FREE The Future and Dystopian Literature Essay (original) (raw)

Throughout the years many dystopian novels have changed the way we look at our future. From Orwell's depiction of a society that is ruled by an all seeing eye looking over their shoulders in "1984" to a society where the government has all but collapsed to every man is for himself in Butler's "Parable of the Sower". E.M. Forster's short story "The Machine Stops" gives readers another look at a future that seems entirely plausible. In this particular short story, Forster depicts what he imagines would happen if all humans turned their back on physical contact and preferred only to be connect through a machine. The machine not only fulfilled human needs but had even begun to control people's thoughts. Eventually, "The Machine" became a life, religion, law, and government to people, it was everything a person needed and desired. The mother, Vashti, did all her tasks with the help of the machine. She listened to music through the machine and didn't go outside of her place which reduced the human interaction. The reader can observe that Vashti practically worships the machine. She considers the book as a guide of life. Even when provoked by her son that she is nothing but worshipping the machine, she is does not admit to it and lives in denial. She hands over her entire life to the schedule of the machine which responds to her every need. She refers to the machine in a holy manner. To show the consequence of the people's choice to accept the machine, Forster's shows a world that is so in tune to the machine they are completely unaware of nature and life going on around them. To show their dependence on the machinery Forster then asks what would happen when "The Machine Stops". Will there be chaos or enlightenment? This short story was first published in 1909, when technology had just started to contribute to society, and E.M. Forster predicts the terrible consequences of technology.

1. Literary Genre: Dystopian Fiction

My favorite genre of literature is dystopian fiction, and it is from the genre I developed sincere admiration for George Orwell's 1984. ... Similar to how a Canon can mold the interpretation of pieces of literature, pieces of literature can mold the form of a Canon. ... This is typical of the older dystopian fiction genre, as now and the majority of dystopian fictions revolve around a character is completely aware that they're living under the regime of a corrupt government. ... Dystopian fiction is one of my favorite genres because when living under such correct government, it is re...

2. Utopian/dystopian thinking in 60s fiction

The idea of utopia, even in literature, is far older than More's romance; it appears in the Timaeus of Plato and is fully developed in his Republic. ... Dystopian images are almost invariably images of future society, pointing fearfully at the way the world is supposedly going in order to provide urgent propaganda for a change in direction. ... Nevertheless, dystopian stories take invariably take place in the future. ... The aesthetics of dystopian literature is another aspect that plays a key role. ... However, as previously pointed out, a key element to dystopian fiction is that althoug...

3. Analysis of Orwell's 1984

According to my reading of dystopian literatures, there are many themes that can be used to demonstrate a change in one's perspective of the world. ... According to the novel, sex was not permitted unless for a specific purpose, which was to produce a future generations. ... Both novels have a dystopian society. ... From my understanding of dystopian societies, each theme has an impact for each character. ...

4. Compare and Contrast: 1984 and Fahrenheit 451

Dystopian fiction has become a staple in today's literature. ... Dystopian novels have been around far longer than Katniss Everdeen, though. ... In Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, a dystopian America, books are forbidden. ... Airstrip One seems to be in much worse condition than Bradbury's imagination of future America; it is described as being desolate and dingy. ... Faber is reluctant to help, but eventually he agrees and gives Montag a small earpiece so that he can communicate with him in the future. ...

5. A Clockwork Orange

"A Clockwork Orange" is an anti-utopian novel, describing an imminent future in a stately supervised country. ... Therefore Burgess" future report is a quite depressing novel, related to dystopian classics like "1984" and "Brave New World". ... Beyond that dystopian worlds often bear an atmosphere of hopelessness and obscurity. ... Future England is characterized by violence and state control. ... Now it should be the intention of every good piece of anti-utopian literature, to give a warning against something. ...

6. Dystopia in Aldous Huxley's Br

They were dilemmas that Huxley "foretold" of the future. ... Huxley's life was cut short on November 22, 1963, a few months after he wrote his last essay Literature and Science. ... Brave New World is set in the future A.F. ... The Director surely showed how a dystopian world these people lived in. ... Children who are born from a bottle instead of natural birth are shunned in the new world and this dystopian idea adds to the dystopian setting. ...

7. Dystopian Themes In The Novels 1984 And Brave New World

Dystopian themes can be found throughout the novels 1984 and Brave New World; although written by different authors, they have a similar central ideal. ... One dystopian theme that can be found in the novels 1984 and Brave New World is psychological manipulation. ... Citizens of Brave New World are not taught about wars, rebellions, politics, literature, art, or such. ...

8. The Controversy Surrounding George Orwell's Masterwork: 1984

Winston Smith lives his life by this ideal and strives to rebel against his neglectful government. 1984 is a dystopian novel written by George Orwell which tells the story of Winston Smith, an outer party member of the totalitarian Ingsoc (English Socialism Party), for whom he censors news and histories: "Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past" (Orwell, 227). ... Orwell envisions the future that he feared to be realistic and portrays it in 1984. ... In conclusion, George Orwell's 1984 merits its ban, but it is truly unfortunate that...

9. Literature Genre - Fantasy

The future isn't what it used to be – the past is gaining on us. ... We first had the fantasy world, then the future, and at last (today) the medieval world as high-priority from the fans. Secondly, a huge part of the readers want this old-school-fashion, were we got at traditionally hero, who needs to fight against the evil villains, or must go through horror and pain, for example we see Frodo walks through the dystopian Mordor. ... Opposite of that, we haven't experienced the future, so that is more difficult to comprehend. ...

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