In the dystopic world, the perspective of the survivor is often foregrounded. This lends the narrative an air of resiliency and hope despite all odds. The scramble for survival brings out humanity’s reactions, shedding light on the perpetual multifaceted capability of humanity. Such large-scale change can force people to confront issues and rewire their perspectives. In The Last Man, we are able to see both the best and the worst of mankind emerge as a consequence of humanity’s end. In exploring such reactions to these changes, we can examine our own reception to changes in our lives and society.
When talking about the hope that peers through dystopic and apocalyptic media, I always think back to The Road by Cormac McCarthy, where in the story the man and his son struggle to actually find any hope. The ocean, or a group of friendly survivors is commonly pointed to as the physical hope that the man and the child believe in, but I look at their persistence in a much grander, more absurd determination. I think that the man pushes on for the sake of pushing on, to just continue living life even if there remains no real hope that life will ever improve. This determination reminds me of The Myth of Sisyphus, where Camus argues that the persistence of all of life's struggles should become the motivation to keep living. I think this is my favorite and one of the most complex transformations to be seen with dystopian media, where in the absence of hope, characters use the process and struggle of survival as the motivation to continue living.
From my experience, dystopian fiction seems to open an endless floodgate of possibilities for the author to take a hint of something happening in the real world and bring it face-to-face with characters whose actions would somewhat resemble what we humans would take in such events. This drives the love for dystopian fiction rather than utopian fiction, as its near relatability is something we can drown in. The mind also seems to open in the face of dystopia rather than utopia. It's allowed me to feel the despair and suffering among the characters as if I were in their shoes.
By "drowning" in dystopia, do you mean to suggest a positive, negative, or merely immersive experience? A provocative metaphor! I'd love to hear about a specific event in a particular novel or film that backs up what you're saying.
I think the idea of juxtaposing despair and hope is really interesting. I completely agree that through the downfall of society in dystopian novels, there is a great amount of room for the reader to imagine growth in society. There is a particular kind of inspiration when a reader can freely envision what a society could look like if rebuilt after tragedy if the author doesn't explicitly tell them what is perfect like in a utopian novel. As explained in Mary Shelley’s The Last Man, society has fallen apart, and all these different leaders try their hand at rebuilding, yet the person containing what was once considered a weakness (sympathy and compassion) comes through as a true leader. Seeing the attempts to rebuild versus the outcome, in my opinion, is more interesting to read. Having some parts of society grow while others fall apart also is just much more realistic.
Total crisis is one of the most effective catalysts for personal change because how we function is so closely tied into our surroundings. Location and social structures shape who we are, and it is hard to make a lasting change when those things remain the same. I find a sense of comfort in many dystopian tales because even though the catastrophic shifts that the entire world the characters inhabit allows for them to change permanently for the worst, for at least one character humanity and morality always prevail.
Apocalyptic stories were my favorite in high school because they gave me hope. Now, I am becoming an engineer and I only see the disaster side. People are always telling me that my project is not worth it or does not belong here. People in my profession only get noticed if there is a disaster. If we want to get a project pushed through, like the California Bullet train or other large transportation projects, we need to be the best in our field, or as you said, meet someone who is career-altering in the way they manage projects.
While dystopian “hope is more compelling” since it’s ”juxtaposed against despair,” premillennialism utopias also prove to create a striking contrast between hope and despair. In The Last Man, the dystopia setting disperses slim moments of hope between tragedy. These wisps of hope are more tangible since Lionel faces incredible tragedy. In the case of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the people in power attempt to make a premillenarian utopia on Earth. Even though society is technically a utopia, the narrator shows that what is a utopia for some is a nightmare for others, like herself.
Atwood's Oryx and Crake provides another "utopia for the few, dystopia for the many" scenario with an even higher cost (if you can believe it) to humanity at large than what we find in The Handmaid's Tale. Harrowing stuff!
I agree with the observation that dystopic events often force humans to examine sides of themselves they had been repressing. Characters set against a dark backdrop often reveal the light that exists within humanity. An example of this would be Lionel Verney's incredible determination to survive amidst the plague. In contrast, utopic societies expose the darkness in characters that would've otherwise been overlooked. In Divergent, Jeanine Matthews' actions expose the depths to which humanity can sink in the name of preserving order and maintaining a utopian facade.
In “Apocalypse in Literature & Film”, Marchbanks correctly asserts that crisis causes people to change their outlooks and behaviors. Nothing requires personal growth more than challenge. However, what resonates with me less is his claim that “hope seems more compelling when juxtaposed with despair.” During challenges in my adolescence, I obsessed over watching Star Trek. The possibility of imperfect people using unique skills to create paradise inspired me. Dystopic media does not compel people to introspection and change more than utopian stories. Life often provides enough darkness without the addition of horror humanity is not likely to face.
I like the idea of HOPE juxtaposed against the bleakness of dystopic stories. There is so much to unpack in that idea. Without giving anything away- I’m thinking of the last chapter of “Children of Men” by PD James. How much hope is there in one child when no children are born for a couple generations? How much more should we value children and mothers? Such a great question. ❤
I agree with the sentiment that dystopian novels help us cope with difficulties we witness in our own lives and world. H.G. Wells’s novel The War Of The Worlds invokes a sense of trauma as a result of a catastrophic alien invasion, and simultaneously healing from trauma during that same international disaster. I see many similarities to this concept in Craig Mazen’s new TV show, The Last Of Us where we see the protagonists heal from their individual trauma by establishing unexpected bonds that craft a sense of family, emphasizing the importance of interpersonal relationships for human nature.
