literature. Instead, they center around the human responses to these themes.

There are also subsets of dystopian fiction. Some works combine both a eutopia—an idealized, perfect world—and a dystopia. Ectopian fiction takes place in a dystopia or eutopia and emphasizes environmental issues, such as the preservation or destruction of the story’s natural environment. Feminist dystopias utilize their  settings  to critique male-dominated social and political structures and the relationship between gender identity and power.

Dystopias vs. Eutopias

Eutopias are the opposite of dystopias because they’re idealized worlds that readers find pleasing and appealing. They are visions of perfect societies that are usually in line with the author’s personal philosophies and belief systems.  Conflict  still exists in utopian fiction, but it typically arises from human foibles and misunderstandings rather than from the setting itself.

While both dystopias and eutopias can contain satirical elements as a way of humorously critiquing someone or something,  satire  is far more common in a utopian setting, as the picture-perfect world is, by nature, more conducive to lightness and humor than the bleakness painted by a dystopia.

The Function of Dystopias

This setting/genre of literature examines the weaknesses in social and political systems and the complexity of human nature. Magnifying these subjects within a dystopian setting allows the author to illustrate what might happen if power runs unchecked and/or if existing structures of governance and social order stop working for the greater good. Dystopias expose the inherent flaws in systems, societies, and people.

Authors of dystopian literature can use these settings to warn readers (and society at large) about the potential outcomes of current methods of governance or ways of life. They can insert their own beliefs into the story as commentary on the possible consequences of a present aspect of modern life or human behavior.

Dystopias in Popular Culture

Dystopias provide fertile ground for writers to create compelling and enduring stories, both in literature and in movies and television.

The 1927 German expressionist classic  Metropolis  takes place in what first appears to be a flashy urban eutopia. But, the privileged Freder discovers a bleak dystopia under the city, populated by the impoverished and marginalized, and he attempts to change things for the better.

The 1979 movie  Mad Max  and its sequels unfold in a dystopia with no law and order, where lone wolf Max Rockatansky sets out to stop a ruthless motorcycle gang and restore some semblance of justice.

The 2013 dystopian adventure  Snowpiercer , based on the graphic novel  Le Transperceneige  by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand, and Jean-Marc Rochette, is set on a constantly running passenger train, which has become the home of the remaining world population after an environmental catastrophe. The members of the lower-class portion of the train stage a revolution against the upper-class members—specifically against Wilford, the mythic inventor and caretaker of the train’s perpetually running engine.

There are several television shows that involve dystopias.  Westworld  is set in a futuristic amusement park where visitors can experience their fantasies through artificial consciousness;  Black Mirror  is an anthology series often set in dystopian worlds; and  The Last Man on Earth  is a rare dystopian comedy about a man who is seemingly the only survivor after a deadly virus decimates the world population.

Writers Known for Dystopian Literature

  • Margaret Atwood,  The Handmaid’s Tale ,  Oryx and Crake
  • Ray Bradbury,  Fahrenheit 451
  • Anthony Burgess,  A Clockwork Orange
  • Octavia Butler,  Parable of the Sower
  • Suzanne Collins,  The Hunger Games
  • Aldous Huxley,  Brave New World
  • Lois Lowry,  The Giver
  • George Orwell, 1984 ,  Animal Farm
  • Veronica Roth,  Divergent

Examples of Dystopias in Literature

1. Margaret Atwood,  The Handmaid’s Tale

Atwood’s 1985 novel takes place in a dystopian society called Gilead, a near-future version of the United States. In this world, a theocratic male government runs a ruthlessly totalitarian state that subjugates women into various classes and roles. One of those roles is handmaid, a woman who must bear children for the Gileadean elite. Offred is the handmaid at the center of the story, and she describes her life before and after the events that robbed women of their basic human rights and liberties.

2. Octavia Butler,  Parable of the Sower

Butler’s 1993 novel unfolds in 2020s-era America, where climate change, economic disparities, and corporate malfeasance leave society in shambles. Lauren Oya Olamina is a young woman with the unique ability to feel others’ pain and emotions, which inspires her to develop a new belief system called Earthseed. After the destruction of her Los Angeles home, Lauren and other survivors travel north across a violent landscape, eventually settling in Northern California and founding an Earthseed community.

3. Cormac McCarthy,  The Road

McCarthy’s 2006 novel follows the journey of a father and son as they traverse a violent and sparse America decimated by an unnamed catastrophe. They search for food and clean water, pushing their meager belongings in a shopping cart as they skirt ruthless bandits and meet fellow stricken survivors along the way. They eventually make it to the sea, with the father falling increasingly more ill and the boy facing the prospect of a life on his own.

Further Resources on Dystopias

The Artifice asks “ What Is the Purpose of Dystopian Literature? ”

Book Riot does a deep dive into the specifics of  speculative fiction .

A Study of Dystopia as a Literary Genre looks at the various  subgenres of dystopian fiction .

O  has a list of  20 Dystopian Novels Everyone Should Read .

Goodreads offers a comprehensive list of  popular dystopian novels .

Related Terms

  • Didacticism
  • Science Fiction

dystopian meaning essay

Definition of Dystopia

Dystopia is a literary device and genre used by writers to present a vision of the future that challenges readers to reflect on the current social and political environments in which they live. Dystopian literature often portrays society in cataclysmic decline resulting from environmental ruin, control through technology, and government oppression of individual freedom and expression.

Dystopian fiction is speculative, arising as a response to utopian literature which portrayed ideal societies based on rational thought, fairness, and human decency. Instead, dystopian works typically portray societies that are frightening and dehumanizing as a dark warning of the potentially dangerous effects of political and social structures on the future of humanity.

Dystopia is a significant literary device in its ability to educate readers and warn of the potentially dark consequences for humanity if changes are not made to present day societal and governmental constructs. In addition, dystopian literature is often enjoyable for readers in its engaging and thought-provoking content.

For example, in his novel   A Clockwork Orange , Anthony Burgess creates a futuristic society in which there is a subculture of young characters that participate in intense and extreme acts of violence:

The sweetest and most heavenly of activities partake in some measure of violence

As a response, the authoritarian government in the novel uses behavioral techniques to “rehabilitate” aberrant behavior among the characters that don’t conform to societal rules. Therefore, individual freedom of choice and action is eliminated.

Examples of Central Themes in Dystopian Literature

Dystopian literature tends to feature common, central themes that allow writers to create alternate realities while imparting deep meaning to their readers. Here are some examples of central themes in dystopian literature:

  • government control : dystopian works often reflect extremes in terms of governmental rule, from oppressive totalitarianism to violent anarchy
  • environmental destruction: dystopian stories are typically set in “apocalyptic” environments that reflect destruction of life and an uninhabitable landscape, usually as a result of war and weaponry
  • technological control : dystopian works often reflect advancements in science and technology that grow out of human control and become domineering and fear-inducing
  • survival : characters in dystopian literature are often left to their own means of survival due to oppressive or violent societies
  • loss of individualism : dystopian literature often emphasizes the needs of society and conformity at the expense of individual freedom and expression

Examples of Famous Dystopian Novels

Many writers use the novel form to create dystopian literature. This allows for detailed development of the setting , characters, plot , and theme so that readers can enjoy the story but also consider the novel’s levels of social commentary. The popularity of dystopian literature reflects a collective human curiosity about the future and progress of society.

Here are some examples of famous dystopian novels:

  • brave new world
  • Ready Player One
  • Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
  • Parable of the Sower
  • The Drowned World
  • The Maze Runner
  • The City of Ember
  • Station Eleven
  • Never Let Me Go
  • The Time Machine
  • A Clockwork Orange

Common Examples of Well-Known Dystopian Movies

Many dystopian movies are created as adaptations of dystopian literature, although there are original dystopian scripts that are made into films as well. This genre of filmmaking is popular among audiences due to the artistic and cinematic portrayal of alternate realities as well as thought-provoking content.

Here are some common examples of well-known dystopian movies:

  • The Hunger Games
  • Catching Fire
  • Planet of the Apes
  • Logan’s Run
  • Minority Report
  • Soylent Green
  • Blade Runner
  • The Lobster

Difference Between Dystopia and Science Fiction Genres

There are a great number of similarities between the dystopia and science fiction genres. However, there are some distinctions between them as well. Science fiction typically is set in the future and often features elements of fantasy . For example, anything is “possible” in the genre of science fiction, including time travel, space travel, the existence of aliens, sentient artificial intelligence, etc.

Dystopia, as a genre, is often grounded in “reality” without elements of fantasy. In addition, dystopian literature typically reflects a lack of harmony in society, revealing its political, cultural, and/or social distortions . This leads to common endings among dystopian works of dark futures as a warning to present day society in terms of making changes. Science fiction literature does not necessarily end with such predictions of doom. However, many works of literature artfully combine dystopian and science fiction elements and themes.

Examples of Dystopia in Literature

The use of dystopia as a literary device allows writers to create stories that are centered around the opposite of a utopian environment–a “perfect” society. Though dystopian literature often portrays an ideal society on the surface, the underlying oppression, violence, desolation, and/or chaos reveals the many ways that humans can be corrupted by power , greed, control, war, and other factors.

Here are some examples of dystopia in well-known works of literature:

Example 1:  The Handmaid’s Tale  (Margaret Atwood)

There is more than one kind of freedom,” said Aunt Lydia. “Freedom to and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from. Don’t underrate it.

In Atwood’s famous novel, she creates a dystopian country, ruled by an authoritarian patriarchal theocracy based in Puritanical Christianity. All women characters in the novel are subjugated, indoctrinated, and divided into rigid classes of “chaste” and childless wives, housekeepers, and “handmaids” who are still capable of bearing children to relinquish to the wives. Among the many themes explored in Atwood’s dystopia is the dark future prescribed as a result of political control over women’s bodies and reproduction. This leads to objectification, violence, and full surrender of women to patriarchal rule.

In addition to the oppression of women, Atwood’s dystopian work emphasizes the peril of nonconformity and the extreme measures taken to enforce obedience of thought and behavior. The novel portrays a frightening police state in which anyone can be a government spy and threaten someone’s life. Those who don’t conform to the rules and norms of this society, in terms of behavior and thought, are publicly executed or removed as punishment to a radioactive wasteland called “The Colonies.” This dystopia calls upon readers to consider the dire consequences of societal and political control, oppression of women and people of color, and pursuit of uniformity.

Example 2:  Fahrenheit 451  (Ray Bradbury)

If you don’t want a man unhappy politically, don’t give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none. Let him forget there is such a thing as war. If the government is inefficient, top-heavy, and tax-mad, better it be all those than that people worry over it. Peace, Montag. Give the people contests they win by remembering the words to more popular songs or the names of state capitals or how much corn Iowa grew last year. Cram them full of noncombustible data, chock them so damned full of ‘facts’ they feel stuffed, but absolutely ‘brilliant’ with information. Then they’ll feel they’re thinking, they’ll get a  sense  of motion without moving. And they’ll be happy, because facts of that sort don’t change.

