No Longer Foreign

This one isn't quite dystopian, but it speaks to a common dystopian concept that foreign=fear. I especially think of the reference in 1984 where the collection that makes up Big Brother uses the fearful and hateful news of the war to help stabilize the people's support. Also in Brave New World, the "savages" with their values and emotions, are shown as less than human to keep the people from wanting those things in their lives. Who would want family values? That's what the savages want.

I hope this helps you seen "foreign" in a different light; as something that can be celebrated instead of despised; as something beautiful and extraordinary, instead of fearful and wretched; as an opportunity to learn, instead of mocking.

No Longer Foreign

I remember the first time I saw a globe as child. I spun it around and ran my fingers along the surface to feel the small bumps and ridges that made up the mountains, valleys and other details in the different continents. I would play a game with myself, closing my eyes and seeing where I would land, trying to imagine myself travelling and visiting all of these places. Most times, I would land in water. The Pacific Ocean became the most traveled location for my explorative index finger, and I would spin again until it landed on those ridges and bumps that were a clue that I had found some exotic place to explore. It was during my colorful, young excursions that I heard that curious word spoken for the first time; foreign. All of those impossible places finally had a name, and it filled me with wonder! I wanted to get out and see it all, experience everything! In my young mind I could visit Egypt, the Island of Matthew, and Antarctica all in a day, and then come back home and sleep in my bed. If my finger could do it, then so could I!

            My father worked in the military, so as I pointed to a place he would tell me about it. He traveled to these foreign countries, bringing me back trinkets and coins, little windows into these magically foreign worlds. I saw pictures of diverse people and places that helped make these countries real. Running my finger over the globe, I could start to understand what these names meant. Curacao was where I got that wooden Gecko. That bill of money came from Thailand.

            Growing up, my understanding of foreign grew up with me. I heard adults speaking openly -my father especially- about foreign policy. Israel, Kuwait and Mexico; the names that I had run my fingers across as a child became complex ideas that confused me. Why were we worried about people crossing the border? Why couldn't those people share the land instead of fighting over it?

            The foreign countries that I loved started to change. “Made in China,” became threatening to the economy. That great continent of Africa became frightening with disease like malaria. There was SARS, the Bird Flu, war over oil and religion. I started to question my own hopes and dreams. Is it safe to travel to all of these places? Is it really worth the risk?

            Then, everything changed in an instant.

            I was in the fourth grade. Our teacher was a little late getting to class, so we started to get a little anxious. Finally, she rushed in and turned on the television. We had never watched television in our class for anything, so we got excited. But, that excitement was quickly replaced with confusion and fear. The images on the television were not the funny cartoons we were all used to, what she was showing us where the those twin towers of the World Trade Center, and they were burning.

            Over the next few years, foreign became a dark word as our country tightened its borders and restricted access. Patriotism was as high as it could go, and anything that went against it was an enemy. Confused and afraid, I began to fear the word that had once been my childhood friend.

            Even my little hometown in Illinois was affected. Soon, soldiers were being sent off to fight a formless enemy. Terror wasn't quite synonymous, but it began to come closer to describing the fear of foreign lands. Later my father too would be sent off to fight. Foreign became tangible to me that day, more than it had ever been through a wooden gecko.

            But high school would help me grasp the concept a little better. In my freshman year, I got the opportunity to visit Europe with the People to People: Student Ambassador program. We visited six countries over the course of twenty days, meeting people and seeing things that were far beyond our young imagination.

Finally, I was getting the chance to see the places that I had imagined visiting as a child. I visited the tops of mountains in the Alps, the historic city of Zurich, the Black Forest of Germany, Paris, Stonehenge, etc. It was a childhood-dream come true! But, one event would really change the way I looked at the foreign people and cultures.

We had been pulling weeds along the river for a couple of hours with the German high school students, each of us sticking to our friends and language groups. We talked among ourselves about them and their school, nothing bad, but it made us think that they too were talking about us. What were they saying? What were they thinking?

As we wrapped up the service project, I sat on the edge of a truck to take off the thick rubber boots and heavy leather overalls that protected my clothing from the mud and debris. Still nothing, no interaction. I slowly realized that we were the strange foreigners here, and started to think that this exercise in cross cultural mingling would be a failure.

