Melissa Woolf

Professor Mary Warner

Eng. 112B, W 4-6:45

December 5, 2005

The Dystopian World

My seventh grade reading of Ray Bradbury�s Fahrenheit 451 was my first experience with a dystopian world. While I had long been a fan of fantasy literature and �other world� scenarios, I had never been exposed to a story set in negatively alternate version of our own world. As seventh-graders, we studied Fahrenheit 451 as a provocative tale illustrating the dangers of oppressive �big brother� governments. We focused, in particular, on the concept of book burning and studied historical accounts of the book burnings in Nazi Germany. Even at that young age, we were taught to look for the ideologies that ultimately created the dystopia. We then looked at the values of our own culture and discussed the potential dangers of seemingly innocent laws. From that experience, I learned the value of studying dystopian literature.

Dystopias are usually set in a future world of miserable conditions, oppressive governments, and few personal freedoms. Often a blending of fantasy and science fiction, the dystopian world is either the result of a cataclysmic event (environmental or social) or a utopia gone awry. For my annotated bibliography, I have chosen a few classic works that can each serve as a centerpiece for a unit plan. The rest of the works are modern pieces that would be excellent companion pieces to the core work or great for outside reading.

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003.

Guy Montag is not an ordinary firefighter. In his futuristic world, firemen start fires, not put them out. Targeting books, firefighters set fires as part of a government plot to control the thoughts of citizens. Without access to books, and solely dependent on the indoctrinating government produced television and film media, the population is slowly being brainwashed. Through a series of tragic events, Montag begins to question the meaning of life and realizes the answers he seeks may be in the very books he has been burning. He enlists the aide of an old professor who helps him with his reading. Together, Montag and a band of rebels develop a plan to overthrow the book-burning regime. This classic tale is great for a discussion on censorship. Another interesting fact: the band of book-loving rebels is led by a man named Granger. It is widely believed that this is where bookworm Hermione Granger of the Harry Potter series got her name.

Colfer, Eoin. The Supernaturalist. New York: Hyperian Books for Children, 2004.

In a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world, Cosmo Hill is a �no-sponsor� orphan living as a human guinea pig at Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys. Following a near-death experience, Cosmo is able to see microscopic life-draining parasites the no one else can see. Adopted into a secret group of freedom fighters known as �The Supernaturalists,� Cosmo joins the effort to wage war against not only the parasites but also the organization running the satellite that controls every aspect of their city. This book is definitely more sci-fi than fantasy but the issues it raises about global warming and our current environmental destruction are excellent for raising ecological awareness.

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc., 1954.

What television�s �Lost� is now attempting to do with adults, William Golding did half a century ago with children. Trapped on a deserted island with no adults to care for them, a group of schoolboys must struggle to survive the elements and each other. Originally coordinated and democratic in their decision-making, the group eventually splits into warring factions with some boys reverting to animal instincts while others try to maintain their dignified, educated ways. Ralph, the main protagonist of the story, tries to protect his group of misfits and little ones from the barbaric tribe of big boys that constantly torment them. While this book fits many genres, it can be studied as a dystopian work because of the savage anarchy that quickly overcomes common sense on the island. It is nightmarishly brutal tale capable of sparking a myriad of discussion topics. This is a classic piece usually studied in high school.

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. Ed. and intro by Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea

House Publishers, 2003.

Highly controversial, this future-world tale surrounds the events at the Central London Hatching and Conditioning Center where thousands of near identical human embryos are created. Divide into groups that will later reflect their social caste, the embryo�s futures are ultimately decided for them. Some are destined for world leadership while others are chemically brain damaged and destined for manual labor. Through conditioning, children in the center are programmed to think and behave in a prescribed way. Children are exposed to sexuality early in an effort to remove strong emotions, desires, and relationships from society. The strong sexuality of this book is likely the reason it is constantly censored. However, in today�s world of stem cell research, gene splicing, and animal cloning, a scenario like the one Huxley describes is more of a possibility. This book would certainly be an interesting launch pad for discussion about the implications of genetic engineering in humans.