Bradbury’s novel is perhaps one of the most famous works of dystopian literature. The novel portrays a future society in which the job of a fireman is to burn books. This reflects an extreme in terms of governmental and political control, based on the theme that censorship of information, learning, and thought is a fundamental necessity for totalitarian rule. Most readers consider Bradbury’s work to be prophetic in its portrayal of a society obsessed with technology and constant entertainment, which drowns the characters’ abilities to think with any sort of freedom or creativity.

Another interesting element of Bradbury’s dystopian novel is how the majority of characters embrace the policy of banning books and their preference to be consumed by technological devices and perpetual media stimulation. This is most evident in the protagonist ’s wife, Mildred, who agrees that there is greater public happiness due to the ban of books. Mildred keeps “Seashells” in her ears, which are thimble-sized radios so that she can have the constant presence of music and talk. In addition, Mildred wishes to have a fourth television “wall” so that she can more completely watch her “family” of tv characters. This censorship and interruption of thought and contemplation keeps Mildred and others in this dystopia from facing the empty and vapid nature of their lives.

Example 3:  2BR02B  (Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.)

The law said that no newborn child could survive unless the parents of the child could find someone who would volunteer to die. Triplets, if they were all to live, called for three volunteers.

In this short story , Vonnegut presents a future in which the United States’ population has stabilized at 40 million “souls.” On the surface, the fictional world appears utopian in that many societal issues seem to have been resolved, such as poverty , war, prisons, diseases, and even old age. In the story, death occurs only by accident or for those who volunteer to end their life. This poses a moral dilemma for the protagonist of the story, a man whose wife is delivering triplets.

Vonnegut’s story explores the theme of governmental control over human life at the level of basic existence in terms of who gets to live and who dies. The theme is made even more insidious by the presence of the phone number “2BR02B,” marketed as an adventurous and righteous choice for characters to elect to die–volunteering to commit suicide. In addition, this dystopia reflects the sacrifice of the individual for the well-being of society, which ultimately leads to devaluation of human life in its beauty and complexity.

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Meaning of dystopian in English

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  • George Orwell, author of the classic dystopian novel "1984"
  • Dystopian books and movies have been a sci-fi staple for decades .
  • The play is set in a dystopian society in which two policemen are investigating a string of horrific crimes involving children .
  • The novel is set in a dystopian future in an America whose infrastructure has been reduced to rubble .
  • civilization
  • consumer society
  • culturomics
  • digital divide
  • non-segregated
  • non-segregation
  • non-utility
  • sociocultural
  • superstructure
  • uncivilized

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Translations of dystopian

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a game played by two or more children in which one child chases the others and tries to touch one of them. This child then becomes the one who does the chasing.

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A Golden Age for Dystopian Fiction

dystopian meaning essay

By Jill Lepore

Illustration of a person screaming with flames reflected in their pupils

Here are the plots of some new dystopian novels, set in the near future. The world got too hot, so a wealthy celebrity persuaded a small number of very rich people to move to a makeshift satellite that, from orbit, leaches the last nourishment the earth has to give, leaving everyone else to starve. The people on the satellite have lost their genitals, through some kind of instant mutation or super-quick evolution, but there is a lot of sex anyway, since it’s become fashionable to have surgical procedures to give yourself a variety of appendages and openings, along with decorative skin grafts and tattoos, there being so little else to do. There are no children, but the celebrity who rules the satellite has been trying to create them by torturing women from the earth’s surface. (“We are what happens when the seemingly unthinkable celebrity rises to power,” the novel’s narrator says.) Or: North Korea deployed a brain-damaging chemical weapon that made everyone in the United States, or at least everyone in L.A., an idiot, except for a few people who were on a boat the day the scourge came, but the idiots, who are otherwise remarkably sweet, round up and kill those people, out of fear. Led by a man known only as the Chief, the idiots build a wall around downtown to keep out the Drifters and the stupidest people, the Shamblers, who don’t know how to tie shoes or button buttons; they wander around, naked and barefoot. Thanks, in part, to the difficulty of clothing, there is a lot of sex, random and unsatisfying, but there are very few children, because no one knows how to take care of them. (The jacket copy bills this novel as “the first book of the Trump era.”)

Or: Machines replaced humans, doing all the work and providing all the food, and, even though if you leave the city it is hotter everywhere else, some huffy young people do, because they are so bored, not to mention that they are mad at their parents, who do annoying things like run giant corporations. The runaways are called walkaways. (I gather they’re not in a terribly big hurry.) They talk about revolution, take a lot of baths, upload their brains onto computers, and have a lot of sex, but, to be honest, they are very boring. Or: Even after the coasts were lost to the floods when the ice caps melted, the American South, defying a new federal law, refused to give up fossil fuels, and seceded, which led to a civil war, which had been going on for decades, and was about to be over, on Reunification Day, except that a woman from Louisiana who lost her whole family in the war went to the celebration and released a poison that killed a hundred million people, which doesn’t seem like the tragedy it might have been, because in this future world, as in all the others, there’s not much to live for, what with the petty tyrants, the rotten weather, and the crappy sex. It will not give too much away if I say that none of these novels have a happy ending (though one has a twist). Then again, none of them have a happy beginning, either.

Dystopias follow utopias the way thunder follows lightning. This year, the thunder is roaring. But people are so grumpy, what with the petty tyrants and such, that it’s easy to forget how recently lightning struck. “Whether we measure our progress in terms of wiredness, open-mindedness, or optimism, the country is moving in the right direction, and faster, perhaps, than even we would have believed,” a reporter for Wired wrote in May, 2000. “We are, as a nation, better educated, more tolerant, and more connected because of—not in spite of—the convergence of the internet and public life. Partisanship, religion, geography, race, gender, and other traditional political divisions are giving way to a new standard—wiredness—as an organizing principle.” Nor was the utopianism merely technological, or callow. In January, 2008, Barack Obama gave a speech in New Hampshire, about the American creed:

It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation: Yes, we can. It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights: Yes, we can. It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness: Yes, we can. . . . Yes, we can heal this nation. Yes, we can repair this world. Yes, we can.

That was the lightning, the flash of hope, the promise of perfectibility. The argument of dystopianism is that perfection comes at the cost of freedom. Every new lament about the end of the republic, every column about the collapse of civilization, every new novel of doom: these are its answering thunder. Rumble, thud, rumble, ka-boom, KA-BOOM !

A utopia is a paradise, a dystopia a paradise lost. Before utopias and dystopias became imagined futures, they were imagined pasts, or imagined places, like the Garden of Eden. “I have found a continent more densely peopled and abounding in animals than our Europe or Asia or Africa, and, in addition, a climate milder and more delightful than in any other region known to us,” Amerigo Vespucci wrote, in extravagant letters describing his voyages across the Atlantic, published in 1503 as “Mundus Novus_,”_ a new world. In 1516, Thomas More published a fictional account of a sailor on one of Vespucci’s ships who had travelled just a bit farther, to the island of Utopia, where he found a perfect republic. (More coined the term: “utopia” means “nowhere.”) “Gulliver’s Travels” (1726) is a satire of the utopianism of the Enlightenment. On the island of Laputa, Gulliver visits the Academy of Lagado, where the sages, the first progressives, are busy trying to make pincushions out of marble, breeding naked sheep, and improving the language by getting rid of all the words. The word “dystopia,” meaning “an unhappy country,” was coined in the seventeen-forties, as the historian Gregory Claeys points out in a shrewd new study, “Dystopia: A Natural History” (Oxford). In its modern definition, a dystopia can be apocalyptic, or post-apocalyptic, or neither, but it has to be anti-utopian, a utopia turned upside down, a world in which people tried to build a republic of perfection only to find that they had created a republic of misery. “A Trip to the Island of Equality,” a 1792 reply to Thomas Paine’s “Rights of Man,” is a dystopia (on the island, the pursuit of equality has reduced everyone to living in caves), but Mary Shelley’s 1826 novel, “The Last Man,” in which the last human being dies in the year 2100 of a dreadful plague, is not dystopian; it’s merely apocalyptic.

The dystopian novel emerged in response to the first utopian novels, like Edward Bellamy’s best-selling 1888 fantasy, “Looking Backward,” about a socialist utopia in the year 2000. “Looking Backward” was so successful that it produced a dozen anti-socialist, anti-utopian replies, including “Looking Further Backward” (in which China invades the United States, which has been weakened by its embrace of socialism) and “Looking Further Forward” (in which socialism is so unquestionable that a history professor who refutes it is demoted to the rank of janitor). In 1887, a year before Bellamy, the American writer Anna Bowman Dodd published “The Republic of the Future,” a socialist dystopia set in New York in 2050, in which women and men are equal, children are reared by the state, machines handle all the work, and most people, having nothing else to do, spend much of their time at the gym, obsessed with fitness. Dodd describes this world as “the very acme of dreariness.” What is a dystopia? The gym. (That’s still true. In a 2011 episode of “Black Mirror,” life on earth in an energy-scarce future has been reduced to an interminable spin class.)

Utopians believe in progress; dystopians don’t. They fight this argument out in competing visions of the future, utopians offering promises, dystopians issuing warnings. In 1895, in “The Time Machine,” H. G. Wells introduced the remarkably handy device of travelling through time by way of a clock. After that, time travel proved convenient, but even Wells didn’t always use a machine. In his 1899 novel, “When the Sleeper Awakes,” his hero simply oversleeps his way to the twenty-first century, where he finds a world in which people are enslaved by propaganda, and “helpless in the hands of the demagogue.” That’s one problem with dystopian fiction: forewarned is not always forearmed.

Sleeping through the warning signs is another problem. “I was asleep before,” the heroine of “The Handmaid’s Tale” says in the new Hulu production of Margaret Atwood’s 1986 novel. “That’s how we let it happen.” But what about when everyone’s awake, and there are plenty of warnings, but no one does anything about them? “NK3,” by Michael Tolkin (Atlantic), is an intricate and cleverly constructed account of the aftermath of a North Korean chemical attack; the NK3 of the title has entirely destroyed its victims’ memories and has vastly diminished their capacity to reason. This puts the novel’s characters in the same position as the readers of all dystopian fiction: they’re left to try to piece together not a whodunnit but a howdidithappen. Seth Kaplan, who’d been a pediatric oncologist, pages through periodicals left in a seat back on a Singapore Airlines jet, on the ground at LAX. The periodicals, like the plane, hadn’t moved since the plague arrived. “It confused Seth that the plague was front-page news in some but not all of the papers,” Tolkin writes. “They still printed reviews of movies and books, articles about new cars, ways to make inexpensive costumes for Halloween.” Everyone had been awake, but they’d been busy shopping for cars and picking out movies and cutting eyeholes in paper bags.

This spring’s blighted crop of dystopian novels is pessimistic about technology, about the economy, about politics, and about the planet, making it a more abundant harvest of unhappiness than most other heydays of downheartedness. The Internet did not stitch us all together. Economic growth has led to widening economic inequality and a looming environmental crisis. Democracy appears to be yielding to authoritarianism. “Hopes, dashed” is, lately, a long list, and getting longer. The plane is grounded, seat backs in the upright position, and we are dying, slowly, of stupidity.