Then, someone pulled out a football (soccer ball in American) and started juggling it with their feet. I can't remember from which side the ball came, or who started kicking it. But soon, a small group was circling around to join in. I looked up from where I was sitting to watch as a few kids from our group started to juggle with them. Within minutes, everyone from the two groups was crowded around these five or six boys. The languages and cultures ceased to exist, as we all laughed and cheered them on and, for a moment, we were all just people. Not a foreigner among us.

Growing up, I learned a war story that reminded me of my own cultural experience. It was in the dirty, dangerous and miserable trench warfare of WWI. The allied forces were fighting the Germans deep into the cold of December 1914; neither side advancing across the muddy wasteland.

The Pope, pleading for peace, urged the warring forces to institute a ceasefire as Christmas neared, but neither of them were willing to make an official armistice. So, the troops kept fighting.

Then, on Christmas Eve, the British forces of Ypres heard singing from the German camp across the field; Christmas Carols. Touched, they waited until they finished, and sang one of their own carols back across to them. This continued late into the night (Harris).

The next morning, Christmas morning, the British scouts alerted their troops that the Germans were advancing. They all snapped to attention, readying themselves for anything.

When they were close enough to see, the Brits noticed that the Germans appeared unarmed. So, they sent a group forward to meet them. The Germans greeted them with a hearty "Merry Christmas," perhaps a few of the only words they could speak in their broken English. Instead of fighting with guns and grenades, they exchanged cigars and plum puddings.

This same scene played out across the continent, some sang carols, and others (much like my group) played a match of soccer. Everywhere, Christmas won out over war.

"The so-called Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. It was never repeated—future attempts at holiday ceasefires were quashed by officers’ threats of disciplinary action—but it served as heartening proof, however brief, that beneath the brutal clash of weapons, the soldiers’ essential humanity endured" (Christmas)

After High School I lived in France for a couple of years on a mission trip. "In the trenches" as one may say, I met with all sorts of people from many different cultures and backgrounds. I sat and learned from them what they love and what they worry about. I got to know their families and became their friend. And I learned something interesting about life. Beneath all of the differences of culture, language, and government I saw that that the people that I spoke with were just like me. I realized that they were just as human as me, and that the concept of foreign was just a silly title that man made up to describe “not like me.”

In France, the word for “Foreign” is “Etrange,” which is the same word for strange or weird. In English, foreign is often taken in this negative connotation as well; foreign goods, foreign tourists, foreigners.

Even I've been taken by this subtle falsehood. We're taught by our parents to beware of strangers. And, while it's true that we all need a certain level of caution, we cannot simply make generalizations about a people or person due to the common stereotype or what is depicted in the news.

In France I met a number of people that wanted to come and visit America. More than a few times I heard a plan that included renting a car and traveling to every state in a month. They had a hard time grasping the immense size of the country because they had never come to visit. Sometimes our ideas on foreign countries and people are something like this; we can't possibly understand something without firsthand experience. France was just "foreign" until I lived there and got a feel for the culture. Now that I've been there, I can't call it foreign anymore. I've been a part of it, and it a part of me.

Foreign is more than just alien or different; it means potential; it means a celebration of what makes each and every one of us unique. This world is full of amazing cultures, exotic foods, beautiful sites, and fantastic people of every background. To let yourself be blind to all of this wonderful diversity is to deny yourself the pure joy of human life.

I like to think that "Humanity" offers a direct antonym to "Foreign." Humanity like sharing a moment with a soccer ball when it’s the only form of communication you have; humanity like the charity of serving others worse off than you, no matter their background; humanity like that of soldiers that put aside their differences to celebrate their similarities.

 I still love looking at the globe and imagining visiting those impossible to pronounce foreign countries that surround it! Today, I do it mostly on Google Maps. I can trace my steps across it, see the places I've been and the places I that I hope to visit in the future. Though I'm no longer the naive child with no concept of the world, I've still made it full circle back to where I started. I still want to visit all of these foreign lands, but now I want to visit them so that they will no longer be foreign to me.

Work Cited:

Harris, Bridget “The Chirstmas Truce of 1914.” www.theepochtimes.com. 25 Dec. 2009. 

Web. 22 Jan. 2015.

“Christmas Truce of 1914.” History.com. A+E Networks. 2009. Web. 16 Jan 2015.

A Modern Dystopia

How Pop Culture has been Affected by the Modern Trend of Dystopia

Abstract

What has led to rising popularity in dystopian literature in modern years? Is The Hunger Games really to blame, or is this a trend that has been growing for ages? What are the consequences of such a movement in society? With these questions in mind, a group of students at Utah State University set out to discover what makes the modern pop culture phenomenon of dystopia tick.

