Introduction to Utopias & Dystopias Definitions, Characteristics, Common Themes, and Examples

Definitions Utopia: a place, state, or condition that is ideally perfect in respect of politics, laws, customs, and conditions. True paradise; a place we can only dream about. Dystopia: opposite of Utopia; Utopian society in which things have gone horribly wrong. A futuristic, imagined universe in which oppressive societal control and the illusion of a perfect society are maintained through corporate, bureaucratic, technological, moral, or totalitarian control.

Characteristics of Utopian & Dystopian Literature Both share characteristic of science fiction and fantasy. Both are usually set in a future in which technology has been used to create perfect living conditions. However, once the setting 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. Usually employed by authors as commentary on society, either to enact change or warn against certain extremes.

Why is this important? While there has been a recent surge of films, as well as the novels on which they were based, which employ the use of dystopian setting, this is not a uniquely original concept. Authors in modern literature have employed dystopian themes since the 1950s and 1960s, often considered a golden age for science fiction novels. Authors employ dystopias, through an exaggerated worst-case scenario, to make a criticism about a current trend, societal norm, or political system. Thomas More first coined the term “Utopia” in 1516, deriving it from Greek. Plato’s The Republic (380 BC) described what some refer to as a “heuristic utopia”, ruled over by philosopher-kings.

Common Themes in Dystopian Literature Politics Economy Religion Social stratification Family Identity Violence Nature Technology

Utopias & Dystopias in Literature Classical: Modern: Sir Thomas More – Utopia Plato – The Republic Genesis (Garden of Eden) George Orwell Animal Farm (1945) 1984 (1948) Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451 (1953) William Golding Lord of the Flies (1954) Kurt Vonnegut Harrison Bergeron (1961) Alan Moore Watchmen (1986-1987) V for Vendetta (1988-1989) Neal Stephenson Snow Crash (1992) Lois Lowry – The Giver (1993) Koushun Takami Battle Royale (1999) Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games (2008) James Dashner The Maze Runner (2009) Veronica Roth Divergent (2011)

Extended works of: Philip K. Dick William Gibson The Minority Report (1956) We Can Remember It for You Wholesale (1966) Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968) Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said (1969) A Scanner Darkly (1977) Coined the term “cyberspace” Sprawl trilogy: Neuromancer (1984) Count Zero (1986) Mona Lisa Overdrive (1988) Johnny Mnemonic (1981) Bridge trilogy: Virtual Light (1993) Idoru (1996) All Tomorrow’s Parties (1999)

Utopias & Dystopias in Cinema Metropolis (1927) A Clockwork Orange (1971) Mad Max (1979) Blade Runner (1982) The Terminator (1984) Brazil (1985) The Running Man (1987) Robocop (1987) Back to the Future Part II (1989) Hill Valley 2015 Vs. Biff’s Alternate 1985 “Hell Valley” Total Recall (1990) Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) Gattaca (1997) Pleasantville (1998) The Matrix (1999) Metropolis (anime, 2001) V for Vendetta (2006) Idiocracy (2006) District 9 (2009) The Book of Eli (2010) Chappie (2015) Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Examples in Video Games! Exploring human psyche: American McGee’s Alice SOMA We Happy Few Social commentary – war: MGS 4: Guns of the Patriots Fallout series Easter eggs: Mad Max Totalitarian regimes: Mirror’s Edge Technocratic societies: Final Fantasy VI & VII Bioshock series Deus Ex series Alien/The Other: Half-Life, Half-Life 2 The Last of Us