It's heartening to hear that intense bonding happens in The Last of Us. I can't wait to see it: I'm wondering how large/small the "Us" is. Also, just a note: while both the 1953 and 2005 films turn the alien invasion into a worldwide event, Wells's novel targets England only.
I find it very interesting the evolution of one's actions and the way they act changes as catastrophic events unfold. What was once a routine and normal living, is now forgotten and one must adapt quickly to keep up with the demand of a new life. We see this in various novels and films such as The Last Man, The Walking Dead, The Last of Us, all of which life has been burdened by a plague that disturbs the natural flow of society. The way that certain characters react to these events is a true testament of their character and starts to show how well they will survive in their new circumstances. Personally, I enjoy dystopic stories, they make me wonder "what if this were to happen and how would I handle these situations as these people did?
Apocalyptic stories are a perfect example of the relationship between grace and the grotesque. This juxtaposition is strengthened when the grotesque is understood in the fictional realm and grace discovered in reality. Depictions of apocalyptic events in fictional stories can begin to offer perspective and appreciation in the real world and help individuals struggling with their own current or future problems. For example, in the movie Interstellar, earth is becoming uninhabitable. Joseph Cooper must embark on a challenging mission enduring deaths of loved ones, abandonment, betrayal, etc. The movie ends with him being sucked into a black hole and realizing that love is the only thing that can transcend through time and space. In the real world, this triggers realizations of the importance of love and offers perspective on our relationship with the universe.
From my knowledge of dystopian literature, authors can use this medium to take problems they already see existing in society and morph it to an extreme level. This helps the general reader to recognize the existence of the problem in the real world, when before, they might have been living alongside it passively. In The Hunger Games (2008), Suzanne Collins writes about issues of the wealthy having total political control, as well as systems of oppression through police force, to highlight these already existing problematic structures in our society today.
Fear of the unknown can be immobilizing, and so the morbid beauty of catastrophe is that it takes away our choice in the matter. We are drawn to the apocalypse because it allows us to explore, with our morbid fascination, how we might respond in the face of our powerlessness against a plague or seismic disaster. In “An Irish Airman Foresees His Death” (1918), W. B. Yeats presents a man calmly facing the reality of his imminent death. In this personal apocalypse, he is powerless and choiceless, so he turns inward and takes stock of what his life is worth- “A waste of breath,” he concludes, yet simultaneously he finds delight in the landscape of the clouds. In catastrophe, he still sees beauty around him.
The lessons which dystopian media teach to its audience go beyond the specific scenarios which create the settings of dystopian stories. While it is unlikely that the world will be overtaken by zombies, The Walking Dead’s theme of the importance of community and communication can easily be applied to our world. While I can not deny the benefits of modern technology, I believe it has also created a more divisive and lonely world. Dystopian settings which remove most of the population and society are relatable and provide valuable insight for navigating the current world.
Provide either an example of "community and communication" in The Walking Dead, or mention a bit of tech that both benefits and divides. Also, how is a dystopia which decimates the world's population "relatable"? COVID killed far too many people, but didn't remove most of the population . . .
As you mention in the video, a dystopian illuminates the possibility of future catastrophes in order to ignore historical conflict. What about if part is history felt or even was the dystopian when reading in the future. Chesnutt's "The Marrow of Tradition" highlights this for me, an injustice so extreme and visual that it seems almost how dystopian worlds don't feel real, however it happened. You also mention how catastrophic events can be the catalyst for change, I also see this as a system of events like slavery so extreme that one's only choice is to accustomed themselves to that event such as Mammy Jane.
While literature is certainly an effective demonstration of change, nothing compares to the horrific reality of it. In 2019, a festival in my hometown was terrorized. Shootings had previously been unimaginable to us. What was once grounds for community and union was now soiled with trauma. The road ahead was destroyed, and we had to rebuild it by hand. To this day, the festival hasn’t been reinstated; it is another metaphorical casualty of gun violence. However, our community is noticeably softer afterwards- with a drive for progress. We refuse to be brutalized again, reworking both our laws and our outlook.
I'm so very sorry for your community's trauma: sounds to me like the festival is a very literal--not metaphorical--casualty of gun violence. Ugh. Also, Lionel Verney would concur with your observation that literature can help only so much: when he encounters plague victims, the experience loses none of its horror just because he's read Daniel De Foe's A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).
Pushing into the unknown and enduring strife are crucial for building character. However, I think that it is equally true that unsought challenges can push someone past their breaking point, which does more harm than good. In Mary Shelley’s The Last Man, Perdita’s untimely death results from her inability to heal from the wound left by her husband’s passing. She could have faced the world and grown in her independence, but she chose to die instead. Hope often lives in the shadow of despair; one’s own volition is what brings it to the light, in novels or the real world.
