What is a dystopia?
Bryson Coleman, Block 1.
A few examples of popular trends in most dystopian stories:
- Propaganda is used to control citizens of society
- Independence is restricted
- Citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance
- Citizens conform to uniform expectations.
- Citizens are driven to fear the outside world
- Citizens live in a dehumanized state
- The society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world.
Some types of dystopian controls:
- Corporate control: A corporation controls society through products, advertising, and/or the media.
- Bureaucratic control: Society is controlled by a mindless bureaucracy through a tangle of red tape, relentless regulations, and incompetent government officials.
- Technological control: Society is controlled by technology through computers, robots, and/or scientific means.
- Philosophical/Religious control: Society is controlled by philosophical or religious ideology often enforced through a dictatorship or theocratic government.
Ex: Technological/Corporate in Blade Runner
Dystopian protagonists:
- Often feels trapped and is struggling to escape
- Questioning the existing social and political systems
- Believes or feels that something is terribly wrong with the society in which he or she lives.
- Helps the audience recognize the negative aspects of the dystopian world through his or her perspective.