They discovered clues from the past, cultural waves in society and fiction, and an interesting view of the future. There is more to dystopia than meets the eye.

Study Summary

On 14 November 2014, a group of 12 students at Utah State University met together with the purpose of discussing the current trend of dystopia in pop culture. Included in the night’s activities were the watching of two popular dystopian movies, answering a survey on the topic of dystopia in pop culture, and having a discussion on that topic.

The survey was conducted with 11 people, those who came to the event. Each person offers a different view on the dystopian genre, helping point out the different aspects that the recent movement has brought on society. The entirety of the survey results is included just before the works cited page. Listed below is a brief overview of the synthesized information of their survey.

SURVEY RESULTS:

●        8 had heard of the genre before, but 3 were introduced to the genre by the Hunger Games.

●        While many had read classic dystopias as well, over half of the novels read were written over the last ten years (33 out of 58 total. Or 57%).

●        9 enjoy dystopian fiction, while one does not, and another one was unsure.

●        5 believed that dystopian literature is not an honest depiction of the future. But another 5 disagreed. And one was unsure.

The topics discussed included:

●        What makes The Hunger Games so popular?

●        How have The Hunger Games affected popular culture?

○        When will it pander out?

●        What is the message that dystopian novels bring?

●        How does dystopia relate to other popular genres?

The Modern Dystopia: Report

Introduction

The Hunger Games was birthed of the state of pop culture today, but it has invariably affected the pop culture of tomorrow. It has changed how people see the world now and perhaps for a long time. And that change is, for the most part, a good thing.

The modern surge in the popularity of dystopia is the result of hundreds of years of philosophy and theory, the dreams and fears of the modern individual, and the hope for a brighter future today.

Where does Dystopia Come From?

            In case you were wondering, dystopia was not born yesterday. Suzanne Collins didn’t invent the genre as a way to tell the Katniss story, she invented Katniss so that she could tell a dystopian story. As long as there have been people and governments to rule them, the fear of corruption and deceit has existed, which lies at the heart of the common dystopian ideal.

            To understand dystopia, we need to go back to before the term was coined. Dystopia is a transformation of the word utopia, which comes from the Greek words ou (meaning not) and “topos” (meaning place). Thus, utopia literally it means “nowhere” or “no place.” The term itself was “coined by Sir Thomas More in 1516 as the title of his book that described an imaginary island representing the perfect society” (“Utopia”).

            It’s fitting that More derived his title from Greek origins, because it was the Greek Philosopher Plato to whom the concept of a perfect government-society is attributed, around 380 BCE (“List of Utopian Literature”). He wrote about utopia before there was even a word to describe it.

            In the beginning, utopian literature was invented as a way to theorize a perfect government in a perfect world. A fleeting dream of a brighter future. But, there’s a reason why More named his society “Utopia,” meaning nowhere. Because it was a dream. It was, like dystopian literature of today, meant to show just how impossible a perfect society would be, in hopes that it would help people achieve something greater.

            The irony of it all is that dystopia, a word that today accuses politics as corrupt and destructive, was initially coined by a politician. John Stuart Mill, a Member of Parliament, used it in his address in 1868 as a way to emphasize how impractical it would be to implement a Utopian system in our culture (“John Stuart Mill”).

            It’s H.G. Wells, now seen as a visionary for his views on the future, who introduced the world to the modern dystopian genre. Through novels like The Time Machine (1895) and When the Sleepers Wakes (1899) he launched the popularity of dystopia in our culture, which has carried it into the modern day.

            The two World Wars, the Cold War, and the almost continuous wars that followed only heightened the cultural fear of tyrannical leaders, corruption and oppression. If it could happen abroad, it could happen here. We can see this apprehension through actions like the Red Scare, and the anti-draft movements in the late 1900s.

            In this culture, dystopian fiction thrived. Nearly every decade an important dystopian novel is released, and becomes an instant classic; books like Brave New World (1932), Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), Fahrenheit 451 (1953), and Clockwork Orange (1962). And thus, dystopia was solidified as a genre in our culture.

The Purpose

            We've already discussed a little about the popularity of utopian and dystopian literature, but to fully understand why it has become so important to our culture we need to first understand the goals that the authors had in mind by writing them. The all important question: why?