Thank you for reminding us that individual temperaments (and values, I would argue) play a pivotal role in determining whether one grows stronger in the face of suffering, or takes the path of least resistance.
What compels me most about dystopic stories is how they highlight current realities and consider future possibilities. Like you said, it’s hard to imagine an alien invasion or zombie apocalypse- but these stories bring to the forefront real life issues such as PTSD and economic crisis. I just finished “Parable of the Sower” by Octavia E. Butler. Her projections of a politically disastrous, drought ridden, plagued, and, drug-addicted California help me to consider the ways that I have disregarded future generations until my own daughter was born. I don’t believe our future is as bleak as Butler foresees… yet, global warming and political disintegration could very well affect my own child or her children. Butler’s story compels me to be more engaged in the welfare of future generations. Also, her conceptualization of debt slavery IS happening on a smaller scale in other countries when we purchase items that harm others… and when voters choose to support for-profit prisons.
Your observation echoes a point made by C. S. Lewis in The Abolition of Man--that the choices made by a few in the present (as concerns education, parenting, and reproduction) have immense repercussions down the road. As you point out, we tend these days to think about this in terms of the environment, but the same principle applies to so many other things too!
When considering Tom Cruise’s fatherliness in Spielberg’s adaptation of the Wells classic, I wholeheartedly agree that unavoidable events trigger transformations. Tom Cruise’s shoddy indifference to parenthood is challenged when he must tiptoe through bloody jungles and alien warfare to deliver his children to safety. His situation also mirrors the larger predicament experienced by the planet, since the invasion of Earth by hostile aliens underscores the inability of trusted authorities to guard against disaster and death. Because danger stems from within rather than without, Cruise learns to adapt to the real threat: that neglecting our dependents compromises our future.
Exactly. Personal transformation we can applaud, and large-scale change we barely glimpse in the film. The military constitutes the only "trusted authorities" we observe, and they prove particularly impotent until the very end of the flick.
I find that utopian fiction is often darker than dystopian fiction. Depictions of utopia in literature often serve as illusions to conceal the sinister truth, whether it is exploitation, ignorance, or extreme societal control. These stories undermine the idea of utopia. In contrast, dystopian fiction acknowledges darkness in society while often highlighting lasting virtues, even if juxtaposed with deplorable acts of selfishness. With characters pushed to their limits, suffering loss, solitude, or facing constant threats to their lives (conflicts that are much easier to relate to), the heroism and will to survive in these stories make them inspiring and hopeful.
Well said, Michelle! It's more inspiring to discover the silver lining to a dark, dystopic tale than the horrifying underside to a seemingly ideal social model.
I tend to notice that when people decide whether to cling to a safe option or take risks in their lives, some part of them tends to think back if that choice was right or wrong. The safe course of action is particularly appealing as experiences and significant events happen throughout life. However, taking risks has led me to places I would never have imagined. Our morals, values, and knowledge play significant roles when making transformative decisions but additionally, the varied goals of individual lives and even their purpose shift the scale in these moments.
Our Values most definitely inflect the choice to pursue safety or take a risk. Provide a specific example of some kind to back up your generalizations! I'm interested.
Dystopian tales allow the reader to learn about catastrophic events exaggeratedly. Susan B. Pfeffer's Life As We Knew It, tells a story about an asteroid hitting the earth, causing death and destruction. The author shows the character's views on mortality and their chances of not surviving. As a family, they work together to keep each other alive and have faith that things will improve even though their world is ending. The reader recognizes that natural disasters happen and leave you thinking, will you help others in times of need and persevere or give up?
I find that part of the allure of a morbid, dystopian tale is the sense of adventure, following characters and societies as they’re abruptly dismantled by unthinkable, world-ending cataclysms. Plagues causing near-extinction in Mary Shelley’s The Last Man or human-zombies infected with cordyceps in HBO’s The Last Of Us play into human morality-- and mortality, and the impermanence of our world. But making use of these horrific and disturbing possibilities, readers can breathe in a sense of hope knowing real life isn’t so bad, close their book and continue living with a sense of inspiration to amend and improve.
I really need to watch The Last of Us, but am waiting till its available through the library :). (And I don't own a Playstation, so I can engage the narrative that way either . . .)
While I appreciate utopic stories, these narratives erase current problems. Thus, I praise Mary Shelley for centering human virtues in “The Last Man,” Lionel searches for a connection with the now-fallen human race. Similarly, in Oyinkan Braithwaite’s novel, “My Sister, the Serial Killer,” the older sister, Korede’s motivation and disregard for societal expectations to protect the younger Ayoola from facing the consequences of her killing spree is admirable. Korede’s devotion demonstrates their innate desire to foster familial ties even in the face of systematic violence against women in the private and public spheres.
What evidence do you find in Shelley's novel that Lionel searches "for a connection with a now-fallen human race"? Do his efforts lead to the kind of violence you commend in a novel that responds to sexual assault with murder? I'm intrigued by the implied connection . . .
Dystopian stories remind me of the potential darkness at the bottom of us all. In reading such stories, I get to ponder who I would be when Hell reaps the whole of the earth; When violence, betrayal, and fear are the easy ways out, where do I stand? Utopian stories don’t ask these questions because they do away with basic realities of human existence such as war and poverty, while dystopian stories can touch frighteningly close to reality; We must realize our proximity to hell before reaching for heaven. Therefore, the utility in dystopian literature greatly surpasses that of utopian.
