When I was young I remember watching movies and television shows with flying cars, robots, hoverboards, etc. I have always been interested in movies, television shows, and even books relating to the future. A movie series I loved while growing up was the Back to the Future movies. My favorite of the franchise was Back to the Future II when Marty, the main character, goes to the future where there are hoverboards and flying cars. Being only seven years old, I was positive this is what the future was going to be like and with television shows like The Jetsons (a children’s cartoon show that depicted the future with flying cars and robots as maids) adding to the assumption we would have so many technological advances, it was hard for me not to …show more content…
My view of the future has been altered mainly because of the drastic change that has occurred within books and movies that are set in the future. I have realized, being an avid future fiction fan, that the way the future is being depicted has become grim and melancholy. This shift is primarily in works of fiction directed towards young adults. I would not see this as a much of a problem if it were not as ubiquitous as it has become. I have read at least four literary series pertaining to the future, and all of the futures depicted in the novels are shown as being dystopian. There have also been popular movies based on dystopian novels released and others that are said to be coming out soon. Many dystopian novels demonstrate a recurring theme of destruction and corruption within the government. Our youth’s fascination with dystopian fiction shows their fear for the future and their distrust of the …show more content…
She also completed her Doctor of Philosophy degree in 20th Century American Literature and Culture specializing in media studies, television scholarship, popular culture, and feminist theory at Wayne State University. While talking about young adult dystopias in her article, Engaging “Apolitical” Adolescents: Analyzing the Popularity and Educational Potential of Dystopian Literature Post-9/11, Ames writes, “the fact that teenagers are eagerly consuming these themes suggests that they are seeking a safe space to wrestle … the fears they play upon” (7). Ames is saying that teens read dystopias to experience the catharsis they need to deal with the fears they are dealing with. The fact that a corrupt government is prominent in this particular genre of fiction is an indicator that this is a central reason dystopias have become so popular amongst young adult readers. There are many other novels that deal mainly with teenage angst and their fears of the future, yet these novels have not been able to pass dystopias in sales or in getting deals for big budget movies such as The Hunger Games and Divergent. This suggests that the theme of a corrupt government and an oppressed society interests young adult readers. It is probable this fascination stems from the fear this generation deals with in which they can’t trust their government. Ames writes, “the most likely
The authors both making sweeping statements about the political nature of the United States, but Ames addresses a more concentrated demographic of American society than Hedges. The latter points the finger at the venal egotism of celebrity culture for entrancing the public into complacency, and at America’s political leaders for orchestrating the fact, but he also places substantial blame on the people at-large for allowing themselves to be captivated by the entertainment industry. Ames discusses an issue in which the Millennial generation stands as the focal point, but she speaks directly to the teachers of these adolescents due to their position of influence. Although today’s youth are proven to possess a spark of political energy through their own volition—displayed through their generation-wide interest in dystopian literature—an environment of learning and in-depth analysis provides the best opportunity for the novels’ underlying calls-to-action to strike a chord with their young
Many people wonder why teenagers enjoy dystopian movies. The reason why is because it shows a different life, a world of lies, and we wonder what it would be like to be controlled, and only have to know certain things. Just like the movie “The Giver” and the book “Anthem”. Both of these are based on a dystopian lifestyle. “Anthem” and “The Giver” are dystopian stories that have many things in common.
Alfonso Cuarón’s movie “The Children of Men” depicts a catastrophic future for humanity. Although it is portrayed to show events in the future approximately the year 2027 what is interesting is that the society in which the people live in is very similar to the world we live in today. The buildings, stores, cars (although weird-looking) do not look at all fancy as one might think the future to look. Cuarón’s look on the future is not a positive, hopeful one as his movie foreshadows sorrows, miseries and gloom waiting to be welcomed into our world. His movie though does indeed go parallel with the political and societal events of today.
Conclusively, dystopian texts are written to provide a warning about future times. Authors and directors use a variety of techniques to put their idea forward and have an impact of the audience. Rules that the chosen texts exhibit include that citizens have a fear of the outside world and all citizens adhere to a strict set of rules, but there is a main protagonist who scrutinises the governments or society’s nature. The rules that authors and directors use to put forward their messages of the moral issues human cloning and relying too much on technology and instinctively perusing traditions are evident throughout all three texts.