“I dont know—I think we should look for funnier car insurance.”

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Pick your present-day dilemma; there’s a new dystopian novel to match it. Worried about political polarization? In “American War” (Knopf), Omar El Akkad traces the United States’ descent from gridlock to barbarism as the states of the former Confederacy (or, at least, the parts that aren’t underwater) refuse to abide by the Sustainable Future Act, and secede in 2074. Troubled by the new Jim Crow? Ben H. Winters’s “Underground Airlines” (Little, Brown) is set in an early-twenty-first-century United States in which slavery abides, made crueller, and more inescapable, by the giant, unregulated slave-owning corporations that deploy the surveillance powers of modern technology, so that even escaping to the North (on underground airlines) hardly offers much hope, since free blacks in cities like Chicago live in segregated neighborhoods with no decent housing or schooling or work and it’s the very poverty in which they live that defeats arguments for abolition by hardening ideas about race. As the book’s narrator, a fugitive slave, explains, “Black gets to mean poor and poor to mean dangerous and all the words get murked together and become one dark idea, a cloud of smoke, the smokestack fumes drifting like filthy air across the rest of the nation.”

Radical pessimism is a dismal trend. The despair, this particular publishing season, comes in many forms, including the grotesque. In “The Book of Joan” (Harper), Lidia Yuknavitch’s narrator, Christine Pizan, is forty-nine, and about to die, because she’s living on a satellite orbiting the earth, where everyone is executed at the age of fifty; the wet in their bodies constitutes the colony’s water supply. (Dystopia, here, is menopause.) Her body has aged: “If hormones have any meaning left for any of us, it is latent at best.” She examines herself in the mirror: “I have a slight rise where each breast began, and a kind of mound where my pubic bone should be, but that’s it. Nothing else of woman is left.” Yuknavitch’s Pizan is a resurrection of the medieval French scholar and historian Christine de Pisan, who in 1405 wrote the allegorical “Book of the City of Ladies,” and, in 1429, “The Song of Joan of Arc,” an account of the life of the martyr. In the year 2049, Yuknavitch’s Pizan writes on her body, by a torturous process of self-mutilation, the story of a twenty-first-century Joan, who is trying to save the planet from Jean de Men (another historical allusion), the insane celebrity who has become its ruler. In the end, de Men himself is revealed to be “not a man but what is left of a woman,” with “all the traces: sad, stitched-up sacks of flesh where breasts had once been, as if someone tried too hard to erase their existence. And a bulbous sagging gash sutured over and over where . . . life had perhaps happened in the past, or not, and worse, several dangling attempts at half-formed penises, sewn and abandoned, distended and limp.”

Equal rights for women, emancipation, Reconstruction, civil rights: so many hopes, dashed; so many causes, lost. Pisan pictured a city of women; Lincoln believed in union; King had a dream. Yuknavitch and El Akkad and Winters unspool the reels of those dreams, and recut them as nightmares. This move isn’t new, or daring; it is, instead, very old. The question is whether it’s all used up, as parched as a post-apocalyptic desert, as barren as an old woman, as addled as an old man.

A utopia is a planned society; planned societies are often disastrous; that’s why utopias contain their own dystopias. Most early-twentieth-century dystopian novels took the form of political parables, critiques of planned societies, from both the left and the right. The utopianism of Communists, eugenicists, New Dealers, and Fascists produced the Russian novelist Yevgeny Zamyatin’s “We” in 1924, Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” in 1935, Ayn Rand’s “Anthem” in 1937, and George Orwell’s “1984” in 1949. After the war, after the death camps, after the bomb, dystopian fiction thrived, like a weed that favors shade. “A decreasing percentage of the imaginary worlds are utopias,” the literary scholar Chad Walsh observed in 1962. “An increasing percentage are nightmares.”

Much postwar pessimism had to do with the superficiality of mass culture in an age of affluence, and with the fear that the banality and conformity of consumer society had reduced people to robots. “I drive my car to supermarket,” John Updike wrote in 1954. “The way I take is superhigh, / A superlot is where I park it, / And Super Suds are what I buy.” Supersudsy television boosterism is the utopianism attacked by Kurt Vonnegut in “Player Piano” (1952) and by Ray Bradbury in “Fahrenheit 451” (1953). Cold War dystopianism came in as many flavors as soda pop or superheroes and in as many sizes as nuclear warheads. But, in a deeper sense, the mid-century overtaking of utopianism by dystopianism marked the rise of modern conservatism: a rejection of the idea of the liberal state. Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” appeared in 1957, and climbed up the Times best-seller list. It has sold more than eight million copies.

The second half of the twentieth century, of course, also produced liberal-minded dystopias, chiefly concerned with issuing warnings about pollution and climate change, nuclear weapons and corporate monopolies, technological totalitarianism and the fragility of rights secured from the state. There were, for instance, feminist dystopias. The utopianism of the Moral Majority, founded in 1979, lies behind “The Handmaid’s Tale” (a book that is, among other things, an updating of Harriet Jacobs’s 1861 “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl”). But rights-based dystopianism also led to the creation of a subgenre of dystopian fiction: bleak futures for bobby-soxers. Dystopianism turns out to have a natural affinity with American adolescence. And this, I think, is where the life of the genre got squeezed out, like a beetle burned up on an asphalt driveway by a boy wielding a magnifying glass on a sunny day. It sizzles, and then it smokes, and then it just lies there, dead as a bug.

Dystopias featuring teen-age characters have been a staple of high-school life since “The Lord of the Flies” came out, in 1954. But the genre only really took off in the aftermath of Vietnam and Watergate, when distrust of adult institutions and adult authority flourished, and the publishing industry began producing fiction packaged for “young adults,” ages twelve to eighteen. Some of these books are pretty good. M. T. Anderson’s 2002 Y.A. novel, “Feed,” is a smart and fierce answer to the “Don’t Be Evil” utopianism of Google, founded in 1996. All of them are characterized by a withering contempt for adults and by an unshakable suspicion of authority. “The Hunger Games” trilogy, whose first installment appeared in 2008, has to do with economic inequality, but, like all Y.A. dystopian fiction, it’s also addressed to readers who feel betrayed by a world that looked so much better to them when they were just a bit younger. “I grew up a little, and I gradually began to figure out that pretty much everyone had been lying to me about pretty much everything ,” the high-school-age narrator writes at the beginning of Ernest Cline’s best-selling 2011 Y.A. novel, “Ready Player One.”

Lately, even dystopian fiction marketed to adults has an adolescent sensibility, pouty and hostile. Cory Doctorow’s new novel, “Walkaway” (Tor), begins late at night at a party in a derelict factory with a main character named Hubert: “At twenty-seven, he had seven years on the next oldest partier.” The story goes on in this way, with Doctorow inviting grownup readers to hang out with adolescents, looking for immortality, while supplying neologisms like “spum” instead of “spam” to remind us that we’re in a world that’s close to our own, but weird. “My father spies on me,” the novel’s young heroine complains. “Walkaway” comes with an endorsement from Edward Snowden. Doctorow’s earlier novel, a Y.A. book called “Little Brother,” told the story of four teen-agers and their fight for Internet privacy rights. With “Walkaway,” Doctorow pounds the same nails with the same bludgeon. His walkaways are trying to turn a dystopia into a utopia by writing better computer code than their enemies. “A pod of mercs and an infotech goon pwnd everything using some zeroday they’d bought from scumbag default infowar researchers” is the sort of thing they say. “They took over the drone fleet, and while we dewormed it, seized the mechas.”

Every dystopia is a history of the future. What are the consequences of a literature, even a pulp literature, of political desperation? “It’s a sad commentary on our age that we find dystopias a lot easier to believe in than utopias,” Atwood wrote in the nineteen-eighties. “Utopias we can only imagine; dystopias we’ve already had.” But what was really happening then was that the genre and its readers were sorting themselves out by political preference, following the same path—to the same ideological bunkers—as families, friends, neighborhoods, and the news. In the first year of Obama’s Presidency, Americans bought half a million copies of “Atlas Shrugged.” In the first month of the Administration of Donald (“American carnage”) Trump, during which Kellyanne Conway talked about alternative facts, “1984” jumped to the top of the Amazon best-seller list. (Steve Bannon is a particular fan of a 1973 French novel called “The Camp of the Saints,” in which Europe is overrun by dark-skinned immigrants.) The duel of dystopias is nothing so much as yet another place poisoned by polarized politics, a proxy war of imaginary worlds.

Dystopia used to be a fiction of resistance; it’s become a fiction of submission, the fiction of an untrusting, lonely, and sullen twenty-first century, the fiction of fake news and infowars, the fiction of helplessness and hopelessness. It cannot imagine a better future, and it doesn’t ask anyone to bother to make one. It nurses grievances and indulges resentments; it doesn’t call for courage; it finds that cowardice suffices. Its only admonition is: Despair more. It appeals to both the left and the right, because, in the end, it requires so little by way of literary, political, or moral imagination, asking only that you enjoy the company of people whose fear of the future aligns comfortably with your own. Left or right, the radical pessimism of an unremitting dystopianism has itself contributed to the unravelling of the liberal state and the weakening of a commitment to political pluralism. “This isn’t a story about war,” El Akkad writes in “American War.” “It’s about ruin.” A story about ruin can be beautiful. Wreckage is romantic. But a politics of ruin is doomed. ♦

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How Jane Vonnegut Made Kurt Vonnegut a Writer

By Ginger Strand

Margaret Atwood, the Prophet of Dystopia

By Rebecca Mead

Fresh Hell

By Laura Miller

Can Slowing Down Save the Planet?

By E. Tammy Kim

  • Literary Terms
  • Definition & Examples
  • When & How to Write a Dystopia

I. What is Dystopia?

A dystopia (diss-TOE-pee-yuh) is a horrible place where everything has gone wrong. Whereas utopia means a perfect paradise, dystopia means exactly the opposite. The term generally implies a fictional setting, but sometimes people will refer to real places as “dystopic.”

II. Examples of Dystopia

Each of the BioShock games explores its own sort of dystopia. In the original game, the underwater city of Rapture was set up to be a paradise of perfect freedom and laissez-fare (unregulated) capitalism. But over time, the lack of regulations allowed powerful scientists and businessmen to abuse and exploit ordinary people, including little children who were turned into living chemical factories.

The Matrix is a post-apocalyptic dystopia with hints of a statist dystopia. The “real world” in this film is decidedly post-apocalyptic, with its crumbling skyscrapers, blackened sky, and prowling packs of creepy robots. But within the Matrix, everything is controlled by the computers, who can be thought of as a kind of government (especially given their “agents” in black ties ).

III. Types of Dystopia

The majority of dystopias (though not all!) fall into one of two categories:

Post-Apocalyptic dystopias are the aftermath of some horrible calamity. The disaster is always an expression of society’s greatest fears – during the Cold War, post-apocalyptic dystopias were depicted as the aftermath of nuclear war. In the 21 st century, we are less afraid of nuclear war but more afraid of disease and climate change, so we imagine dystopian futures stemming from ecological collapse or the outbreak of some horrible virus.