Observing human behavior in the face of a catastrophic event may reveal a strengthening of individual relationships but ultimately dismantles past societies. I was intrigued by Mary Shelley’s provocative hypothesis in The Last Man concerning familiarity and change. The spirited Raymond, especially, seeks ambition above all else, but once the plague destroys the old world, adaptive survival becomes so traumatizing that he seeks death. Because society strives to perpetuate its values, catastrophe represents an unknown threat, thus eliciting violence in the community. Meanwhile, individuals flock to their families for comfort and security which bolsters their relations.
At the point in the novel where Raymond seeks death, the plague remains an unsubstantiated rumor--at least among the Greek military. Raymond definitely believes Evadne's prophesy that he will die, but he defies the notion of plague and calls his soldiers cowards for their unwillingness to venture into Constantinople.
Realms which lack meaningful conflict also lack appeal. The mind cannot exist without conflict, nor can it fathom its absence. Our frail bodies toil to serve the mind, to wage a futile campaign against wretched fate. Narratives of lands without strife are like a dull nectar, whose muted notes give hunger and do not sate. There is more to relate to and inquire about in the broken worlds; the fantastic realms exalt the mind and let it explore its thoughts. The refuge of the examining intellect is the wasteland.
While this may be one of the most peaceful periods in human history, the ideal society imagined by previous generations is a far cry from the reality of the world today. It’s naive to think that the future civilizations will resemble a utopian paradise. What service is it to the next generation to fill their minds with tales of utopia if that is not the world they’re likely to inherit? A healthy dose of realism has a rightful place in anyone’s ideations of the future.
I don’t believe that a Utopia could exist. Living in a Utopia would imply that all agree on the same values. I find that impossible because humans vary too much in values to live in such an environment. I would rather have us remain in a flawed world since a Utopia leaves little room for individuality. What’s fascinating about dystopian literature is that it showcases the complexity of humans when faced with the worst life can offer. I find it a beautiful, disgusting, and humbling reminder of our flawed humanity that we can learn from to become better people.
Your observation that utopias must erase certain sorts of differences in order to maintain order rings true: even in More's Utopia, which allows for some variability of pastimes and tasks, everyone does cycle through particular responsibilities (e.g. farming), erasing some of the differences that mark our own world.
I enjoy history, but if there is one aspect of it I find exhausting, it is the endless debate about masculinity. Throughout culture and time, femininity remains relatively consistent. By contrast, masculinity pushes and pulls between two common conflicting archetypes. One, characterized by Raymond, is the warrior expected to harvest his passions into an endless drive for more. The other is a sensitive philosopher who seeks improvement through the mind and soul, exemplified in Adrian. Their different natures cause both men to clash before destroying each in the tragedies of their design. A pattern still repeated as the debate rages on.
Due to Adrian's gentleness, Raymond and Adrian never "clash" (Lionel, for instance, is the one to confront Raymond about his abandonment of Protectorate responsibilities.). What do you mean by "destroying each in the tragedies of their design"? A bit unclear. Also, do you really believe that constructions of femininity have remain unchanged across history? What aspect of femininity do you have in mind when you assert this?
While catastrophic event are often a catalyst towards a dystopian or apocalyptic society it can often stem from a singular individual. A utopian society is impossible to achieve. There is no way that one society would be perfect and have some sort of benefit for ever member. There are countless Dystopian books (1984, The Giver, etc) that are perfect examples of a singular person breaking the “utopian” society. Perhaps this trope is found more in YA literature as teens can closely relate to being an outcast in a society that doesn’t fully accept them.
You're right that a single character can make a difference and, in certain cases, change an entire social system. The sci fi films Aeon Flux and Equilibrium fit this bill. Do you really think, however, that Jonas's actions create a dystopia in The Giver? Also, Winston Smith may try to carve out a niche for himself in 1984, but he ultimately fails--and he most definitely does not alter his society in any way whatsoever.
I disagree with a point briefly mentioned in the video’s introduction; you say that the tendency “to hold tightly to the unhealthy, but familiar, thing instead of taking a risk on the unknown… explains… why criminals face high rates of recidivism.” Former felons are often marooned outside the prison walls without avenues for effective reintroduction to society or support, so they are left with no choice but to resort to criminalized behaviors in order to survive-behaviors that may have led to their original offense. There are increasingly common accounts of unhoused people committing nonviolent crimes in order to be placed in jail overnight, or longer, so that they will be provided with a bed, a meal, and an iota of privacy or personal space. Formerly incarcerated people who served long sentences have “face[d] seismic events of a personal nature,” as you say Shelley’s dystopic characters face, through their lives being interrupted by imprisonment or homelessness, and yet are denied “the opportunity for enduring change” when they are disenfranchised, when they face housing discrimination, and when they are denied employment. Is it fair to demand that individuals reinvent lives dictated by socioeconomic circumstance?