            In May 1944, near the close of the Second World War, George Orwell writes a letter to a friend by the name of Noel Willmett. Five years before publishing his classic 1984 he goes into detail about his thoughts on the war, governments, and the future. In speaking about “totalitarianism [and] leader-worship” he states “I must say I believe, or fear, that taking the world as a whole these things are on the increase. Hitler, no doubt, will soon disappear, but only at the expense of strengthening (a) Stalin, (b) the Anglo-American millionaires and (c) all sorts of petty fuhrers of the type of de Gaule.” He pines an “indifference to the decay of democracy,” and the “the theory that the end justifies the means.” (Orwell)

            As dark as his outlook on the future gets though, he closes with an optimistic remark that describes entirely the why behind his writing of 1984 and other works. “You also ask, if I think the world tendency is towards Fascism, why do I support the war. It is a choice of evils—I fancy nearly every war is that. I know enough of British imperialism not to like it, but I would support it against Nazism or Japanese imperialism, as the lesser evil… I think, and have thought ever since the war began, in 1936 or thereabouts, that our cause is the better, but we have to keep on making it the better, which involves constant criticism” (Orwell).

            In an interview with the school library journal Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games, described her own misgivings that led to her writing. “When I was a kid, my dad fought in Vietnam,” she explains. “I was little, but I would hear them say “Vietnam,” and I knew my dad was there, and it was very frightening… But there is so much programming, and I worry that we’re all getting a little desensitized to the images on our televisions. If you’re watching a sitcom, that’s fine. But if there’s a real-life tragedy unfolding, you should not be thinking of yourself as an audience member. Because those are real people on the screen, and they’re not going away when the commercials start to roll” (Margolis).

            Each dystopian author has their own hopes and fears that lead them to write, but each one is driven by the desire to change something. They see a problem in the world, something that they fear if left alone can only get worse. So, they don’t leave it alone. But simply saying something isn’t enough. Sometimes, we need to be shocked into seeing the problems around us.

Orwell calls it “constant criticism.” Dave Astor, from the Huffington Post, describes it well in his article on The Hunger Games, “we admire dystopian novels because, by giving us worst-case scenarios of the future, maybe our current society can be jolted enough to avoid those scenarios eventually happening in real life” (Astor).

Pop Culture Appeal

            So, now knowing why the authors write these novels, what makes them so appealing to the popular culture of today? Is it part of some morbid fantasy that we all have to be shocked, to see the worst possible scenario as Astor states?

            That certainly might be one reason, but it isn't the only one. And, it’s not the most important one. One such reason for today’s popularity might be the target audience.

            It can be argued that The Hunger Games was the perfect book, at the perfect time, and with the perfect target to be successful. It was released in 2008, the same year as the last book in the Twilight Saga, and had similar story tropes like action and adventure, and young love-triangles. To be fair, the two series are wildly different, but the audience that Collins attracts with her story is very similar to that which Meyer did with hers.

            It’s very possible that a few years difference in the release, either by fighting with the release of a Twilight novel or the next fad that would have come after, affected its popularity significantly. As chance would have it, The Hunger Games became the next big thing.

But like the popularity of Twilight spawned a slew of vampire centric stories and the reinvigoration of the horror-love genre, the popularity of The Hunger Games has made producers more willing to fund movies and novels with similar themes in order to cash-in while the theme is still hot. Books like The Giver, written nearly 20 years ago, finally get a movie; Divergent and The Maze Runner make it big and get their own screen adaptations. We could go further back to Zombie movies or Harry Potter and see similar trends. When something becomes popular, it’s very likely to be followed by fiction with related themes.

Beyond the Twilight effect, perhaps the biggest reason for the modern popularity is fear. Fear, and how we react to it.

            Psychologytoday describes fear as “a vital response to physical and emotional danger—if we didn't feel it, we couldn't protect ourselves from legitimate threats. But often we fear situations that are far from life-or-death, and thus hang back for no good reason. Traumas or bad experiences can trigger a fear response within us that is hard to quell. Yet exposing ourselves to our personal demons is the best way to move past them” (“Fear: Paranoia”).

            The success of horror movies at the box office provides all the proof needed to know that people like to be afraid. But, we like to be afraid in ways that we can control. Movies, novels, ghost stories, etc. all provide means for us to “expose ourselves to our personal demons” without falling victim to them.