Statist dystopias are the opposite of post-apocalyptic ones. In these dystopias, the government has grown to the point where it controls everything and suppresses all individual freedoms, especially freedom of thought and expression.

IV. The Importance of Dystopia

Dystopian fiction is the ultimate expression of a culture’s anxieties. It’s like peering directly into the collective nightmare of a whole society, and there is tremendous cultural and historical insight to be gained from reading dystopian literature. First, we can see what a society fears by reading its dystopias. Disease, totalitarianism, neglect of duty, theocracy – whatever a society feels most anxious about will appear in its imaginary dystopias.

But a dystopia also (usually) expresses the virtues that the author feels have been lost in society. For example, take the classic zombie apocalypse. In the typical story about the zombie apocalypse, the heroes are those who retain old virtues of resourcefulness, self-reliance, courage, and hardiness. Skills like construction and agriculture become far more important than programming or even driving (since computers have all been destroyed and there may be no more fuel for cars). By stripping away the comforts of modern life and placing characters in a stark, life-or-death dystopia, the author can send a message about what kinds of skills really matter in the world and pointedly suggest that maybe modern people have lost touch with them.

V. Examples of  Dystopia  in Literature

There will be no loyalty, except loyalty towards the Party. There will be no love, except the love of Big Brother. There will be no laughter, except the laugh of triumph over a defeated enemy. There will be no art, no literature, no science. There will be no curiosity, no enjoyment of the process of life. All competing pleasures will be destroyed. But always…always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever . (George Orwell, 1984 )

George Orwell’s 1984 is the classic statist dystopia. In this imagined future, the government has abolished individual freedom and identity, and dedicated themselves to a hateful ideology of violence and domination. This book, written in 1949, explores the ideology of totalitarianism and the threat it poses to individual rights. It has formed the model for every statist dystopia since its publication.

Like much dystopian literature, The Giver is deceptive – it starts out looking like a utopia, where all pain, disease, and conflict have been abolished. But over the course of the story, we learn that these things have been abolished by depriving people of freedom, choice, and emotion. An apparent utopia turns out to be a statist dystopia.

VI. Examples of  Dystopia  in Pop Culture

V for Vendetta is set in a fairly typical statist dystopia. The government has complete control of the media, and uses this power to stamp out all dissent and free thought. The populace is turned against itself through fear-mongering, a common trait of statist dystopias.

The movie Elysium combines elements of both the statist dystopia and the post-apocalyptic dystopia – down on Earth, the rampages of a thoughtless, extractive corporation have led to poverty and chaos for the poor working people. But on the space station Elysium, life is easy and the rich live comfortable lives, despite being under the control of an ultra-powerful government.

One of the most popular dystopian settings today is the zombie apocalypse. While classic zombies were literal corpses raised from their graves through magic, the modern imagination (especially in such films as 28 Days Later ) has re-invented zombies as casualties of a horrible disease. They encapsulate our legitimate fears about epidemics in today’s dense, crowded societies.

Related Terms

Strictly speaking, utopia is the opposite of dystopia. But literature frequently blends utopia and dystopia. For example, the characters may arrive in a society that seems to be perfect – until its dark secrets are revealed and it turns out to be a dystopia. Utopias serve much the same purpose as dystopias, but in reverse: they allow authors (and, through them, whole societies) to explore their hopes, dreams, and aspirations rather than their anxieties.

List of Terms

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Dystopian Literature: Themes, Insights & Examples

What is dystopian literature, themes in dystopian literature, insights into dystopian literature, examples of dystopian literature, how to read and analyze dystopian literature, why dystopian literature matters, modern dystopian literature.

Imagine being in a world where everything seems to go wrong, and there's a constant sense of doom. This is the unique flavor of dystopian literature. By exploring themes of societal decay, oppressive governments, and the loss of humanity, dystopian literature serves as a mirror, reflecting our deepest fears and concerns about the future. In this article, we will explore the fascinating world of dystopian literature and delve into its most common themes. So, if you've ever been intrigued by books like '1984' or 'The Hunger Games', you're in for a treat.

At its core, dystopian literature is a genre of fiction that paints a picture of an imagined world where things are horribly wrong. Unlike its cousin, utopian literature, which imagines a perfect society, dystopian literature depicts a future where society has taken a turn for the worse. These stories often explore themes of oppressive governmental control, environmental devastation, and the loss of individual freedoms.

Dystopian literature often sets the stage in a future, post-apocalyptic world ravaged by war, disease, or some other catastrophic event. The societies depicted in these works are typically marked by inequality, injustice, and the callous use of technology. It's like looking at your worst nightmares through the lens of literature.

Whether it's the total loss of privacy in George Orwell's '1984', the haunting governmental control in Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale', or the deranged reality TV death match in Suzanne Collins' 'The Hunger Games', dystopian themes in literature push us to question our society and ourselves.

Now that you know what dystopian literature is, you might be wondering: what are the main dystopian themes in literature? Well, let's take a closer look.

While each dystopian story is unique and disturbing in its own right, there are certain themes that are commonly explored in this genre. Let's dive into some of these dystopian themes in literature.

  • Loss of Individuality: One of the most prominent themes in dystopian literature is the loss of individuality. In many of these stories, citizens lose their identities and become part of a faceless mass. They're often stripped of their names, their personal histories, and even their ability to think independently.
  • Oppressive Government Control: Another common theme is oppressive government control. In dystopian societies, governments have total control over their citizens' lives. They monitor their activities, control their thoughts, and even manipulate their perceptions of reality.
  • Technological Control: The misuse of technology for control and manipulation is a common theme in dystopian literature. From surveillance and propaganda to genetic manipulation and AI, technology is often depicted as a tool for oppression.
  • Social Stratification: Dystopian societies are often marked by stark social inequalities. Citizens are usually divided into strict social classes, with a small elite class enjoying privileges at the expense of the masses.
  • Environmental Destruction: Many dystopian stories also explore the theme of environmental destruction. Whether it's due to nuclear war, climate change, or some other disaster, the environment in these stories is often in a state of ruin.

These themes are a stark reminder of the potential dangers of unchecked power, technological advancement, and societal inequality. They may be unsettling, but they force us to confront uncomfortable questions about our society and our future.

Dystopian literature does more than narrate a tale of a bleak and depressing future. It offers deep insights into human nature, our society, and the potential consequences of our actions. As we explore the dystopian themes in literature, let's take a moment to understand the insights they provide.

  • Power Corrupts: A persistent insight we glean from dystopian literature is the idea that power can corrupt. An oppressive government or ruling class is a common feature in these stories, showing us how those in power can misuse it for their own benefit.
  • Value of Freedom: Dystopian literature often portrays societies where personal freedoms are curtailed or nonexistent. This serves as a stark reminder of the importance of individual liberties and the lengths we should go to preserve them.
  • Technology isn't Always Beneficial: While we often view technology as a tool for positive advancement, dystopian literature provides a contrasting view. It shows us a world where technology is misused, leading to loss of privacy, individuality, and in some cases, humanity itself.
  • Social Equality Matters: The stark social stratification in dystopian societies offers a cautionary tale about the dangers of inequality. It reminds us of the need for a fair society where everyone has equal opportunities.
  • Respect for Nature: The environmental destruction depicted in many dystopian stories underscores the importance of respecting and preserving our natural environment. It warns us of the potential consequences of neglecting our environment.

So, while dystopian themes in literature may be dark and disturbing, they serve as powerful tools to provoke thought, stimulate discussion, and inspire action on important societal issues.

If you're interested in exploring dystopian themes in literature, here are a few examples that masterfully highlight these themes:

  • "1984" by George Orwell: This classic piece of dystopian literature paints a grim picture of an omnipresent government that exercises total control over its citizens. It's a stark exploration of themes like authoritarianism, censorship, and state surveillance.
  • "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins: This popular series shows a world where children are forced to participate in deadly games for entertainment. The book explores themes such as social inequality, oppression, and the effects of war.
  • "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley: This novel portrays a future society that's seemingly perfect, but at the cost of individuality and freedom. It delves into themes like the misuse of technology, loss of individual identity, and the dangers of a seemingly utopian society.
  • "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury: In this dystopian world, books are banned and burned to suppress dissenting ideas. The novel explores themes like censorship, the value of knowledge, and the dangers of a complacent society.
  • "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood: This haunting tale depicts a society where women are subjugated and used solely for reproduction. It presents themes such as gender inequality, religious extremism, and the loss of personal freedoms.

These examples are a great starting point if you're looking to delve deeper into dystopian literature. Each book offers a unique exploration of dystopian themes, providing a rich and thought-provoking reading experience.

As you begin your journey into the world of dystopian literature, here are a few tips to help you fully appreciate and understand the dystopian themes in literature:

  • Look beyond the surface: Dystopian literature is rich in symbolism and allegory. Try to identify the underlying messages and critiques that the author is conveying through the dystopian setting. For instance, is the author commenting on current societal issues or warning about potential future outcomes?
  • Understand the characters: Dystopian literature often features characters struggling against oppressive systems. Pay attention to their actions, motivations, and development throughout the story. What do their struggles reveal about the society they live in?
  • Consider the societal structure: Dystopian societies often feature stark inequalities and oppressive systems. Analyze how this society operates and what it says about human nature and power dynamics.
  • Reflect on the themes: Dystopian literature is known for exploring complex and often grim themes. After reading, take the time to reflect on these themes and what they mean in the context of the story and in relation to our own society. How does the author use these dystopian themes to comment on real-world issues?

Remember, analyzing dystopian literature is not about finding 'the correct answer', but about exploring the text's layers and interpreting its meaning. So, go ahead, grab a book, and start exploring the complex and captivating world of dystopian themes in literature!

Let's dive straight into it: why should you care about dystopian literature and its themes? Well, besides being captivating and thought-provoking, dystopian literature serves several important functions.

  • It sparks critical thinking: By presenting readers with a society that's drastically different from our own, dystopian literature encourages us to question and reflect on societal norms, values, and structures. It prompts us to ask, "What if?" and consider different possibilities for our own society.
  • It mirrors societal issues: Dystopian literature doesn't just invent new worlds — it often reflects our own. By pushing societal issues to their extremes, it helps us see the potential consequences of our actions. It's like a mirror held up to our society, reflecting what could happen if we continue down certain paths.
  • It fosters empathy: Through its characters, dystopian literature allows us to experience life in a dystopian society. This can foster a sense of empathy and understanding for people who face oppression and hardship in the real world.
  • It inspires change: By highlighting the dangers of certain paths, dystopian literature can inspire readers to strive for change in their own societies. It's not just about showing us what could go wrong — it's also about inspiring us to work towards what could go right.

So, next time you pick up a dystopian novel, remember: you're not just reading a story. You're engaging with a powerful tool for reflection, empathy, and change. That's the power of dystopian themes in literature.

Now that we've explored why dystopian literature matters, let's journey into the contemporary landscape of dystopian themes in literature. Today's authors continue the tradition of envisioning bleak futures, but with modern concerns at the forefront.