In the dystopic world, the perspective of the survivor is often foregrounded. This lends the narrative an air of resiliency and hope despite all odds. The scramble for survival brings out humanity’s reactions, shedding light on the perpetual multifaceted capability of humanity. Such large-scale change can force people to confront issues and rewire their perspectives. In The Last Man, we are able to see both the best and the worst of mankind emerge as a consequence of humanity’s end. In exploring such reactions to these changes, we can examine our own reception to changes in our lives and society.
Provide a specific "reaction" or "issue" to help me ground your generalizations!
When talking about the hope that peers through dystopic and apocalyptic media, I always think back to The Road by Cormac McCarthy, where in the story the man and his son struggle to actually find any hope. The ocean, or a group of friendly survivors is commonly pointed to as the physical hope that the man and the child believe in, but I look at their persistence in a much grander, more absurd determination. I think that the man pushes on for the sake of pushing on, to just continue living life even if there remains no real hope that life will ever improve. This determination reminds me of The Myth of Sisyphus, where Camus argues that the persistence of all of life's struggles should become the motivation to keep living. I think this is my favorite and one of the most complex transformations to be seen with dystopian media, where in the absence of hope, characters use the process and struggle of survival as the motivation to continue living.
From my experience, dystopian fiction seems to open an endless floodgate of possibilities for the author to take a hint of something happening in the real world and bring it face-to-face with characters whose actions would somewhat resemble what we humans would take in such events. This drives the love for dystopian fiction rather than utopian fiction, as its near relatability is something we can drown in. The mind also seems to open in the face of dystopia rather than utopia. It's allowed me to feel the despair and suffering among the characters as if I were in their shoes.
By "drowning" in dystopia, do you mean to suggest a positive, negative, or merely immersive experience? A provocative metaphor! I'd love to hear about a specific event in a particular novel or film that backs up what you're saying.
I think the idea of juxtaposing despair and hope is really interesting. I completely agree that through the downfall of society in dystopian novels, there is a great amount of room for the reader to imagine growth in society. There is a particular kind of inspiration when a reader can freely envision what a society could look like if rebuilt after tragedy if the author doesn't explicitly tell them what is perfect like in a utopian novel. As explained in Mary Shelley’s The Last Man, society has fallen apart, and all these different leaders try their hand at rebuilding, yet the person containing what was once considered a weakness (sympathy and compassion) comes through as a true leader. Seeing the attempts to rebuild versus the outcome, in my opinion, is more interesting to read. Having some parts of society grow while others fall apart also is just much more realistic.
Total crisis is one of the most effective catalysts for personal change because how we function is so closely tied into our surroundings. Location and social structures shape who we are, and it is hard to make a lasting change when those things remain the same. I find a sense of comfort in many dystopian tales because even though the catastrophic shifts that the entire world the characters inhabit allows for them to change permanently for the worst, for at least one character humanity and morality always prevail.
Apocalyptic stories were my favorite in high school because they gave me hope. Now, I am becoming an engineer and I only see the disaster side. People are always telling me that my project is not worth it or does not belong here. People in my profession only get noticed if there is a disaster. If we want to get a project pushed through, like the California Bullet train or other large transportation projects, we need to be the best in our field, or as you said, meet someone who is career-altering in the way they manage projects.
While dystopian “hope is more compelling” since it’s ”juxtaposed against despair,” premillennialism utopias also prove to create a striking contrast between hope and despair. In The Last Man, the dystopia setting disperses slim moments of hope between tragedy. These wisps of hope are more tangible since Lionel faces incredible tragedy. In the case of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the people in power attempt to make a premillenarian utopia on Earth. Even though society is technically a utopia, the narrator shows that what is a utopia for some is a nightmare for others, like herself.
Atwood's Oryx and Crake provides another "utopia for the few, dystopia for the many" scenario with an even higher cost (if you can believe it) to humanity at large than what we find in The Handmaid's Tale. Harrowing stuff!
I agree with the observation that dystopic events often force humans to examine sides of themselves they had been repressing. Characters set against a dark backdrop often reveal the light that exists within humanity. An example of this would be Lionel Verney's incredible determination to survive amidst the plague. In contrast, utopic societies expose the darkness in characters that would've otherwise been overlooked. In Divergent, Jeanine Matthews' actions expose the depths to which humanity can sink in the name of preserving order and maintaining a utopian facade.
In “Apocalypse in Literature & Film”, Marchbanks correctly asserts that crisis causes people to change their outlooks and behaviors. Nothing requires personal growth more than challenge. However, what resonates with me less is his claim that “hope seems more compelling when juxtaposed with despair.” During challenges in my adolescence, I obsessed over watching Star Trek. The possibility of imperfect people using unique skills to create paradise inspired me. Dystopic media does not compel people to introspection and change more than utopian stories. Life often provides enough darkness without the addition of horror humanity is not likely to face.
I like the idea of HOPE juxtaposed against the bleakness of dystopic stories. There is so much to unpack in that idea. Without giving anything away- I’m thinking of the last chapter of “Children of Men” by PD James. How much hope is there in one child when no children are born for a couple generations? How much more should we value children and mothers?
