Hopping on the “Dystopian” Train [by Lena Yang]
So you’ve seen Hunger Games paraphernalia on display at the mall, and have heard the term “Big Brother” discussed by those studying George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four in high school.
So maybe you’ve heard the word whispered in a secluded corner of the library, or saw it splattered across a display in your local book store. What is it? You’re not quite sure, but you must admit, it’s caught your attention.
The word, as you might have guessed, is “dystopia”.
To fully explore the origin of the dystopian genre, one must first be acquainted with the term from which the concept was birthed: utopia. Coined by Sir Thomas More in 1516, “utopia” is used to define an imagined society of perfect construct. At the turn of the 20th century, growing social and technological changes prompted a boom in utopian literature, which allowed writers to explore the ways in which technologic advances and social reform could be used for the betterment of the population. However, these optimistic views crumbled shortly at the commencement of World War I. The hardships experienced worldwide following the war led to more cynical views of society. That, coupled with rapid advances in technology, prompted the birth of the dystopian genre. Dystopian literature is a vehicle used to critique political and social shortcomings. The fictional societies are often created on the basis of an extrapolation of modern societal flaws, and they serve to explore the implications of a community conditioned to conform to such extremes.
For those who are looking to investigate the current dystopian hype, below is a compiled list of dystopian books that should satisfy readers of all types. Without further ado, let’s get this train on the road.
For those looking to enjoy dystopian literature in small doses:
Cloud Atlas (2004) by David Mitchell
Although David Mitchell’s novel is not entirely dystopian, the parts that are, are written splendidly. In a story that spans centuries, Cloud Atlas is an exploration of the interconnectedness of human lives. Mitchell weaves together six storylines, each of which resonate through time. One of the six stories tells of Sonmi-451, a fabricant (genetically modified clone) leading a life of servitude in Neo Seoul. After twelve years of service, their contracts are completed and the fabricants retire to homes in Hawaii. One day, Sonmi-451 is rescued from enslavement by Hae-Joo Chang, a member of a rebel group called the Union. From there on, Sonmi-451 is exposed to the truth of a fabricant’s fate after the end of their contract. Mitchell truly excels in uniting six stories from differing eras into one coherent whole. Every character’s action inspires a reaction that ripples through time, which allows for the characters of each individual storyline to share in the same story across centuries. Cloud Atlas is a novel that can be enjoyed by readers of all types, even those who display no interest in dystopian literature.
For those who want to explore the issues of body image:
Uglies (2005) by Scott Westerfeld
Everything has to begin somewhere, and my interest in dystopian literature began with Uglies. So, understandably, I have a soft spot for this series. In an interview with the New York Times, beauty contestant Yang Yuan asked, “Is it not good to make society full of beautiful people?” The answer to her question comes in the form of Scott Westerfeld’s imagined society in which every citizen undergoes plastic surgery at the age of sixteen. After perfecting their image under the knife, the citizens transition from the social age group “Uglies” to “New Pretties” and are moved to the innermost part of the city, New Pretty Town. In Westerfeld’s fictional society, the population is stringently conditioned to reject natural beauty, and the novel critiques the prevalence of cosmetic surgery in modern society that perpetuates the population’s unnatural and obsessive desire for outer perfection.
For those who enjoy modern classics:
The Giver (1993) by Lois Lowry
Lois Lowry’s The Giver tells of a futuristic society which has eliminated pain and discord by converting to Sameness. In a community that has eliminated emotional depth, there is no more hatred, fear, or war. Everything is perfect, or so it seems. Upon turning twelve, each citizen is assigned a job based on their interests and abilities. Jonas has been selected as the next Receiver of Memory, who is the keeper of past memories before the community’s conversion to Sameness. After receiving the memories from The Giver, the utopian façade of Jonas’s community is shattered, and he is left questioning whether the embracing of Sameness is truly beneficial for the community.
For those who enjoy action:
Legend (2011) by Marie Lu
Partially inspired by the conflict between Jean Valjean and Javert in Les Misérables, Marie Lu attempts to recreate the same dynamic in a teenage, dystopic setting. The novel follows military prodigy, June Iparis, and the Republic’s most wanted criminal, Day. Their lives are seemingly unconnected, with June lavishing in the lifestyle of the upper-class, and Day born into poverty and forced to scrounge in the streets—until a malicious act brings the two together in a cat and mouse chase. With a mounting war between the fractured halves of what was formerly the United States, June and Day have no choice but to become entangled in political drama and government conspiracies.