  • Technology and control: With the rise of Big Data, social media, and surveillance technologies, modern dystopian literature often explores the theme of control through technology. Books like "The Circle" by Dave Eggers delve into the idea of a society where privacy no longer exists, and individual freedom is sacrificed for the illusion of safety and connection.
  • Environmental disasters: As awareness of climate change and environmental issues grows, so does their presence in dystopian literature. Novels like "Parable of the Sower" by Octavia Butler and "The Water Will Come" by Jeff Goodell paint grim pictures of societies devastated by climate change and ecological destruction.
  • Social inequality: Dystopian literature also shines a spotlight on social inequality. Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games", for instance, vividly portrays a society divided into wealth and poverty, where the poor are pitted against each other for the entertainment of the rich.
  • Loss of humanity: In the face of advancing technology and societal changes, many modern dystopian works question what it means to be human. Books like "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro explore themes of humanity, identity, and morality in a dystopian future.

Modern dystopian themes in literature reflect our current anxieties and fears. But remember, they also serve as a call to action. They remind us that the future is not set in stone — it's something we have a hand in shaping. So, what kind of future do you want to help create?

If you're fascinated by the world of dystopian literature and want to gain a deeper understanding of its themes and insights, don't miss Rabih Salloum's workshop, ' Navigating Life VI .' This workshop offers a unique perspective on dystopian themes and will help you appreciate the genre in a whole new light.

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Dystopian novel: Definition, key aspects and examples

Supriya Maity

A dystopian novel is a subgenre of speculative fiction that portrays an oppressive and dehumanizing society in the near or distant future. These novels often explore themes of totalitarianism, social control, technology, and the potential consequences of human actions. Here is an overview of the definition, key aspects, and examples of dystopian novels in English literature. It typically contrasts sharply with the ideals of a utopian society, highlighting the negative aspects of human nature, government control, and the erosion of individual liberties.

Key Aspects:

  • Authoritarian Regime: Dystopian novels often depict a society ruled by an oppressive government or authority figure that exerts total control over its citizens.
  • Social Stratification: These novels frequently showcase a society divided into distinct social classes or groups, with significant disparities in wealth, power, and privilege.
  • Loss of Personal Freedom: Dystopian societies restrict individual freedoms, curtail civil liberties, and often enforce strict rules and regulations upon their citizens.
  • Surveillance and Propaganda: Surveillance mechanisms, such as constant monitoring and propaganda dissemination, are common features in dystopian novels, showcasing the state’s control over information and manipulation of public perception.
  • Environmental Decay: Many dystopian novels explore the consequences of environmental degradation, often presenting a bleak future impacted by pollution, climate change, or other ecological disasters.
  • Resistance and Rebellion: Dystopian novels often feature characters who resist or rebel against the oppressive regime, seeking freedom, justice, or a way to dismantle the existing order.
  • George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four” presents a totalitarian regime ruled by “Big Brother” in a surveillance state where individuality is suppressed, and critical thinking is discouraged.
  • Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” portrays a futuristic society where citizens are conditioned, genetically engineered, and controlled to maintain social stability and happiness, but at the cost of personal freedom and individuality.
  • Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” envisions a theocratic dystopia called Gilead, where women are subjugated and used solely for reproductive purposes under a strict patriarchal regime.
  • Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” depicts a society where books are banned, and the government uses technology and censorship to control and manipulate its citizens.
  • Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games” series portrays a post-apocalyptic world where a totalitarian government forces children to participate in a televised fight to the death, highlighting themes of oppression, survival, and rebellion.

Also read;  Amatory fiction: definition, key features and examples

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Ambiguity: Definition, Features, and Examples

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Dystopian Literature

Dystopian Literature explores the darkest facets of the human mind and human nature. According to the Oxford English Dictionary , a dystopia is "An imaginary place or condition in which everything is as bad as possible." The easiest way to think about Dystopian Literature and dystopias is to consider that a dystopia is often the result of a society's arranging its government and laws around good qualities for a perfect society, such as order, equality, and obedience, and taking those qualities to the absolute extreme. Dystopian Literature, while fiction, can also spookily echo our own past, present, and future. Dystopian Literature is one of the best genres to understand man's inhumanity to his fellow men. 

This guide is a nearly comprehensive list of Dystopian Literature from the 18th century up to 2016, and is organized by decade and nationality of the author. This list includes everything from classic dystopian novels, such as Fahrenheit 451, to modern dystopian novels aimed at young adults, such as The Hunger Games series. 

To understand this genre, you can read more about it in " Dystopia " from the New World Encyclopedia ; " Fresh Hell " from The New Yorker ; " Why Do We Like Dystopian Novels? " from Huffpost ; or " Dystopia Literature Primer " from North Seattle Community College. For more lengthy discussions we recommend Erika Gottlieb's Dystopian Fiction East and West (PN56 .D94 G67 2001).

Our thanks are due to Kelsey White who interned with us in fall 2016 and created the first version of this help guide. Elements of her work have been carried over into this, the second, version of the Dystopian literature help guide. **We are happy to report that Kelsey is working towards her Masters in Library Science!**

The Fixed Period Trollope, Anthony

The Last American: A Fragment from the Journal of Khan-Li, Prince of Dimph-Yoo-Chur and Admiral in the Persian Navy Mitchell, John Ames

The Republic of the Future Dodd, Anna Bowman

Caesar's Column Donnelly, Ignatius L.

The Time Machine Wells, H.G. PR5774 .T56 1976

When the Sleeper Wakes aka Sleeper Awakes Wells, H.G. PR5774 .S57 2005

The First Men in the Moon Wells, H.G.

The Iron Heel London, Jack PS3523 .O46 A14 1982

Lord of the World Benson, Robert Hugh

The Machine Stops Forster, E.M.

"The Dictator: A Story of Ak and Humanity" Zozulya, Yefim

Eugenia: A Fictional Sketch of Future Customs Rodriguez, Eduardo Urzaiz

Herland Gilman, Charlotte Perkins PS1744 .G57 H4 1979

Metamorphosis Kafka, Franz PT2621 .A26 A258 1995

La Nada Cotidiana Valdes, Zoe

Czech Republic

The Absolute at Large Capek, Karel

The Big Wig

The Cremator Fuks, Ladislav

The Memorandum Havel, Vaclav

Mr. Theodore Mundstock Fuks, Ladislav

War with the Newts Capek, Karel PG5038 .C3 V33 1990

Conquered City Serge, Victor PQ2637 .E49 V513 2011

The Elementary Particles Houellebecq, Michel PQ2668 .O77 P3713 2000

The Man Who Laughs Hugo, Victor PQ2283 .A3 S75 1900

The Plague Camus, Albert PQ2605 .A3734 P413 1948

Planet of the Apes Boulle, Pierre PQ2603 .O754 P513 1963

The Castle Kafka, Franz PT2621 .A26 S33 1998

The Trial Kafka, Franz PT2621 .A26 K11 1968

1985 Dalos, Gyorgy

Darkness at Noon Koestler, Arthur PR6021 .O4 D3 1968

Eve Carey, Anna

Gulliver's Travels Swift, Jonathan PR3724 .G8 1970

Land Under England O'Neill, Joseph

Once Carey, Anna

Rise Carey, Anna

Scraps of the Untainted Sky Moylan, Thomas PN3433.6 .M69 2000

Attack on Titan. The Harsh Mistress of the City, Part I Isayama, Hajime

Battle Royale Takami, Koshun PL876 .A396 B3913 2014

From the Fatherland with Love Murakami, Ryu

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World Murakami, Haruki PL856 .U673 S4513 1993

Inter-Ice Age 4 Abe, Kobo

Library Wars 9: Love and War Yumi, Kiiro and Kinami Watabe

The Appeal Andrzejewski, Jerzy

Eden Lem, Stanislaw

The Graveyard Hlasko, Marek

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Dystopian Short Stories: A Compelling Narrative Essay Exploring the Dark Realities of the Future

Dystopian Short Stories: A Compelling Narrative Essay Exploring the Dark Realities of the Future

In a world that is teetering on the brink of dystopia, it is up to the protagonist to navigate the treacherous waters of this grim future. In dystopian short stories, we can explore the deep shadows that lurk within our own society and contemplate the path that we, as individuals, can and should take to avoid the dark realities that await us. These captivating narratives give us a chance to dive deep into the human psyche and contemplate the consequences of our actions.

Within these stories, two prominent themes emerge: the desire for freedom and the struggle to maintain proper order. In dystopian societies, freedom is a luxury that is rarely granted to the majority. Mostly, the populace lives under the oppressive rule of a powerful entity, and the protagonists of these stories become the heroes who must find a way to stop this reign of terror. No matter the odds, they lead us on a thrilling journey to discover what it truly means to be free in a world that seeks to subdue us.

As we delve into these thought-provoking tales, we enter a world where the underground resistance is our only hope. The heroes of these stories find solace in a secret society that has managed to evade the clutches of tyranny. In the face of overwhelming adversity, they must confront their own fears and doubts to stand up against the ruling powers. Through their bravery and determination, they show us that even in the darkest of times, there is a flicker of hope that can ignite a revolution.

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Within these dystopian short stories, the focus is not solely on the struggles of humanity, but also on the dark realities that have set the world on this path to destruction. The powers that be have become corrupted, using their influence to control and manipulate the masses. The protagonists find themselves caught in a web of deceit and must navigate a treacherous landscape to uncover the truth. It is only through their perseverance and unwavering determination that they can overcome the obstacles that stand in their way.

When it seems like all hope is lost, these heroes band together, realizing that they are not alone in their fight for justice. Millennia of subjugation have forged bonds that cannot be easily broken. Through the power of unity, they find the strength to rise up against the forces that seek to oppress them. These stories remind us that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, it is our shared humanity that gives us the power to push back against the darkness.

As we read these dystopian short stories, we can’t help but feel a sense of urgency. The apocalypse appears to be looming just over the horizon, and the aftermath of such an event is something most of us would rather not contemplate. Yet, through the lens of these captivating narratives, we are forced to confront the harsh reality of our own actions and consider the consequences of the choices we make.

Whether we parse through the weirdest of worlds or compare them to our own, these dystopian short stories serve as a stark reminder that our future is not set in stone. The path we choose to take is entirely up to us. Will we continue to sleepwalk through our lives, blissfully unaware of the chaos that could await us? Or will we awaken from our stupor and use our remaining time to change our world for the better?

Dystopian Short Stories

In these dystopian worlds, technology is often a culprit. It’s always advancing, but what happens when it goes too far? In the weirdest scenarios, technology takes on a life of its own, unfiltered by human’s moral compass. When society fails to catch up, the consequences can be dire.

One example of a dystopian short story is “The Competition” by Julia, where a society obsessed with happiness is prompted to question what it means to truly be happy. This story is told through the first-person narrative, as the protagonist learns the hard way that happiness is not always what it seems.

Another dystopian short story is “Aftermath”, where a group of rebels bands together to survive in a world ravaged by an apocalypse. In this story, the remaining humans are caught in a battle against a technology that has turned against them. The protagonist must question everything they’ve ever known in order to find a way to save the human race.

