Utopia vs. Dystopia

1. Utopia vs. Dystopia Dystopian novel

2. What is a Utopia? • Literally it means “a place that does not exist” • Basically it is the “perfect” society • Utopist narratives involve the descriptions of societies similar to the author’s own society, but better. That means the society is similar to ours, but functions more ideally.

3. Basic Points in a Utopian Novel: • The story is set in an isolated place • The story is developed by following the principles of that place/society • In the place/society there is a ruling class • A tragic development occurs in contrast with what the reader expects

4. Utopian Society Today: VAhttp://www.twinoaks.org • “Twin Oaks is an intentional community in rural central Virginia, made up of around 90 adult members and 15 children. Since the community's beginning in 1967, our way of life has reflected our values of cooperation, sharing, nonviolence, equality, and ecology.” • We do not have a group religion; our beliefs are diverse. We do not have a central leader; we govern ourselves by a form of democracy” with shared responsibility. • Economically self-supporting, and partly self-sufficient. income-sharing. Each member works 42 hours a week in the community's business and domestic areas. Each member receives housing, food, healthcare, and personal spending money from the community. • “hammocks and casual furniture business has generated most of our income in the past. Making tofu as of 2011 has become roughly equal in importance to hammocks” and taking turns “milking cows, gardening, cooking, and childcare. Most people prefer doing a variety of work, rather than the same job day in, day out.”

5. Downside of Utopian:People’s Temple aka Jim Jones, or Jonestown • seek out rural territories, on which to rebuild society along the non-racialist, non-sexist lines that they viewed as necessary for happiness. • radical interracial utopias of new people that would be “samples and examples” of what the world should be • summer of 1977 they decided to leave the hostility of Northern California and make a commune in Guyana, more than 700 people left California in a six-week period •  November 18, 1978, over 900 people died in a collective suicide and drank cyanide-laced grape Kool-Aid when they feared the government was coming to break up the commune from threats of kidnapping

6. What is a Dystopia? • A futuristic, imagined universe in which oppressive societal control maintains the illusion of a perfect society through control. • Dystopias, through worst-case scenario, make a criticism about a current societal or political system.

7. Basic Points in a Dystopia • A hierarchical society :divisions between the upper, middle and lower classes are unbreakable (Caste system).

8. Basic Points in a Dystopia • The propaganda and the educational system preserving the order of the society.

9. The cancellation of individuality.

10. Basic Traits in a Dystopia • Gov’t controls the citizens of society: • • 1. Information, independent thought, and freedom are restricted. • • 2. A figurehead or concept is worshipped by the citizens of the society.

11. Basic Traits in a Dystopia •3. Citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance. • 4. Citizens have a fear of the outside world.

12. Basic Traits in a Dystopia • 5. Citizens live in a dehumanized state. • 6. The natural world is banished and distrusted.

13. Dystopian Traits Cont. • 7. Citizens conform to uniform expectations. Individuality and dissent are bad. • 8. The society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world.

14. 3 Types of Control in a Dystopian Society • 1. Bureaucratic control: Society is controlled by a mindless bureaucracy through a tangle of red tape, regulations, and incompetent government officials.

15. 3 Types of Control in a Dystopian Society • 2. Technological control: Society is controlled by technology—through computers, robots, and/or scientific means.

16. 3 Types of Control in a Dystopian Society • 3. Philosophical/religious control: Society is controlled by philosophical or religious ideology often enforced through a dictatorship or theocratic government.

17. Dystopian Protagonist • often feels trapped and is struggling to escape. • questions the existing social and political systems.

18. Dystopian Protagonist • believes or feels that something is terribly wrong with the society in which he or she lives. • helps the audience recognizes the negative aspects of the dystopian world through his or her perspective.

19. Brave New World Reference Points

20. Segregation- (beyond color) • The practice or policy of keeping people of different races, religions, etc., separate from each other • In the mid-1800’s, blacks were separated from whites by law and by private action in socialization • Blacks and whites had to use separate transportation, public accommodations, recreational facilities, prisons, armed forces, and schools in both Northern and Southern states

22. Totalitarianism • Political concept: citizen should be totally subject to an absolute state authority. • controls all aspects of its citizens' lives • a single charismatic leader as the ultimate authority • Large-scale, organized violence may be legitimized. • The police operate without the constraint of laws.

23. Themes

24. Themes • 1. Freedom vs. Security • At what point does the safety of a group overrule the rights of an individual? It's not 'always' (because we believe in personal freedom), and it's not 'never' (because we don't believe in outright anarchy), so where's the line? Is it even possible to define one clearly? • 2. Reproductive Rights

26. Themes Cont. • 3. Authority • When is it wrong to disobey authority? When is it okay to disobey authority? When is it vital to disobey authority? • 4. What does it mean to be human?

27. Themes Cont. • 5. Defending right vs. Wrong • How far are you willing to go to do what you know is right? Is there an inherently 'right' or 'wrong'? If the alternative is human extinction, would immoral behavior become justified, or even moral? How does the weight of a crisis distort traditional definitions of morality?