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.
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