Such a great question. ❤
I agree with the sentiment that dystopian novels help us cope with difficulties we witness in our own lives and world. H.G. Wells’s novel The War Of The Worlds invokes a sense of trauma as a result of a catastrophic alien invasion, and simultaneously healing from trauma during that same international disaster. I see many similarities to this concept in Craig Mazen’s new TV show, The Last Of Us where we see the protagonists heal from their individual trauma by establishing unexpected bonds that craft a sense of family, emphasizing the importance of interpersonal relationships for human nature.
It's heartening to hear that intense bonding happens in The Last of Us. I can't wait to see it: I'm wondering how large/small the "Us" is. Also, just a note: while both the 1953 and 2005 films turn the alien invasion into a worldwide event, Wells's novel targets England only.
I find it very interesting the evolution of one's actions and the way they act changes as catastrophic events unfold. What was once a routine and normal living, is now forgotten and one must adapt quickly to keep up with the demand of a new life. We see this in various novels and films such as The Last Man, The Walking Dead, The Last of Us, all of which life has been burdened by a plague that disturbs the natural flow of society. The way that certain characters react to these events is a true testament of their character and starts to show how well they will survive in their new circumstances. Personally, I enjoy dystopic stories, they make me wonder "what if this were to happen and how would I handle these situations as these people did?
Apocalyptic stories are a perfect example of the relationship between grace and the grotesque. This juxtaposition is strengthened when the grotesque is understood in the fictional realm and grace discovered in reality. Depictions of apocalyptic events in fictional stories can begin to offer perspective and appreciation in the real world and help individuals struggling with their own current or future problems. For example, in the movie Interstellar, earth is becoming uninhabitable. Joseph Cooper must embark on a challenging mission enduring deaths of loved ones, abandonment, betrayal, etc. The movie ends with him being sucked into a black hole and realizing that love is the only thing that can transcend through time and space. In the real world, this triggers realizations of the importance of love and offers perspective on our relationship with the universe.
From my knowledge of dystopian literature, authors can use this medium to take problems they already see existing in society and morph it to an extreme level. This helps the general reader to recognize the existence of the problem in the real world, when before, they might have been living alongside it passively. In The Hunger Games (2008), Suzanne Collins writes about issues of the wealthy having total political control, as well as systems of oppression through police force, to highlight these already existing problematic structures in our society today.
The Hunger Games trilogy remains one of my favorite YA series, right alongside Lois Lowry's The Giver quadrilogy.
Fear of the unknown can be immobilizing, and so the morbid beauty of catastrophe is that it takes away our choice in the matter. We are drawn to the apocalypse because it allows us to explore, with our morbid fascination, how we might respond in the face of our powerlessness against a plague or seismic disaster. In “An Irish Airman Foresees His Death” (1918), W. B. Yeats presents a man calmly facing the reality of his imminent death. In this personal apocalypse, he is powerless and choiceless, so he turns inward and takes stock of what his life is worth- “A waste of breath,” he concludes, yet simultaneously he finds delight in the landscape of the clouds. In catastrophe, he still sees beauty around him.
The lessons which dystopian media teach to its audience go beyond the specific scenarios which create the settings of dystopian stories. While it is unlikely that the world will be overtaken by zombies, The Walking Dead’s theme of the importance of community and communication can easily be applied to our world. While I can not deny the benefits of modern technology, I believe it has also created a more divisive and lonely world. Dystopian settings which remove most of the population and society are relatable and provide valuable insight for navigating the current world.
Provide either an example of "community and communication" in The Walking Dead, or mention a bit of tech that both benefits and divides. Also, how is a dystopia which decimates the world's population "relatable"? COVID killed far too many people, but didn't remove most of the population . . .
As you mention in the video, a dystopian illuminates the possibility of future catastrophes in order to ignore historical conflict. What about if part is history felt or even was the dystopian when reading in the future. Chesnutt's "The Marrow of Tradition" highlights this for me, an injustice so extreme and visual that it seems almost how dystopian worlds don't feel real, however it happened. You also mention how catastrophic events can be the catalyst for change, I also see this as a system of events like slavery so extreme that one's only choice is to accustomed themselves to that event such as Mammy Jane.
While literature is certainly an effective demonstration of change, nothing compares to the horrific reality of it. In 2019, a festival in my hometown was terrorized. Shootings had previously been unimaginable to us. What was once grounds for community and union was now soiled with trauma. The road ahead was destroyed, and we had to rebuild it by hand. To this day, the festival hasn’t been reinstated; it is another metaphorical casualty of gun violence. However, our community is noticeably softer afterwards- with a drive for progress. We refuse to be brutalized again, reworking both our laws and our outlook.
I'm so very sorry for your community's trauma: sounds to me like the festival is a very literal--not metaphorical--casualty of gun violence. Ugh. Also, Lionel Verney would concur with your observation that literature can help only so much: when he encounters plague victims, the experience loses none of its horror just because he's read Daniel De Foe's A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).
Pushing into the unknown and enduring strife are crucial for building character. However, I think that it is equally true that unsought challenges can push someone past their breaking point, which does more harm than good. In Mary Shelley’s The Last Man, Perdita’s untimely death results from her inability to heal from the wound left by her husband’s passing. She could have faced the world and grown in her independence, but she chose to die instead. Hope often lives in the shadow of despair; one’s own volition is what brings it to the light, in novels or the real world.