            Throughout the greater half of the last century, the American culture has been exposed to oppressive and tyrannical governments of the world. There was Hitler in World War II, Stalin in the Cold War, The North Vietnamese, and Saddam Hussein. More recently we have the Taliban, ISIS and other terrorist groups. It even exists in our own backyard with conspiracies involving government agencies like the NSA, the CIA; and powerful businessmen like Bernie Madoff.

            One extreme example lies in Eastern-Asia. Since the cease-fire that brought an end to the Korean War in July 1953 (“Korean War”), the isolationist government of North Korea has fallen into a real life dystopia that is eerily similar to popular dystopian novels.

            The BBC got a rare look into the life of a common family in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. In what is considered upper-class housing that is allocated by the government, they witnessed a government run radio that is “piped into every kitchen,” a television with only one channel that “broadcasts propaganda news, films and entertainment for 5 hours per day,” and a siren that sounds every day at 7am to wake workers. Pictures of the beloved dictator are shown in the home more predominately than family photos. Food is often scarce, medical care is subpar, and the boarders are closed to any crossing from either side (“A State of Mind”).

            National Geographic profiled the lack of modern medical care in specifics, and then went on to describe the concentration camps for the extended family members of criminals against the state and defectors (“Inside North Korea”). It’s worse than it sounds.

            We spoke about this in our discussion during the Dystopian Pop Culture event, and nearly half of those involved believed that dystopia was an honest future. The existence of oppressive governments and corruption build up that fear; the fear of government, losing oneself, the loss of moral values, or even a fear of what the future holds. It’s been fuel for conspiracy theorists and apocalyptic fear mongers for decades.

Dystopia is the release valve for all of this pent up anxiety; it’s how we face these fears. That’s what grabs us. But, by seeing the worse possible scenario, it builds our hope in society. One can think to themselves “It’s not that bad,” and work to make the world better.

People like dystopia because of the message that it brings, that we can avoid such a future by making a difference now. They like it because of how it relates to our world and how it affects our culture.

So… How it Affects our Culture

On the night of our Dystopia Pop Culture event, we spoke about North Korea’s real-life dystopia and how it has changed our views on what the future holds. Of the 11 people that took the survey, five of them believed that dystopias depict an honest future, and one was unsure. This pessimistic obscurity is what makes the message of these novels so powerful.

Dystopia makes us think more seriously about life and the future. The majority of those that answered the survey had already been introduced to the concept of dystopia through either The Hunger Games or another novel in the genre. Without dystopia, these issues may never have been brought to the surface.

Another telling statistic from the Pop Culture Night reflected which dystopian books influenced their views. Of all of the books read by those who attended the event, 57% were written just over the last ten years with The Hunger Games being read by nearly everyone. It’s obvious that the modern age of dystopian novels have had a great influence on the youth of the world.

But, The Hunger Games might just be taking things one step further. In this modern age of social media and technology, the message of these books is reaching people like never before.

Thailand is a good example of this in action. The political environment in the country has been growing more and more tense over the years, building up towards a military coup in the last year. But, the release of the recent Hunger Games has brought about a soft student revolution in the nation. Movie showings for the film were cancelled, allegedly because of pressure from the military-police. Then, five students stood up during a speech by the leader of the coup with shirts that said “Don’t Want a Coup,” and making the three finger salute from The Hunger Games. The report stated: “The students were taken to a police station and then an army camp, where they were questioned by soldiers,” they were not charged (Doksone).

The event has sparked a slew of similar incidents in the country and, in a strange twist life imitating fiction, The Hunger Games symbol of resistance has become a real-life tool for standing up against oppression.

Conclusion

In the past, dystopia has always served as a warning from first-world authors to first-world audiences. They've been satires on modern governments, entertainment, even edgy science fiction moralities. Today, they seem to fit into the teenage romance genre, with more emphasis on character development than big message.

But, even as the message seems to be slipping from the focus, its influence on society and culture manages to become even more impacting. Never before has a movie incited actions against real-life dystopia. Yet today, in the country of Thailand, the wave that The Hunger Games started has done just that.

Dystopia is an answer to common fear that we all share about life. Its popularity is the manifestation of a universal sentiment regarding freedom and justice for the honest man and woman in society. We cringe when we see the genocide and oppression in nations where the people are helpless to resist. As long as these fears exist, dystopia will have a place in society.

At the heart of dystopia is the idea that Orwell references in his letter; “constant criticism,” or the checks and balances that help improve the system. This same ideal is what drives us to vote at the election booth, blog about political issues on the internet, send a gripe letter about unfair treatment on public transit, and call the police for a drug sale down the street.