For those who enjoy romance:
Delirium (2011) by Lauren Oliver
Love, the deadliest of all deadly things. Delirium is an exploration of a society devoid of love; the phenomenon has been declared a diseased by the ruling government, and all citizens must undergo an operation at the age of eighteen that eradicates one’s ability to express affection. As a result, the population is unable to form meaningful relationships and loses the ability for profound expression. Lena Haloway is on the cusp of turning eighteen. After losing her mother who committed suicide out of heartsickness, Lena lived in fear of contracting the same disease that claimed her mother: Amor Deliria Nervosa. However, as her procedure date approaches, she finds herself aching for the losses that will come with the Cure. Oliver offers an interesting examination of the implications of a community lacking passionate emotions, and the outcome is cases of detachment between people that is both disturbing and empty.
For those who enjoy space fiction:
Ender’s Game (1985) by Orson Scott Card
In preparation for a third invasion from an alien species called Buggers, government agencies enlist child geniuses to undergo vigorous military training in zero gravity stimulations that take place in Battle School, a government institution orbiting the Earth. Andrew “Ender” Wiggins’s innovative tactics allow him to lead his army of cadets to the top of the school rankings, thus earning him attention from those in command. Ender is then quickly promoted through the ranks; however, as the pressure mounts, Ender grows depressed due to his isolation and his treatment by his mentor and former war hero, Mazer Rackham.
For those who enjoy contemporary fiction:
Never Let Me Go (2005) by Kazuo Ishiguro
Never Let Me Go chronicles the early life and adulthood of Kathy H., a girl who spends her childhood in the nurturing environment of Hailsham, a British boarding school, and the later years of her life coming to terms with society’s impositions on her and her peers. Conditioned at a young age to believe the students at Hailsham are special, Kathy soon learns the implications of what it truly means to be a student at the school, and how her special status will go on to affect the rest of her life. Never Let Me Go is bloated with poignancy as Kathy reminisces her friendships and relationships, and Ishiguro offers a meaningful critique of the elitism that exists within the social classes pertaining to humans, and the barbaric exploitation of the underclass.
For those who enjoy botched science experiments:
Wither (2011) by Lauren DeStefano
In Lauren DeStefano’s future society, flawed, natural children ceased to be conceived in favour for technology that allowed for perfectly engineered embryos which eradicated illnesses and ensured longevity. The first generation proved vastly successful; however, the result of scientific perfectionism were unanticipated, and the aftermath is quite devastating. The children of the first generation, and their children’s children, carry an incurable virus within them. Female lifespan stops at the age of twenty, and male at the age of twenty-five. With geneticists racing to find a cure, many are exploiting the bodies of young girls in order to sustain the population. Rhine Ellery is one of three kidnapped girls sold into a polygamous marriage with Linden Ashby, the son of an eccentric doctor. While she is seeking a way out of the lavish mansion that is trapping her in her undesirable role as a sister wife, Rhine unintentionally stumbles upon one of her father-in-law’s horrific scientific experiments: Linden’s dead first wife who has become an experimental playground for the doctor’s desperate search for the genetic cure.
For those who enjoy steampunk:
Mortal Engines (2001) by Phillip Reeve
The world has collapsed into a post-apocalyptic state following the Sixty Minute War. Geographical upheaval plagued the Earth, thus prompting the birth of traction cities: immense mobile cities that devour each other in a practice known as Municipal Darwinism. Prey is running scarce for the hulking city of London, and it is forced to chase down very insignificant towns and villages in order to sustain itself. Following a series of events, a plot is uncovered to resurrect a deadly weapon used in the Sixty Minute War, which, if successful, could incite another destructive war. However, if the plot is unsuccessful, it could spell the end for the traction cities.
For those who enjoy horror:
Battle Royale (1999) by Koushun Takami
In an experimental program run by the totalitarian government, a class of junior high students is taken to a deserted island where they are forced to fight to the death until there is one lone survivor. Each student is fitted with a metal collar which acts as a deadly incentive for the students to participate in the slaughter. If a student lingers in a “forbidden zone” or attempts to remove the collar, it will explode. If the period between deaths exceeds twenty-four hours, all of the collars will detonate simultaneously. During the recent rise in popularity of The Hunger Games, Takami’s novel was once again brought to the forefront of attention ten years after its initial release due to the similarities in the premise to Collins’s novel. However, Battle Royaleis more complex in that it follows all participants of the game, rather than one sole participant. It is also more graphic; the novel is bloated with gut-wrenching violence and it is all horribly amplified by fear and each student’s desperate desire to survive.