Haddix, Margaret Peterson �Shadow Children Series�

This series is set in the not-too-distant-future wherein families are only allowed two children by law. Breaking of the Population Law is punishable by death yet many families have illegal third children. Referred to as �Shadow Children,� these children are forced to live an invisible life until their families can acquire forged identification cards for them. Meanwhile, the threat of raids by the Population police is constant. The series follows several different Shadow Children as they assume new identities and attempt to undermine the Population Police with the help of Mr. Talbot, a double agent Population Police Official who had an illegal third child of his own. These books are good for raising awareness about the issue of population control, which is practiced in some countries. It is also good for discussion about the population growth not only in the United States but also in the world in general. The following are the current Shadow Children books with brief summaries:

Among the Hidden. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1998. � Luke Garner is an illegal third child whose world has just been closed in by the building of a neighborhood behind his family farm. Unable to go outside like he used to or to be downstairs in the family home, Luke must content himself with watching out the attic window and the new neighbors coming and going. When Luke sees a girl�s face in the window of a house that he knows already has two sons, Luke suspects there is another Shadow Child living in the new home behind his. When he meets Jen Talbot, Luke is caught up in her revolutionary plans to liberate third children.

Among the Imposters. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2001. � Luke Garner has assumed the identity of a deceased boy and has left his home for the first time. However, at Hendricks School for Boys, Luke is constantly afraid someone will discover the truth about him. Meanwhile Luke attempts to discover the truth about the school�why are there no windows, why are the teachers so oblivious, and where does are group of boys sneak off to each night? Can he trust them once he discovers their plan?

Among the Betrayed. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2002. � Nina Idi, introduced in Among the Imposters, has been betrayed and arrested by the Population Police. Jailed with three other Shadow Children, Nina must decide if they are important enough to risk death for. No one is who they seem to be and Nina must be careful with her choices or they will all be killed.

Among the Barons. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2003. � Luke Garner, finally becoming used to his new identity (Lee Grant), is stunned when he learns that Lee�s real-life brother, Smits, is about to come to Hendricks. Smits knows the truth about Luke and needs Luke to participate in a charade to uncover a secret plot to kill Luke as proxy for Lee.

Among the Brave. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2004. � Trey, a fellow Shadow Child and student at Hendricks, attempts to save Luke�s life after Luke is taken in by the Population Police. Trey, who after years of living hidden suffers from panic attacks when outside, must overcome his terror and infiltrate the heart of the Population Police to try to free Luke.

Among the Enemy. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2005. � Mathias, Percy, and Alia, introduced in Among the Betrayed, are caught in a raid at the Niedler School where they have been hiding. Unable to escape, they are forced into deplorable conditions where they must aid the very Population Police who seek to take their lives.

Jackson, Shirley. The Lottery. New York: Scribner, 1971

This haunting classic tale describes a �Lottery� where the winner is sacrificed for the supposed greater good of the community. This story would be excellent as outside reading because of the parallels that can be drawn between the story and current extreme religious/ political group who commit unspeakable acts for their own idea of greater good.

Le Guin, Ursula K. The Lathe of Heaven. New York: Farrar Straus, 1949.

George Orr is haunted by dreams that literally change his world. Each morning when he wakes, he is horrified to see what his dreams have done. Fearing his dreams will destroy the world, George Orr attempts to find a way to stop dreaming. Exploited by a doctor who is supposed to be helping him, George is turned into a human guinea pig. Dr. Haber trains George to have benevolent dreams in an effort to evoke a positive change in the world. Dr. Haber is essentially attempting to turn a dystopia into a utopia. Like all attempts at utopia, the plan backfires.

Lowry, Lois. The Giver. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf, 1993.

Set in a seemingly utopia society of perfect order, twelve-year-old Jonas begins to see the insidious ways citizens lives are controlled. Assigned to become the Receiver of Memories, Jonas learns the truth about his world and discovers the horrors masked by order. Families are engineered, sexual desire is chemically destroyed, old are euthanized, and anyone no conforming to the societal codes is disposed of. This book is good for discussing governmental control and personal rights.

Westerfield, Scott. Uglies. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2005.

In Tally�s world, on your sixteenth birthday you can have the surgery to turn you from hideously ugly into stunningly beautiful. Beauty is power in Tally�s world, equated with the best jobs, fortune, and a comfortable lifestyle. However, Tally�s friend Shay does not want to participate in the surgical procedure and chooses instead to risk life on the outside of society. This book is excellent fodder for discussion particularly because of our appearance-oriented world.