These dystopian short stories serve as warnings to society, urging us to think critically about the consequences of our actions. They introduce readers to various topics that are often overlooked in everyday discussions, such as the dangers of relying too heavily on technology or the repercussions of ignoring the needs of the environment.

So what would happen if society continues to prioritize short-term gains over long-term sustainability? These short stories offer a glimpse into a world where the consequences of our actions have been ignored for too long.

Whether it’s through novels, essays, or short stories, dystopian narratives provide us with a chance to explore the what-ifs and ask important questions about the world we live in. They force us to confront uncomfortable truths and challenge the status quo.

In the dystopian world of “Babylon”, for example, people are no longer free to be who they want to be. They are assigned roles and must conform to society’s expectations. This story serves as a reminder to always question authority and fight for individual freedoms.

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Furthermore, dystopian short stories can be a reflection of our present reality. They provide a lens through which we can examine the shortcomings of our current society and envision a future we don’t want to become a reality.

So next time you pick up a dystopian short story, think about the warnings it presents. Consider the implications of the world it describes and ask yourself what you can do to prevent such a future from becoming our own.

Remember, in a dystopian world, we must always question, learn, and adapt to ensure a brighter future.

Unveiling the Dark Realities

The story takes place in a town called Babylon, which was once a thriving community but has since been destroyed by nuclear war. The town is now in ruins, with only a few ragtag survivors left. The protagonist, John, is a member of a group that wants to return to the town’s once-great glory, but he soon learns that the world has changed and that going back isn’t an option.

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John’s journey begins when he meets a mysterious old man who appears to be the only one with knowledge of what really happened in Babylon. As the old man tells his story, John’s perspective on the world shifts. He realizes that the dark realities of the future are far worse than he ever could have imagined.

One of the greatest dangers that John and his peers face is surveillance. In this dystopian world, everyone’s every move is watched and monitored by the government. Privacy is a thing of the past, and the consequences of being caught doing anything deemed inappropriate are severe. This constant surveillance serves as a reminder of the power that the government holds and the lengths it will go to maintain control.

But it’s not just surveillance that John and his friends have to worry about. The society they live in is one that values conformity above all else. Individuality is seen as a threat to the stability of the society, and those who don’t conform are seen as heretics. This strict adherence to societal norms stifles creativity and free thought, creating a world in which everyone is the same.

As John and the old man continue their journey, they come across various other dystopian societies, each with its own set of rules and restrictions. It becomes clear that these societies were once planned as utopias, but something went horribly wrong. The once-happy towns have become prisons, where the people are trapped by their own fears and the oppressive rules of their leaders.

Throughout the story, John’s understanding of the dark realities of the world deepens. He starts to question everything he once believed and realizes that the world he thought he knew is a lie. The road to enlightenment, however, is not an easy one. John and his companions face many challenges along the way, from dangerous encounters with other survivors to a loss of hope in the face of overwhelming odds.

With each obstacle they overcome, John’s perspective on the world changes. He learns that the greatest danger is not the physical threats they face, but rather the apathy and indifference of the people around them. It’s the lack of action, the unwillingness to stand up for what is right, that truly threatens the survival of humanity.

In the end, John and his friends find a way to stop the destruction and bring about change. It’s a brief moment of triumph in a world filled with despair, but it serves as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope.

So, whether it’s through essays, short stories, or other forms of literature, exploring the dark realities of the future is a way for us to open our eyes to the dangers that could await us. It’s a reminder to be vigilant, to question authority, and to never stop fighting for what is right. The world may not be perfect, but as long as there are those willing to keep pushing against the darkness, there will always be a glimmer of hope.

A Compelling Narrative Essay

The power of love.

In many dystopian stories, love plays a significant role as a driving force for change. Whether it’s the love between two individuals in a bleak world or the love for humanity and the desire for a better life, it is the emotion that propels the characters forward. Love serves as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, the power of human connection and compassion can prevail.

The Roadside Realities

Dystopian narratives often take us on a journey, both literally and metaphorically. Characters traverse treacherous landscapes, both physical and emotional, as they search for answers and a way to escape their dystopian world. The road becomes a symbol of freedom and hope, representing the possibilities that lie beyond the dystopia.

Along this roadside, we encounter various themes that seamlessly intertwine with the narrative. These themes can range from the dangers of unchecked technology to the consequences of a society driven by absolute power. Each theme acts as a commentary on our current world, highlighting the potential pitfalls and challenges we may face in the future.

One of the key aspects of dystopian narratives is the aftermath of a cataclysmic event. Whether it’s a natural disaster, a war, or the rise of oppressive regimes, the apocalypse serves as the catalyst for the dystopian world the characters find themselves in. The aftermath becomes a playground for exploring the darker aspects of human nature and the lengths some will go to survive.

However, not all dystopian narratives are set in a post-apocalyptic world. Some take place in a dystopian society that has always existed, with no direct link to an apocalyptic event. These stories serve as a reminder that dystopia can sneak up on us, gradually eroding our freedoms and dictating our lives without us even realizing it.

Living in a Science-Fiction Reality

One of the defining characteristics of dystopian narratives is the presence of advanced technology that has both improved and hindered the lives of humans. From surveillance systems that monitor every move to artificial intelligence that controls society, these technological marvels create a paradoxical existence for the characters.

Narratives often explore the consequences of relying too heavily on technology, questioning the cost of progress and the loss of individuality. They force us to consider the balance between the benefits and the risks, as well as the need for human connection and free will in a world driven by algorithms and machines.

Delving into the Future

What does the future hold for humanity? That’s a question that has intrigued us for centuries. From the tales of Babylon to the dystopian novels of the past, literature has always delved into the depths of what could be our future.

As technology takes a greater hold on our lives, it’s important that we examine the consequences it may bring. The advancement of mobile technology has made our lives more convenient, but at what cost? Are we becoming too reliant on our devices, to the point where we no longer know how to connect with each other in the real world?

In the aftermath of a world destroyed by technology, the entries in this contest tell tales of a ragtag group of survivors who must overcome the odds to fight against an army of mindless zombies. Without the conveniences of the past, they are forced to rely on each other and their own instincts to survive.

But it’s not just the technology that threatens our future. The American Diner Band tells a brief but compelling story about a person who meets another from the opposite side of the tracks. In a world where everyone’s unwanted and alone, the power of music brings them together, reminding them of the humanity that still exists.

William knows that in the future, there is a need for literature that explores the dark realities. His weekly series of dystopian short stories seeks to trigger discussions about the potential consequences of a society driven by technology and power. Through his writing, he hopes to inspire change and avert the dystopian future that looms on the horizon.

Every story in this collection paints a picture of a future that could be. From the high skies of a society ruled by clockwork to a world where the boundaries between human and machine blur, the authors explore a wide range of topics that will leave you thinking long after you’ve finished reading.

At its core, dystopian literature serves as a stark reminder of the consequences that may arise if we don’t take action now. It’s a wake-up call to examine the choices we make today and the impact they may have on tomorrow. It challenges us to think critically about the direction in which our society is heading and what needs to change.

So, delve into the dark depths of the future with us. Explore the unwanted, the forgotten, and the dangerous. Experience the joy and despair, hope and destruction, that lies in every page. Subscribe to our weekly collection of dystopian short stories and join us on a journey to change, before it’s too late.

Exploring the Dark Realities of the Future

One such story is “The Blue Fog” by Julia Campbell, where a ragtag band of survivors needs to navigate a world engulfed in a mysterious blue fog that turns people into mindless zombies. The story follows the perspective of the protagonist, Jonathan, as he tries to find answers and a way to escape the danger that lurks in every corner.

Another story that seamlessly blends dystopia and reality is “The Last State” by Simon Reed. This story takes place in an alternate future where technology has taken a dangerous role in society. The protagonist, Jane, is introduced to a state that fills her with both awe and fear. She soon realizes that this ideal state is not what it seems, and she must find a way to escape its grasp.

Throughout these stories, the reader is prompted to question the darker sides of humanity and the potential consequences of our actions. The characters in these stories are often pitted against overwhelming odds to survive, facing enemies both from within and outside their groups.

In “61 Prompts” by Sarah Johnson, the reader is taken on a journey through a post-apocalyptic world where the last known hero’s stories have been destroyed, and a group of survivors must rely on a custom-made band of prompts to keep their spirits up and remember the past. The prompts provide glimpses into the past and fill the characters with a sense of hope, while also highlighting the dangers they face in their present reality.

Overall, these dystopian short stories explore the theme of the dark realities of the future, highlighting the potential dangers that lie ahead if we are not vigilant. They remind us that technology, if misused, can lead to devastating consequences, and that society without checks and balances can quickly descend into chaos. However, amidst the darkness, there is always a glimmer of hope and a chance for redemption. It is through the exploration of these dark realities that we can reflect on our current actions and strive for a better future.

Visions of a Chaotic World

As George starts reading the diary, he learns about a movement that aims to overthrow the government and create a more equal society. This diary reveals the dark origins of the clone program and the true purpose behind their creation – to serve as entertainment for the elites.

With this newfound knowledge, George feels a sense of duty to write about the unusual events going on around him. He is determined to expose the truth and inspire others to join the movement for change.

A Boon or a Curse?

Another story that captures the chaos of the future is “The Inverted City”. Set in a post-nuclear war state known as Atlantis, the protagonist, Jonathan, finds himself in a world turned upside down.

After the aftermath of the war, the rest of the world is in absolute chaos, but Atlantis has managed to survive with its inverted city design. As Jonathan walks through the streets, he uncovers the dark secrets of the ruling class and the true cost of their luxurious lifestyle.

In this dystopian vision, the world has been changed to its core, and Jonathan must decide whether to go along with the status quo or challenge the system to bring about real change.

Contrasting Beliefs

In “The Futuristic Heroes”, we are introduced to a group of individuals with extraordinary abilities. Each hero represents a contrasting belief or ideology, from love to power, knowledge to destruction.

The story follows their adventuring and the conflicts that arise due to their differing beliefs. As the group faces external threats, their internal struggles become more pronounced, testing their loyalty and forcing them to question what truly makes a hero.

Throughout these compelling narratives, the chaotic state of the future is vividly portrayed, inviting us to imagine a world where our weirdest nightmares have become a chilling reality. It is a stark reminder of the importance of staying aware and taking action to prevent such bleak visions from becoming our own future.

Follow our blog to check out these dystopian short stories and more! Subscribe now and get a glimpse into the chaotic worlds created by these talented authors.

Night Owls and Early Birds

But what happens to those people who are not living by the clock? In short stories like Bernard Campbell’s “Night Owls and Early Birds,” we see two different types of people. The night owls are those who have established their own set of rules and campbells, embracing the darkness and finding their entertainment within the silence. On the other hand, the early birds are the ones who follow the clock and are considered to be the greatest heresies. They take no chances and are content with what they are given. Their lives are less colorful and more controlled, but they justify their actions by believing that they have perfected the art of entertainment.