Thank you for reminding us that individual temperaments (and values, I would argue) play a pivotal role in determining whether one grows stronger in the face of suffering, or takes the path of least resistance.
What compels me most about dystopic stories is how they highlight current realities and consider future possibilities.
Like you said, it’s hard to imagine an alien invasion or zombie apocalypse- but these stories bring to the forefront real life issues such as PTSD and economic crisis.
I just finished “Parable of the Sower” by Octavia E. Butler. Her projections of a politically disastrous, drought ridden, plagued, and, drug-addicted California help me to consider the ways that I have disregarded future generations until my own daughter was born. I don’t believe our future is as bleak as Butler foresees… yet, global warming and political disintegration could very well affect my own child or her children. Butler’s story compels me to be more engaged in the welfare of future generations.
Also, her conceptualization of debt slavery
IS happening on a smaller scale in other countries when we purchase items that harm others… and when voters choose to support for-profit prisons.
Your observation echoes a point made by C. S. Lewis in The Abolition of Man--that the choices made by a few in the present (as concerns education, parenting, and reproduction) have immense repercussions down the road. As you point out, we tend these days to think about this in terms of the environment, but the same principle applies to so many other things too!
When considering Tom Cruise’s fatherliness in Spielberg’s adaptation of the Wells classic, I wholeheartedly agree that unavoidable events trigger transformations. Tom Cruise’s shoddy indifference to parenthood is challenged when he must tiptoe through bloody jungles and alien warfare to deliver his children to safety. His situation also mirrors the larger predicament experienced by the planet, since the invasion of Earth by hostile aliens underscores the inability of trusted authorities to guard against disaster and death. Because danger stems from within rather than without, Cruise learns to adapt to the real threat: that neglecting our dependents compromises our future.
Exactly. Personal transformation we can applaud, and large-scale change we barely glimpse in the film. The military constitutes the only "trusted authorities" we observe, and they prove particularly impotent until the very end of the flick.
I find that utopian fiction is often darker than dystopian fiction. Depictions of utopia in literature often serve as illusions to conceal the sinister truth, whether it is exploitation, ignorance, or extreme societal control. These stories undermine the idea of utopia. In contrast, dystopian fiction acknowledges darkness in society while often highlighting lasting virtues, even if juxtaposed with deplorable acts of selfishness. With characters pushed to their limits, suffering loss, solitude, or facing constant threats to their lives (conflicts that are much easier to relate to), the heroism and will to survive in these stories make them inspiring and hopeful.
Well said, Michelle! It's more inspiring to discover the silver lining to a dark, dystopic tale than the horrifying underside to a seemingly ideal social model.
I tend to notice that when people decide whether to cling to a safe option or take risks in their lives, some part of them tends to think back if that choice was right or wrong. The safe course of action is particularly appealing as experiences and significant events happen throughout life. However, taking risks has led me to places I would never have imagined. Our morals, values, and knowledge play significant roles when making transformative decisions but additionally, the varied goals of individual lives and even their purpose shift the scale in these moments.
Our Values most definitely inflect the choice to pursue safety or take a risk. Provide a specific example of some kind to back up your generalizations! I'm interested.
Dystopian tales allow the reader to learn about catastrophic events exaggeratedly. Susan B. Pfeffer's Life As We Knew It, tells a story about an asteroid hitting the earth, causing death and destruction. The author shows the character's views on mortality and their chances of not surviving. As a family, they work together to keep each other alive and have faith that things will improve even though their world is ending. The reader recognizes that natural disasters happen and leave you thinking, will you help others in times of need and persevere or give up?
Thanks for offering up a YA title I've not read--do you recommend the entire quadrilogy?
I find that part of the allure of a morbid, dystopian tale is the sense of adventure, following characters and societies as they’re abruptly dismantled by unthinkable, world-ending cataclysms. Plagues causing near-extinction in Mary Shelley’s The Last Man or human-zombies infected with cordyceps in HBO’s The Last Of Us play into human morality-- and mortality, and the impermanence of our world. But making use of these horrific and disturbing possibilities, readers can breathe in a sense of hope knowing real life isn’t so bad, close their book and continue living with a sense of inspiration to amend and improve.
I really need to watch The Last of Us, but am waiting till its available through the library :). (And I don't own a Playstation, so I can engage the narrative that way either . . .)
While I appreciate utopic stories, these narratives erase current problems. Thus, I praise Mary Shelley for centering human virtues in “The Last Man,” Lionel searches for a connection with the now-fallen human race. Similarly, in Oyinkan Braithwaite’s novel, “My Sister, the Serial Killer,” the older sister, Korede’s motivation and disregard for societal expectations to protect the younger Ayoola from facing the consequences of her killing spree is admirable. Korede’s devotion demonstrates their innate desire to foster familial ties even in the face of systematic violence against women in the private and public spheres.
What evidence do you find in Shelley's novel that Lionel searches "for a connection with a now-fallen human race"? Do his efforts lead to the kind of violence you commend in a novel that responds to sexual assault with murder? I'm intrigued by the implied connection . . .
