Dystopian Essay
(Essay of Definition)
Ultimate Goal:
1. Define, in your eyes, what makes a dystopian society
2. Use our 3 novels, “Harrison Bergeron”, and at least 2 scholarly articles to influence your concept of dystopia
According to the New World Encyclopedia, “dystopia” is defined as follows: A dystopia (from the Greek δυσ- and τόπος, alternatively, cacotopia, kakotopia, cackotopia, or anti-utopia) is the vision of a society that is the opposite of utopia. A dystopian society is one in which the conditions of life are miserable, characterized by human misery, poverty, oppression, violence, disease, and/or pollution. While there have been actual societies which have experienced most if not all of these characteristics, the term dystopia is largely a literary term, referring to a class of literary works that serve as cautionary tales against some form of totalitarianism of the left or right. Some academic circles distinguish between anti-utopia and dystopia. George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is a dystopia because its leaders do not aspire to or use the rhetoric of utopia to justify their power. Orwell’s Animal Farm is a classic anti-utopia, in which the pigs come to justify their leadership in the name of creating a utopian society. The literature of dystopia draws on the human experience of the failure of states and ideologies to create the utopias, or even the more modest aims of good governance, often abridging human freedom in the name of some ideal that leads to authoritarian, even totalitarian consequences.
The Term Paper on Is Grendel Evil Existence When Society Human
In a world of chaos, he who lives, lives by his own laws and values. Who is to say that the death of millions is any worse or better, for that matter, than injuring a cockroach. And in the case of an existing power in the form of God, who is presumed to be all which is good, presiding and ruling an organized universe, why then does evil exist? The prosaic response of "without evil, there is no ...
Yet, what other elements are included in a dystopian society?
Based upon our readings of “Harrison Bergeron”, Fahrenheit 451, Anthem, and Animal Farm, you need to come up with a working definition of a dystopian society. You will need to consult 2 other academic, informational, scholarly articles/sources to better inform your knowledge of dystopias.
Based upon class discussions, we can determine that the following elements are/can be part of a dystopian society:
Chose one of the above (or come up with your own).
This will be your working definition of a dystopia (it might help if your definition has more than one requirement to meet).
Using the 3 novels, “Harrison Bergeron,” and the 2 articles as sources, prove that your definition is an accurate description of dystopia.
Requirements:
Sources:
Must use a total of 6 sources (3 novels, “HB”, 2 articles) Citations:
Must cite from each novel at least twice (that’s 6 citations).6
Must cite from the other sources at least once (that’s 3 citations).
+3
An additional citation (any of the 6 sources) (that’s 1 citation).
+1
TOTAL =10
I. Introduction: The Definition
A. You will use this paragraph to explore the history and different takes on what makes a dystopian society/novel. This is where your 2 academic, informational citations will be mentioned. Throughout this paragraph, you will whittle down the information until you’ve narrowed the concept down to your working definition. B. Thesis: This is where you tell us that the books are dystopias because they meet requirements A, B, & C.
II. Requirement A
How do the novels meet this first requirement? (Not every novel need demonstrate this requirement, but it would make a stronger argument if they did.)
III. Requirement B
(see above)
IV. Requirement C
(see above)
V. Conclusion
The Essay on The Possibility of Dystopia
Both George Orwell’s 1984 and Volker Schlondorff’s film adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood are dystopias. Set in the future, they imagine a world of political abuse of power and severe limitation of personal freedom for the common people. In this imaginary future, everything is controlled by the political group that has the power. Both are powerful allegories expressing the ...
How does your definition of a dystopia offer something new, something different? Please do not just restate your thesis and topic sentences.
Brief Outline #2
Organized according to each novel/story
I. Introduction: The Definition
a. You will use this paragraph to explore the history and different takes on what makes a dystopian society/novel. This is where your 2 academic, informational citations will be mentioned. Throughout this paragraph, you will whittle down the information until you’ve narrowed the concept down to your working definition. b. Thesis: This is where you tell us that the books are dystopias because they meet requirements A, B, & C.
II. Book #1 (Animal Farm)
a. How does this book meet all of your requirements for a dystopia? You are only required to use 2 quotes from the book, but make sure you address all of the necessary requirements mentioned in your thesis.
III. Book #2 (Anthem)
(See Above)
IV. Book #3 (Fahrenheit 451)
(See Above)
V. Short Story (“Harrison Bergeron”)
*Since you are only required to cite from this story once, you may want to incorporate this paragraph / information with one of the above*
VI. Conclusion
How does your definition of a dystopia offer something new, something different? Please do not just restate your thesis and topic sentences.