In “Night Owls and Early Birds,” the lives of these two groups of people collide when an adventuring band called “The Clock Fails” is formed. The band consists of night owls who have grown tired of the controlled and traditional ways of the early birds. They believe that there is more to life than what the clock dictates, and they aim to challenge the status quo.

What’s clear in this dystopian tale is that the idea of time and entertainment has become twisted and justified. The early birds subscribe to the idea that entertainment can only be found within the confines of the clock, and anything outside of that is considered to be heresy. But the night owls believe that true entertainment lies in exploring the unknown and taking risks.

The Contest

In the dystopian world of “Night Owls and Early Birds,” a contest is held to determine which group has the right way of life. The contest involves various challenges and prompts that test the skills and beliefs of both groups. Each challenge is designed to showcase the strengths and weaknesses of each group, and ultimately determine which way of life is superior.

As the contest progresses, it becomes clear that the early birds, despite their controlled and structured lives, lack the imagination and creativity to succeed in the challenges. They are too dependent on the clock and have forgotten how to think outside of the established norms. On the other hand, the night owls, with their freedom and willingness to take risks, excel in the challenges and prove that there is more to life than what the clock dictates.

The Aftermath

After the contest, the dystopian society in “Night Owls and Early Birds” begins to question the role of the clock and the control it has over their lives. People start to realize that there is value in embracing the unknown and taking chances. The band “The Clock Fails” becomes a symbol of rebellion and hope, and more people join their cause.

As a result, the concept of time and entertainment within the dystopian society starts to change. People begin to see the importance of finding their own way of life, rather than conforming to the ideals set by the clock. The clock starts to lose its power, and people start to explore new ideas and ways of living.

What is the article about?

The article is about dystopian short stories that explore the dark realities of the future. Specifically, it focuses on a scenario where a mobile app tells everyone the amount of time they have left to live.

How does the mobile app work?

The mobile app syncs with everyone’s phones and displays the same amount of time that each person has left to live. It is a dystopian scenario where people can see their own mortality in real-time.

What is the impact of the mobile app on society?

The mobile app has a profound impact on society. People are forced to confront their own mortality, which leads to a range of emotions and actions. Some individuals may become obsessed with extending their time, while others may give up hope.

Are there any positive aspects to the scenario described in the article?

While the scenario described in the article is generally dark and dystopian, there might be some positive aspects. For example, some people could use the knowledge of their limited time as a motivation to live their lives more fully and make the most of the time they have left.

Does the article mention any other dystopian elements?

Yes, the article mentions that the scenario with the mobile app is just one example of dystopian short stories. It implies that there might be other dark elements and realities of the future explored in these stories, but it does not go into specific details.

Alex Koliada, PhD

By Alex Koliada, PhD

Alex Koliada, PhD, is a well-known doctor. He is famous for studying aging, genetics, and other medical conditions. He works at the Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics. His scientific research has been published in the most reputable international magazines. Alex holds a BA in English and Comparative Literature from the University of Southern California , and a TEFL certification from The Boston Language Institute.

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What does it mean to claim the US is a Christian nation, and what does the Constitution say?

FILE - A statue of Benjamin Franklin is seen at The Franklin Institute, Feb. 10, 2015, in Philadelphia. Franklin, like some other key founders, admired Jesus as a moral teacher but would not pass a test of Christian orthodoxy. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

FILE - A statue of Benjamin Franklin is seen at The Franklin Institute, Feb. 10, 2015, in Philadelphia. Franklin, like some other key founders, admired Jesus as a moral teacher but would not pass a test of Christian orthodoxy. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

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Many Americans believe the United States was founded as a Christian nation, and the idea is energizing some conservative and Republican activists. But the concept means different things to different people, and historians say that while the issue is complex, the founding documents prioritize religious freedom and do not create a Christian nation.

Does the U.S. Constitution establish Christianity as an official religion?

What does the constitution say about religion.

“(N)o religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” (Article VI)

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” (First Amendment)

FILE- President Joe Biden, with from left, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., pray and listen during the National Prayer Breakfast, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, at the Capitol in Washington. Johnson has spoken in the past of his belief America was founded as a Christian nation. Biden, while citing his own Catholic faith, has spoken of values shared by people of “any other faith, or no faith at all.” (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

If it says “Congress,” does the First Amendment apply to the states?

It does now. Early in the republic, some states officially sponsored particular churches, such as the Congregational Church in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Within a few decades, all had removed such support. The post-Civil War 14th Amendment guaranteed all U.S. citizens “equal protection of the laws” and said states couldn’t impede on their “privileges or immunities” without due process. In the 20th century, the Supreme Court applied that to a number of First Amendment cases involving religion, saying states couldn’t forbid public proselytizing, reimburse funding for religious education or sponsor prayer in public schools.

What does it mean to say America is a Christian nation?

It depends on whom you ask. Some believe God worked to bring European Christians to America in the 1600s and secure their independence in the 1700s. Some take the Puritan settlers at their word that they were forming a covenant with God, similar to the Bible’s description of ancient Israel, and see America as still subject to divine blessings or punishments depending on how faithful it is. Still others contend that some or all the American founders were Christian, or that the founding documents were based on Christianity.

That’s a lot to unpack. Let’s start at the top. What about the colonies?

Several had Christian language in their founding documents, such as Massachusetts, with established churches lasting decades after independence. Others, such as Rhode Island, offered broader religious freedom. It’s also arguable whether the colonies’ actions lived up to their words, given their histories of religious intolerance and their beginnings of centuries-long African slavery and wars on Native Americans.

What about the founders?

The leaders of the American Revolution and the new republic held a mix of beliefs — some Christian, some Unitarian, some deistic or otherwise theistic. Some key founders, like Benjamin Franklin, admired Jesus as a moral teacher but would fail a test of Christian orthodoxy. Many believed strongly in religious freedom, even as they also believed that religion was essential to maintain a virtuous citizenry.

Were the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution based on Christianity and the Ten Commandments?

References to the Creator and Nature’s God in the Declaration reflect a general theism that could be acceptable to Christians, Unitarians, deists and others. Both documents reflect Enlightenment ideas of natural rights and accountable government. Some also see these documents as influenced, or at least compatible, with Protestant emphasis on such ideas as human sin, requiring checks and balances. In fact, believers in a Christian America were some of the strongest opponents of ratifying the Constitution because of its omission of God references.

Were most early Americans Christian?

Many were and many weren’t. Early church membership was actually quite low, but revivals known as the First and Second Great Awakenings, before and after the Revolution, won a lot of converts. Many scholars see religious freedom as enabling multiple churches to grow and thrive.

Were Catholics considered Christian?

Not by many early Americans. Some state constitutions barred them from office.

How did that change?

Gradually, but by the time of the Cold War, many saw Catholics, Protestants and Jews as God-believing American patriots, allied in the face-off with the atheistic, communist Soviet Union.

Was it only conservatives citing the idea of a Christian nation?

No. Many proponents of the early 20th century social gospel saw their efforts to help the needy as part of building a Christian society. During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt prayed on national radio for God’s blessing “in our united crusade ... over the unholy forces of our enemy.”

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote that civil rights protesters stood for “the most sacred values in our Judeo-Christian heritage.”

What do progressive Christians say today?

“Christian nationalism has traditionally employed images that advocate an idealized view of the nation’s identity and mission, while deliberately ignoring those persons who have been excluded, exploited, and persecuted,” said a 2021 statement from the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, an umbrella group that includes multiple progressive denominations.

What do Americans believe about this?

Six in 10 U.S. adults said the founders originally intended America to be a Christian nation, according to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey. Forty-five percent said the U.S. should be a Christian nation, but only a third thought it was one currently.

Among white evangelical Protestants, 81% said the founders intended a Christian nation, and the same number said that the U.S. should be one — but only 23% thought it currently was one, according to Pew.

In a 2021 Pew report, 15% of U.S. adults surveyed said the federal government should declare the U.S. a Christian nation, while 18% said the U.S. Constitution was inspired by God.

One-third of U.S. adults surveyed in 2023 said God intended America to be a promised land for European Christians to set an example to the world, according to a Public Religion Research Institute/Brookings survey. Those who embraced this view were also more likely to dismiss the impact of anti-Black discrimination and more likely to say true patriots may need to act violently to save the country, the survey said.

Sources: Pew Research Center; Public Religion Research Institute/Brookings; “Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?” by John Fea.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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Imposter syndrome and self-doubt leave many successful women feeling unworthy

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How do you define success? For many women, the answer is complicated.

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Guest Essay

My Mother Got on a Bike. It Changed Her Life.

An illustration of a woman with gray hair wearing a yellow shirt and colorful bike shorts, riding a bicycle. Behind her several figures stand in a cloud of dust.

By Caroline Paul

The author of “Tough Broad: From Boogie Boarding to Wing Walking — How Outdoor Adventure Improves Our Life as We Age.”

When my mother was 62 years old, she dusted off a clunky Cannondale with Mary Poppins handles and joined a bicycling group. She was recovering from heartbreak and had just moved to a new town. She had no background as an outdoor activity enthusiast: She did not camp or hike, had never, say, paddled a kayak. But the bike group was made up of 60-, 70- and 80-year-olds. How hard could it be to tag along?

As I approach the age my mother was then, I notice my peers are increasingly galled by their advancing years. And why not? My friends are simply responding to the very real negative messaging around older women: fading looks, frail bones, cognitive decline, no cultural significance. I overheard one woman discussing plastic surgery and remarking, “Who doesn’t want to turn back time?” It’s hard not to get sucked into that mind-set.

Yet the way we look at our own aging predicts what our future holds, as Becca Levy, a professor of public health at Yale, writes in her recent book, “Breaking the Age Code .” We increase our risk of cardiac events and speed up cognitive decline, studies show, if we believe getting older is a time of suffering and diminution. More important, the opposite is also true: Those of us who view later life as a time of growth and vitality are more likely to stay healthy and to keep senility at bay . We may also end up living a whopping seven and a half years longer . In one instance, Dr. Levy looked at data from a longitudinal study and came to this astonishing conclusion: Mind-set was the most significant factor determining individuals’ longevity.

But all around us, the media, dating apps, our youth-obsessed culture and our own preconceived notions lead to one verdict: Aging stinks. It will be a white-knuckle ride, women are told, through increasing frailty and irrelevance. Affirmations and positive self-talk — skimming the surface of our psyches, outnumbered in the scrum — don’t stand a chance. Dr. Levy’s studies show us that we need to believe fervently in the vitality of our future. But how?

My mother joined that bike group. What was initially a distraction spun into a passion. She became a serious cyclist, the kind of serious who wore brightly colored bike shirts, used Lance Armstrong breathing techniques and planned group rides. I rode my bike with my mother once; believe me, there is nothing more disheartening than being trash-talked by one’s mom as she huffs by you on a hill. Pedaling through her 70s, she explored steep mountain roads and new towns. She entered 100-mile races, changed flats and downed electrolytes on the go.

I was envious of her new life. Except for the Metamucil regimens and early bedtimes, she and her fellow seniors resembled any weekend warrior. But unlike so many people I knew, she and her friends didn’t seem to want to be younger. My mother became more fit, more social and more emotionally expressive than I’d ever seen her.

