Elements & Characteristics Dystopian Societies Elements & Characteristics

What is a utopia? Utopia: A place or condition that is ideally perfect in respect of politics, laws, customs, and conditions. Examples? A dystopia is the opposite of a utopia…

What is a Dystopian Society? Dystopia: 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. Dystopian literature, through an exaggerated worst-case scenario, makes a criticism about a current trend, societal norm, or political system.

What is dystopian literature? “fiction that presents a negative view of society and humankind” “several of the extreme historical circumstances That took place during the twentieth century have been conducive to the flourishing of dystopian fiction” the Nazi era in Germany the Stalin era in Russia various wars over the decades Epidemics

Types of dystopian controls Corporate Control: One or more of the large corporations control society through products, advertising, and the media. Bureaucratic Control: Society is controlled by a mindless bureaucracy through a tangle of red tape, relentless regulations, and incompetent government officials.

Types of dystopian controls cont’d… Technological Control: Society is controlled by technology – through computers, robots, and/or scientific means. Philosophical/religious control: Society is controlled by a philosophical or religious ideology often enforced through a dictatorship or Theocratic Government

Dystopian protagonist Often feels trapped and is struggling to escape Questions the existing society and political systems Believes or feels that something is terribly wrong with the society in which he/she lives Helps the audience/reader recognize the negative aspects of the dystopian world though his/her perspective.

Characteristics of Dystopian societies         Propaganda is used to control the citizens of society. Propaganda: publicity to promote something: information put out by an organization or government to promote a policy, idea, or cause      Information, independent thought, and freedom are restricted.      A figurehead or concept is worshipped by the citizens of the society. FIGUREHEAD: The apparent head of an organization or institution who has no real responsibility or authority, oftentimes a bully who uses fear or lies to control a population      Citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance. SURVEILENCE: close watch: continual observation of a person or group, especially one suspected of doing something illegal

Characteristics continued  Citizens have a fear of the outside world. (outside their community) Some common themes and elements found in dystopian fiction include: mastery of nature — to the point that it becomes barren, or turns against humankind technological advances that enslave humans or regiment their lives the mandatory division of people into castes or groups with specialized functions

 Citizens live in a dehumanized state. make somebody less human: to make somebody less human by taking away his or her individuality, the creative and interesting aspects of his or her personality, or his or her compassion and sensitivity toward others      The natural world is banished and distrusted. (Natural world=nature)      Citizens conform to uniform expectations. Individuality is Bad.      The society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world.

Examples of propaganda http://www.tomatobubble.com/id352.html What are some of the uses of propaganda? _______ Who distributes this material and is it effective?