Dystopian stories remind me of the potential darkness at the bottom of us all. In reading such stories, I get to ponder who I would be when Hell reaps the whole of the earth; When violence, betrayal, and fear are the easy ways out, where do I stand? Utopian stories don’t ask these questions because they do away with basic realities of human existence such as war and poverty, while dystopian stories can touch frighteningly close to reality; We must realize our proximity to hell before reaching for heaven. Therefore, the utility in dystopian literature greatly surpasses that of utopian.
Mention a specific narrative! I'm always looking for suggestions of what to read and watch.
Observing human behavior in the face of a catastrophic event may reveal a strengthening of individual relationships but ultimately dismantles past societies. I was intrigued by Mary Shelley’s provocative hypothesis in The Last Man concerning familiarity and change. The spirited Raymond, especially, seeks ambition above all else, but once the plague destroys the old world, adaptive survival becomes so traumatizing that he seeks death. Because society strives to perpetuate its values, catastrophe represents an unknown threat, thus eliciting violence in the community. Meanwhile, individuals flock to their families for comfort and security which bolsters their relations.
At the point in the novel where Raymond seeks death, the plague remains an unsubstantiated rumor--at least among the Greek military. Raymond definitely believes Evadne's prophesy that he will die, but he defies the notion of plague and calls his soldiers cowards for their unwillingness to venture into Constantinople.
Realms which lack meaningful conflict also lack appeal. The mind cannot exist without conflict, nor can it fathom its absence. Our frail bodies toil to serve the mind, to wage a futile campaign against wretched fate. Narratives of lands without strife are like a dull nectar, whose muted notes give hunger and do not sate. There is more to relate to and inquire about in the broken worlds; the fantastic realms exalt the mind and let it explore its thoughts. The refuge of the examining intellect is the wasteland.
While this may be one of the most peaceful periods in human history, the ideal society imagined by previous generations is a far cry from the reality of the world today. It’s naive to think that the future civilizations will resemble a utopian paradise. What service is it to the next generation to fill their minds with tales of utopia if that is not the world they’re likely to inherit? A healthy dose of realism has a rightful place in anyone’s ideations of the future.
I don’t believe that a Utopia could exist. Living in a Utopia would imply that all agree on the same values. I find that impossible because humans vary too much in values to live in such an environment. I would rather have us remain in a flawed world since a Utopia leaves little room for individuality. What’s fascinating about dystopian literature is that it showcases the complexity of humans when faced with the worst life can offer. I find it a beautiful, disgusting, and humbling reminder of our flawed humanity that we can learn from to become better people.
Your observation that utopias must erase certain sorts of differences in order to maintain order rings true: even in More's Utopia, which allows for some variability of pastimes and tasks, everyone does cycle through particular responsibilities (e.g. farming), erasing some of the differences that mark our own world.
I enjoy history, but if there is one aspect of it I find exhausting, it is the endless debate about masculinity. Throughout culture and time, femininity remains relatively consistent. By contrast, masculinity pushes and pulls between two common conflicting archetypes. One, characterized by Raymond, is the warrior expected to harvest his passions into an endless drive for more. The other is a sensitive philosopher who seeks improvement through the mind and soul, exemplified in Adrian. Their different natures cause both men to clash before destroying each in the tragedies of their design. A pattern still repeated as the debate rages on.
Due to Adrian's gentleness, Raymond and Adrian never "clash" (Lionel, for instance, is the one to confront Raymond about his abandonment of Protectorate responsibilities.). What do you mean by "destroying each in the tragedies of their design"? A bit unclear. Also, do you really believe that constructions of femininity have remain unchanged across history? What aspect of femininity do you have in mind when you assert this?
While catastrophic event are often a catalyst towards a dystopian or apocalyptic society it can often stem from a singular individual. A utopian society is impossible to achieve. There is no way that one society would be perfect and have some sort of benefit for ever member. There are countless Dystopian books (1984, The Giver, etc) that are perfect examples of a singular person breaking the “utopian” society. Perhaps this trope is found more in YA literature as teens can closely relate to being an outcast in a society that doesn’t fully accept them.
You're right that a single character can make a difference and, in certain cases, change an entire social system. The sci fi films Aeon Flux and Equilibrium fit this bill. Do you really think, however, that Jonas's actions create a dystopia in The Giver? Also, Winston Smith may try to carve out a niche for himself in 1984, but he ultimately fails--and he most definitely does not alter his society in any way whatsoever.
I disagree with a point briefly mentioned in the video’s introduction; you say that the tendency “to hold tightly to the unhealthy, but familiar, thing instead of taking a risk on the unknown… explains… why criminals face high rates of recidivism.” Former felons are often marooned outside the prison walls without avenues for effective reintroduction to society or support, so they are left with no choice but to resort to criminalized behaviors in order to survive-behaviors that may have led to their original offense. There are increasingly common accounts of unhoused people committing nonviolent crimes in order to be placed in jail overnight, or longer, so that they will be provided with a bed, a meal, and an iota of privacy or personal space. Formerly incarcerated people who served long sentences have “face[d] seismic events of a personal nature,” as you say Shelley’s dystopic characters face, through their lives being interrupted by imprisonment or homelessness, and yet are denied “the opportunity for enduring change” when they are disenfranchised, when they face housing discrimination, and when they are denied employment. Is it fair to demand that individuals reinvent lives dictated by socioeconomic circumstance?