Imagine a chaotic society of people who are so entangled by ignorance and inequity that they do not realize it; this would be called a dystopian society. Dystopian societies are very popular among many fictional stories. In fact, in the stories Fahrenheit 451 and “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, dystopian societies are represented. In many of these stories, the people in the fictional societies are violence-loving, irrational people who always seem to do what people of the U.S. society would consider "immoral." These stories are not a representation of how the U.S. society is now, but how it could be in the future. Unlike the society of Fahrenheit 451, the U.S. allows people
Philip Reeve in “The Worst Is Yet to Come” (225) gives his option that, the newest fad in fictional books targeted at young adults presents a dismal view of the future. He then gives several examples of the books to which he is referring. Reeve then asks the question “What is it about these grim futures that young readers find so appealing?” (226). He explains that, when he was growing up there wasn’t really a category of books targeted at young adults. He gives examples of the books that he read as a young adult and the impact they had on him. He presents some reasons why he thinks teens enjoy these types of books, and that by centering these stories around young adults it allows the readers to relate to them more. He points out that many
Many dystopian stories has been made over the last one hundred years. “Harrison Bergeron”, is just one of the many dystopian literature in that long list. Dystopian stories present futuristic societies that have become repressive, government-controlled states where people have given up many of their personal freedoms, often under the guise of living in an ideal community. The popularity of these books often question us on what the author believes will happen in the future. They also question us on what they fear will happen in the future if we don’t change our actions.
Teenagers nowadays are getting fond of watching and reading dystopian books/films. A More commonly watched ones is the famous Hunger Games. Teenagers today like that particular movie because; It is controlled by one person named Snow. Most teenagers believe that teachers and parents control their lives. They also like dystopian movies because they normally have a rebel who goes against the rules. The two main Dystopian novels or movies I am going to talk about are: Anthem and The Maze Runner.
Fictitious future societies such as Oceania and Gilead are two of the many dystopian societies that have been created to warn us against social and political ill will. Through numerous works, we are asked to take a step back and consider the world around us, and what we can do to protect and preserve, as well as fight and change. It encourages us to acknowledge the good in the world, but to also stay aware. Never give up your voice, or your own individual power of thought, all of this can be taken from a few hundred pages of paper. Dystopian fiction novels have had infinite power in the past, and continue in the future because of its ability to make the crazy and bizarre seem familiar and plausible
Dystopia represents an artificially created society to where a human population is administered to various types of oppressions, or a human population lives under the order of an oppressive government. The novel Fahrenheit 451 and the film V for Vendetta both effectively display this dystopian concept in their works. The nature of the society, the protagonist who questions the society, and the political power that runs the society are examples of how the novel and the film efficiently capture the main points of a dystopian society. The authors of the novel and the film use their visions of a dystopian future to remark on our present by identifying how today’s society is immensely addicted to technology and how our government has changed over the past decades. Furthermore, the authors use our modern day society to illustrate their view of a dystopia in our
What’s the most influential story ever told? Who wrote it and Why? What emotions did it pull? All aspects of life are based on the stories told and history held within them. A piece of prose, a poem, and even a song tells a story and have the ability to evoke a wide range of emotions from the audience. My obsession with being a storyteller and The University Of Iowa’s M.F.A writing program is the perfect recipe to impact audiences across any medium.
Dystopian Literature is a type of fiction literature that represents a bad view of the future and its people on it. It is basically a not so perfect world, where the people in charge and the government control everything in the general public; also where the conditions of life are really horrible from depression and everything else that comes along. Three famous works of dystopian literature include Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell.
Often the best forms of dystopian fiction comment on contemporary events and situations, to warn us about our current social status quo. Yet at times, reality catches up to dystopia, to the point that dystopia is no longer a satire of the real world. It has transcended our satirical imaginations to become our undesirable reality. With that said, I would argue that our reality is closer to dystopian fiction than we think. Whether it is the various aspects, tropes, or cliches of dystopian allegories. One might call it a "dystopian singularity," when dystopian fiction and reality, have become one and the same.
In today’s society, we find the demoralization of humanity a source of entertainment. Movies and books like The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and the Divergent series have sparked the interest of the masses and have become icons in popular culture. People find comfort in reading and watching about dystopian societies because it is not their reality. A “dystopia represents [an] artificially created world or society in which [the] human population lives under the rule of the oppressive government, or is subjected to various other types of oppressions” (“All About Dystopia”). Though our society is familiar with dystopian environments through today’s popular culture, many are oblivious to the warnings they portray. Many literary works depict
The future. A spectacular, but entirely unnerving subject. In the 20th century people saw the future as an amazing place, new inventions whizzing down streets every which way. Everything shining, sparkling, dazzling us. But how do we see the future now? We see a future of uncertainty.