Turns out, my mother’s cycling habit meant that she was checking many of the boxes — health, novelty, community and purpose — needed to age well. (For others, this might come in the form of a language class, a book club, a commitment to mastering a plank.) Yet when my mother went biking, there was something more: She was embracing attributes like exhilaration, exploration, awe, a little bit of recklessness. This provided the final pillar for healthy and fulfilling aging: Dr. Levy’s positive mind-set.

But how? My mom didn’t live in a bubble; she had not escaped subliminal toxic messaging. It was the bicycling, with its demands for physical vitality, the uncertainty of every ride, the grit on the uphill, the inherent “wheeeeee” aspect of fun on the downhill — all powerful proof of that messaging’s mendacity. As her beliefs were being subverted, her biking adventures also drew surprised and admiring reactions from peers and from those much younger (like her own children). “Wow!” and “Badass!” were the elated responses, which boosted her passion for the sport and her life. (Another thing not expected of older women: passion.)

Consider another study , in which Dr. Levy and her co-authors used computers to display positive subliminal phrases about aging (like “spry,” “capable”) to older participants in several sessions over several weeks. The researchers found these participants performed better on physical tests and ended up with a more favorable perception of aging.

Likewise, my mother’s biking adventures served as their own flashing screen. Every pedal uphill was a subliminal shout that she was strong. Every heart skip on a downhill told her she was brave and fun. Every new route she planned showed she was capable. She was being immersed in implicit feedback that upended what she (and others) had been told one could and could not do or be at this age.

Most older women don’t join bike groups. Instead, we begin to pull back on physical activities, risk taking or novel pursuits. Too dangerous for our failing body and mind, we are told in ways both subliminal and overt, and we believe it. But what if danger is found in failing to pursue exhilaration, exploration and physical vitality?

Unwittingly my mother knew: These attributes don’t imperil us. They protect us.

Activating exhilaration, exploration and physical vitality will be different for each of us. In my quest to understand healthy aging. I met a 93-year-old hiker, a 74-year-old BMX biker, an 80-year-old scuba diver and a slew of boogie boarders in their 60s, 70s and 80s. I walked on the wing of a plane at 3,000 feet in the air. But I also went bird-watching. Adventure, it turns out, is in the eye of the beholder and can be had by almost all of us, despite physical restrictions, financial constraints or limited backcountry know-how.

Over and over, these women told me in different ways: Pick an outdoor activity, one that will electrify and engage, because it will change your life. To those who warn you against such foolishness, remind them of what Joan Captain, a player on one of San Diego’s senior women’s soccer leagues, told a journalist when she was 72: “People say, oh, that’s so dangerous, you know, you should take it easy. And I say, well, you see that couch over there? The couch will kill you.”

My mother stopped cycling only as she approached 80. She had begun to feel unsteady on her bike; she was soon diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. At some point, then, the messaging has some truth. But this isn’t disheartening. This is just one more reason to embrace everything now. I’m sure my mother would still be pedaling if not for this stroke of bad luck. Instead, she gets outside any way she can, often on a walk around her neighborhood. On a recent amble, she waxed nostalgic but not about her youth. “I wish I was 60 again,” she mused, and we slowly continued down the sidewalk.

Caroline Paul’s books include “Tough Broad: From Boogie Boarding to Wing Walking — How Outdoor Adventure Improves Our Lives as We Age” and “The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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  1. Dystopian Definition & Meaning

    : of, relating to, or being an imagined world or society in which people lead dehumanized, fearful lives : relating to or characteristic of a dystopia A twisted romantic haunted by dystopian visions, Gibson borrows the language of science fiction and crafts doomed love stories with high-tech trappings. Maitland McDonagh

  2. Are we living in a dystopia?

    "Dystopia" is a powerful but overused term. It is not a synonym for a terrible time. The question for us as political scientists is not whether things are bad (they are), but how governments act....

  3. What Are Utopias and Dystopias?

    Dystopia, which is the direct opposite of utopia, is a term used to describe a utopian society in which things have gone wrong. Both utopias and dystopias share characteristics of science fiction and fantasy, and both are usually set in a future in which technology has been used to create perfect living conditions.

  4. What is Dystopian Fiction? Definition and Characteristics

    The dystopian genre imagines worlds or societies where life is extremely bad because of deprivation or oppression or terror, and human society is characterized by human misery, such as squalor, oppression, disease, overcrowding, environmental destruction, or war.

  5. Dystopia in Literature: Definition & Examples

    Dystopian literature is a genre of fiction set in future or near-future societies where life and social structures are in calamitous decline. Authors of dystopian literature typically use the setting to examine social and political systems and contemplate what would happen if these systems were amplified.

  6. Dystopia

    Definition of Dystopia. Dystopia is a literary device and genre used by writers to present a vision of the future that challenges readers to reflect on the current social and political environments in which they live. Dystopian literature often portrays society in cataclysmic decline resulting from environmental ruin, control through technology, and government oppression of individual freedom ...

  7. Dystopias & Utopias: Dystopias

    Characteristics of a Dystopian Society. • Propaganda is used to control the citizens of society. • Information, independent thought, and freedom are restricted/ censored. • A figurehead or concept is worshipped by the citizens of the society. • Citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance. • Citizens have a fear of the ...

  8. DYSTOPIAN

    relating to a very bad or unfair society in which there is a lot of suffering, especially an imaginary society in the future, or to the description of such a society: She mentioned Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel "The Handmaid's Tale," in which fertile young women are enslaved as reproductive servants. dystopian movies See dystopia Compare

  9. Dystopias in Contemporary Literature Critical Essays

    Dystopian literature has been characterized as fiction that presents a negative view of the future of society and humankind. Utopian works typically sketch a future in which technology improves...

  10. A Golden Age for Dystopian Fiction

    The word "dystopia," meaning "an unhappy country," was coined in the seventeen-forties, as the historian Gregory Claeys points out in a shrewd new study, "Dystopia: A Natural History ...

  11. Dystopia

    Dystopia Life in Kowloon Walled City has often inspired the dystopian identity in modern media works. [1] A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ (dus) 'bad', and τόπος (tópos) 'place'), also called a cacotopia [2] or anti-utopia, is a community or society that is extremely bad or frightening.

  12. What Is Dystopian Fiction? 20 Examples of Dystopian Fiction

    Writing What Is Dystopian Fiction? 20 Examples of Dystopian Fiction Written by MasterClass Last updated: Sep 21, 2022 • 7 min read Dystopian fiction imagines a future place in cataclysmic decline. Learn about the characteristics of dystopian fiction, plus examples of the genre. Dystopian fiction imagines a future place in cataclysmic decline.

  13. Dystopia: Definition and Examples

    Dystopia. Definition & Examples. I. What is Dystopia? A dystopia (diss-TOE-pee-yuh) is a horrible place where everything has gone wrong. Whereas utopia means a perfect paradise, dystopia means exactly the opposite. The term generally implies a fictional setting, but sometimes people will refer to real places as "dystopic.". II.

  14. The Language of Dystopia

    The word's counterpart, "dystopia" (meaning a world or society where everything is perfectly bad as opposed to perfectly good) may have arisen in the 18th century ("The Curious Origin"), but its first consequential appearance was in a speech given by John Stuart Mill and Gregg Webber to the British Parliament in 1868 ("Dystopia").

  15. Dystopian Literature: Themes, Insights & Examples

    While each dystopian story is unique and disturbing in its own right, there are certain themes that are commonly explored in this genre. Let's dive into some of these dystopian themes in literature. Loss of Individuality: One of the most prominent themes in dystopian literature is the loss of individuality. In many of these stories, citizens ...

  16. Dystopia

    1 Definition and Explanation of Dystopia 2 Examples of Dystopias in Literature 3 Dystopian Movies 4 Elements of a Dystopian Story 5 Dystopia Synonyms 6 Why Do Writers Write about Dystopias? 7 Related Literary Terms 8 Other Resources on Dystopia Definition and Explanation of Dystopia The word dystopia comes from the Greek meaning "bad" and "place".

  17. Dystopia: the Definition and Features

    Taking the definition of the word "Dystopia" into account, oppressive environment does serve the purpose of creating an extremely unpleasant setting very well. According to Deutsch, oppression by definition "is the experience of repeated, widespread, systemic injustice. It need not be extreme and involve the legal system.".

  18. Dystopian novel: Definition, key aspects and examples

    A dystopian novel is a subgenre of speculative fiction that portrays an oppressive and dehumanizing society in the near or distant future. These novels often explore themes of totalitarianism, social control, technology, and the potential consequences of human actions. Here is an overview of the definition, key aspects, and examples of dystopian novels in English […]

  19. Dystopian Literature

    Dystopian Literature explores the darkest facets of the human mind and human nature. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a dystopia is "An imaginary place or condition in which everything is as bad as possible."The easiest way to think about Dystopian Literature and dystopias is to consider that a dystopia is often the result of a society's arranging its government and laws around good ...

  20. Utopia vs. Dystopia

    As Lyman Tower Sargent writes, a utopia is a "non-existent society described in considerable detail and normally located in time and space that the author intended a contemporaneous reader to view as considerably better than the society in which that reader lived" (2010).

  21. Dystopian Short Stories: A Compelling Narrative Essay Exploring the

    Discover the captivating world of dystopian short stories and delve into the compelling narrative that explores the dark realities of the future. Also, get a quick refresher on how to write a compare and contrast essay in this thought-provoking article. ... Whether it's through novels, essays, or short stories, dystopian narratives provide us ...

  22. Descriptive Essay On Dystopia

    Dystopian Setting The city that once had homed thousands and been the most economically successful country ever, was now a contaminated wasteland. The land looked dry, destroyed and lonely. The morning breeze felt like crying sorrows, and the grey deceitful sky awed down at us. In the deepest corner of despair lies dystopia where hope dies.

  23. Is the US a Christian nation? What the Constitution says

    What does it mean to say America is a Christian nation? It depends on whom you ask. Some believe God worked to bring European Christians to America in the 1600s and secure their independence in the 1700s. Some take the Puritan settlers at their word that they were forming a covenant with God, similar to the Bible's description of ancient ...

  24. Dystopian Society Essay

    The definition of a dystopian society, is a society that is in the illusion of a perfect society, but in reality they are living a horrible life, but they don't know any better. ... Essay On Dystopian Literature 959 Words | 4 Pages ¨I dystopian futures are also a reflection of current fears( Lauren Oliver)¨. The reason that they all live in ...

  25. Opinion

    Dr. Ranganath is a professor of psychology and neuroscience and the director of the Dynamic Memory Lab at the University of California, Davis, and the author of the forthcoming book "Why We ...

  26. Imposter syndrome and self-doubt leave many successful women ...

    A woman types on a laptop. (Oscar Wong/Getty Images) How do you define success? For many women, the answer is complicated. Regardless of their accomplishments, many feel a sense of inadequacy ...

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    Likewise, my mother's biking adventures served as their own flashing screen. Every pedal uphill was a subliminal shout that she was strong. Every heart skip on a downhill told her she was brave ...