In short, dystopian literature is popular because it is just another way that this feeling is portrayed. Its themes can be seen in our daily lives, in the news stations, on YouTube.

Who knows how long this popularity wave will last? These ideas have been around for centuries, leading to the destruction and creation of nations and kings, governments and tyrannies. While The Hunger Games may fade away from the forefront of pop culture, the ideas that it promotes will never disappear, not entirely. As long as dystopian ideals remain relevant in our culture, we can be assured that the futures that they warn us against will remain in the future; a perpetual reminder to constantly criticize, and never give up.

Survey Results

Before watching the Hunger Games, did you know what a dystopia was?

❏      Yes: 8

❏      No: 3

Have you read any other dystopian novels or seen other movies from the genre?

❏      Yes: 10

❏      No: 1

Do you enjoy dystopian stories in movies and literature?

❏      Yes: 9

❏      No: 1

❏      kinda: 1

Do you think dystopias are an honest depiction of a possible future?

❏      Yes: 5

❏      No: 5

❏      sort of: 1

What Other dystopian novels or movies have you read or seen?

Over the last ten years:

3 The Uglies (2005)

2 Unwind (2007)

2 The Host (2008)

10 The Hunger Games Series (2008-)

2 Dollhouse (2009)

7 The Maze Runner (2009)

1 Matched (2010)

4 Divergent (2011)

1 The 100 (2014) on the CW

Older than 10 years:

3 The Time Machine (1895)

4 Brave New World (1932)

5 Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949)

3 Fahrenheit 451 (1953)

3 Lord of the Flies (1954)

1 Clockwork Orange (1962)

1 The Running Man (1982)

3 The Giver (1993)

1 Among the Hidden (1998)

Works Cited

“1950: McCarthy Launches Red Scare.” Education.nationalgeographic.com. Nov. 2014. Web.

“A State of Mind.” Dir. Daniel Gordon. Perf. Daniel Gordon, Hyon Sun Pak, Song Yun Kim. BBC,

2004. Film.

Astor, Dave. “Why Do We Like Dystopian Novels?” www.huffingtonpost.com. 19 Oct. 2012.

Web. Nov. 2014.

Doksone, Thanyarat. “Thai Cinema Chain Pulls “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” After

Salute Arrests. http://www.nbcbayarea.com/. 21 Nov. 2014. Web. Nov. 2014.

“Fear: Paranoia.” www.psychologytoday.com. Web. Nov. 2014.

“Inside North Korea.” Dir. Peter Yost. Perf. Michael Breen, Brian Green, Kim Il-Sung. National

Geographic, 2007. Film.

“John Stuart Mill – Coiner of Dystopia.” www.dystopified.com. 2 Aug. 2012. Web. Nov. 2014.

“Korean War” www.History.com. History Channel. Web. Nov. 2014.

“List of Utopian Literature – Famous Utopian Works.” www.utopiaanddystopia.com.

Utopiaanddystopia.com. Web. Nov. 2014.

Margolis, Rick. “A Killer Story: An Interview with Suzanne Collins, Author of ‘The Hunger 

            Games.” www.slj.com. School Library Journal. 1 Sep. 2008. Web. Nov. 2014.

Orwell, George. “George Orwell’s Letter on Why He Wrote ‘1984’.” www.thedailybeast.com.

12 Aug. 2013. Web. Nov. 2014.

“Utopia.” www.dictionary.com. Dictionary.com. Web. Nov. 2014. 

The "Dystopian Journey"

Boil it Down

Dystopian novels often share a common story; let's call it "The Dystopian Journey."

            Step 1: Introduce Hero

They think everything is perfect, everything works

Step 2: The event.

Something happens that makes them question their beliefs.

Step 3: The Discovery

They discover the truth, either by experience or through study.

            Step 4: The Action

They try to act on this new discovery. Change things, escape, etc.

            Step 5: Counter Action

Usually, the government finds out. seeks to control them. Or just show them the futility of it all.

            Step 6: The Finale

Death, suicide, escape, big reveal. Something happens to the main character to bring an end to the story. No matter what happens, there is hardly ever a great change in the society.

Examples of "The Dystopian Journey"

            1984:

Introduce hero: Meet Winston

The event: Meet Julia

The Discovery: The friend, the book that describes everything.

The Action: They are planning to join the rebellion.

Counter Action: When there is evidence, the thought police bring him in. Take him to the ministry of truth. Torture.

