DystopiaImages of a Future

Dystopia Defined • A futuristic, imagined world with oppressive societal control

and illusion of a perfect society- maintained through corporate, bureaucratic, technological, moral, or totalitarian control

- through exaggerated worst-case scenario, makes a criticism about a current trend, societal norm, or

political system

Type of Dystopian Controls

CORPORATE CONTROL

1+ large corporations control society through products, advertising, and/or the media. Examples include Minority Report

Bureaucratic controlSociety controlled by a mindless bureaucracy through tangle of red tape, relentless regulations, and incompetent government officials

Technological Control• Society is

controlled by technology—through computers, robots, and/or scientific means.

Philosophical/Religious Control

Society is controlled by philosophical or religious ideology often enforced through a dictatorship or theocratic government.

Characteristics of a Dystopian Society

1) Propaganda used to control the citizens of society.

2) Information, independent thought,

freedom are restricted.

3) A figurehead or concept is worshipped by citizens of the society.

4) Citizens live in a dehumanized state.

5) The natural world is banished and distrusted.

Syme was not only dead, he was abolished, an unperson.

1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four)Part 2, Chapter 6.

6) Citizens conform to uniform expectations.

Individuality and dissent are bad.

7) The society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world.

8) Citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance.

9) Citizens have a fear of the outside world.

The Dystopian Protagonist • often feels trapped and is struggling to escape. • questions the existing social and political systems.

• believes or feels that something is terribly wrong with the society in which he or she lives.

• helps the audience recognizes the negative aspects of the dystopian world through his or her perspective.

Brave New World• Allegory: device in which characters or events

represent or symbolize ideas and concepts• Totalitarian rule: The 1920s and 30s saw rise

of totalitarian leaders: • Joseph Stalin in Russia• Benito Mussolini in Italy• Adolph Hitler in Germany• charismatic leaders who would rule by fear and

force

What is Totalitarianism?- the state holds total authority over the society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life wherever necessary.

Themes in the Novel• Technology• Totalitarianism• Individualism• Consumerism• Happiness – what it is and how to

achieve it

The willingness to exchange freedom for

• security

• FREE STUFF

• “SAVE THE CHILDREN”

• The illusion of happiness defined by someone else

• So you don’t have to think about anything bad.