The Finale: 2+2=5. He is made to conform,

            The Host:

Introduce: Melanie Stryder and Wanderer (a body snatcher)

The Event: The memories of Jared and Jamie

The Discovery: The Seeker's anger. That humans aren't all bad.

The Action: Escape, run away to the humans.

Counter Action: The seeker follows her, tries to find her.

The Finale: Joins the humans, becomes one of them.

            Brave New World

Introduce Hero: Bernard, later the Savage

The Event: Bringing the Savage back to civilization

The Discovery: The Savage sees the world for what it is, the immorality, etc.

The Action: going against his captors, disposing of peoples' soma.

Counter Action: Brought to the controller, the monologue. Exiled again.

The Finale: hanging himself.

The Giver, Fahrenheit 451, A Clockwork Orange. The list goes on and on; each one a variation of sorts of the common dystopian story. Some are positive, some deathly negative. Most are trying to teach a point.

Why?

Perhaps this is symbolic. We all go through a journey of discovery in our lives. Kids believe in Santa, we all grow up thinking we can be superheroes or astronauts. But one day, usually pretty cruelly, we learn that life is hard. That dreams are out of reach. That the world is unfair.

Dystopias show us that this is how the world works. That one man, or girl, or alien, can't change the course of history alone. The life or death of one man will not alter super structures of government, free thousands of slaves, and enlighten the minds of millions of sheep. It just doesn't work that way, right?

Well, that's how it seems anyway... on the surface. But, one cannot just take these things at face value. Dystopias are satires. The world, and common thought, would like to think that's how it is. That the common man can't achieve his goals, that life is just too hard to make it. The system is too well oiled for change. But that's the real dystopia; the lie that keeps the indifferent plugging away without asking questions.

Herein lies the satire. 1984 hasn't dawned on us quite yet. With enough work and determination, the wrongs of this world can be changed. The “Dystopian Journey” is there to show how bad it can get, not how bad it is.

Do you know which popular dystopian novel doesn’t follow the Dystopian Journey?

The Hunger Games.

That's what is so interesting about the Hunger Games; it does break the mold. There is no discovery; everyone knows there is a problem. In the end, change is brought about at a great cost. But change is had nonetheless. The world that seems so impossible to overcome is overcame. The government too corrupt to defeat is defeated. Good prevails.

The Hunger Games is different from most other dystopian novels on a basic level, but the lessons it seeks to teach are the same. Perhaps its popularity is due to its positive outlook on life, because it breaks the mold. The men and women of today are not doomed to walk the "dystopian journey" like the Savage, but capable of making the world better a little at a time. Social media brings a different power to the people. The right and ability to speak out together, and make oneself heard. Like Katniss, the modern man can see the problems in the world, and has the means to make that change.

"May the odds be ever in your favor"

-Matt

From Hunger Games To The Origins of Dystopia

The Next Big Thing?

Every few years, public attention is drawn to a new craze in entertainment, a new phenomenon that captures our imagination and makes us dream of another world. Usually this follows a well written novel, or some captivating movie. Harry Potter redefined magic, Twilight reinvigorated the vampire phenomenon, and most recently the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins has brought back the classic dystopian genre. Dystopia is an idea that never really went away, but it probably never has been quite as popular as it is today. The Hunger Games opened the door for books like Divergent, and movies like The Giver to finally make it to screen. It has brought back the popularity of classics like 1984, and Fahrenheit 451. The list goes on, and it's hard to tell when the influence of this series will finally pander out.

            Measuring the effect on pop culture is an activity for another day, but in seeing the modern development of the genre begs the question, where did it all come from? The idea of a perfect society has been around for ages, but one of the first novels to introduce the faux reality of dystopia was called Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. These novels, each for their own day, voice a public sentiment that we all share: a fear for the future. Would it not be interesting to compare these two perspectives, divided by nearly 100 years and a lifetime of change, to see where we've come? They are oh so different, and yet quite the same.

What about the Story?

            While both novels treat similar subjects, they vary widely in style and focus. The Hunger Games is defined as a Young Adult novel, putting it in the same section of your local bookstore as Twilight and Enders Game. While that makes it more accessible to a younger generation (and thereby future generations), it also leads to a more watered down version of the genre to provide more room for character development and romance. It's not a satire, but a strong morality lesson carefully disguised as a love story for all of the displaced Twilight fans. As such, it excels in its niche, introducing a litany of new readers to a very old genre.

            Brave New World, on the other hand, is a Shakespearean tragedy, emphasized by the consistent references to the Bard by its protagonist the Savage. His suicide in the end is not altogether surprising, but marked by foreshadow and symbolism like that of Othello, Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet. He pulls quotes from everything Shakespeare, letting the reader know he's more than just a high school level student, but a credible scholar. Huxley's masterpiece is very idea-driven with characters acting as pieces for the carefully designed finale. It's not a story one reads for the love of these characters, but for the overall message. And, it's quite a message.

The Future's Future.

            A point where both novels converge is in their vision for the future. A small minority enjoys all of the benefits of life, those deemed less important are made to do the hard, menial work, and it's all held together by distraction. "They are so conditioned," says the controller in Brave New World, "that they practically can't help behaving as they ought to behave" (Huxley 199). In Hunger Games, that distraction is the Hunger Games, the conditioning is fear. For Huxley, base desires are the distraction and the conditioning is both scientific and subliminal teaching.

            The future crafted by Collins is one on the brink of war. The common man that the ruling class sees as a non-threat is unhappy with their lives, but incapable of organizing a rebellion and controlled by fear. In the end though, it's a common girl who connects with the people and usurps the powers that be. The brave new future is one of conditioned apathy. There is a definite oppression, but it's a happy one in which they want for nothing. This alien society, so close to ours but without all of the things worth living for, seems unavoidably doomed to continue on its scheduled path. Both present a bleak future from the modern perspective, and describe a problem that needs present attention.

What's the Point?

            Thus the question: What is the point? What do the authors of these novels wish to convey with such a view of the future? It's obvious there is a message here.

            Although the Hunger Games shows us a future that is much darker and more sadistic in the government's actions towards its citizenry, it's the optimistic one. In the end, good wins. It shows us that the common man can make a difference in the world. People can identify with the hero, Katniss, and thereby believe in themselves (both for the people in the novel, and the readers). It is also a warning, showing the danger of leadership and uncontested power. The brilliance of it all is that Collins does not rely on any long monologues to convey these points, but allows the reader to come to the realization themselves.

            For Huxley, on the other hand, monologues are his strongest tool in getting across his message. We see this new world through "the Savage's" perspective, which should essentially be our perspective, all building up to the discussion with the knowledgeable Controller, one of the few people who completely understands how this new world works. Unlike the Hunger Games, this is a passive surrender where people give up their rights for stability. The point is: what are we willing to give up for peace? In the end, the Savage is powerless to accomplish anything, showing us the futility of one man in trying to change the world.

            Although, whatever world the authors create or the attributes of such a society they chose to emphasize, the main point is simple: change needs to be made now. Both characters suffer a great deal for standing up to the oppressive governments of their worlds. One loses his life to depression; the other loses her sister and peace of mind. Discussions can be had as to which of the two are worse off, but the message is the same. There comes a moment where it is too late for change. But, for the modern world it might not be too late to stop such a future from happening. Huxley and Collins are telling you, the reader, that you can help prevent it.

All Good Things Must Come To An End.

            Huxley's novel, which was meant to define the problems in society and be a call to action against them, has proven all too prophetic.  In his own words he says "when Brave New World was being written, I was convinced that there was still plenty of time... these things were coming all right, but not in my time, not even in the time of my grandchildren... Twenty-seven years later, in this third quarter of the twentieth century A.F., I feel a good deal less optimistic" (Huxley 237-238). This was in 1958. One can only imagine what his reaction would be if he saw the state of the world now. Would he be happy that the modern world still needs such a reminder from Collins for the present day?

            The similarities are striking, the differences are telling. While one sits next to Twilight on the shelves of thousands, perhaps millions, of teenagers' bookcases, the other gathers dust next to fellow classics of the past. But with every reiteration or reimagining of the genre, the dust is wiped away for a moment and it's like new again. Through the Hunger Games, the new generation is exposed to this important genre that makes us question the progress of civilization. It's a foil to apathy and blindness. If it weren't for novels like Brave New World, the Hunger Games may never have been written. But, if it weren't for the Hunger Games, perhaps pop culture would just forget about these classics and the warnings they give. It's when we stop questioning, when we give up trying to make a difference, that we will be in danger of the futures that dystopian novels foretell.

Work Cited:

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World and Brave New World Revisited. New York: HarperCollins

Publishers, 2004. Print.