Martyrology of Dystopian Fiction

I'm learning a lot through literary research. It never ceases to amaze me how much more you can get out of reading when you read with a question in mind. Well, I have a whole head full of questions that I take with me as I'm touring dystopian fiction.

I am still, unsurprisingly, reading George Orwell's "1984." It's notable that early dystopian fiction novels such as "1984" and "A Brave New World," both feature a detailed explanation of why the world is as it is. A person can glean quite a bit on what makes up a dystopian world from this particular section of the book.

The revelation I am currently enthralled by came from "1984." The first part of my revelation is that each dystopian world is dealing with questions of Metaphysics, or the philosophy of being. More specifically in experimenting with how to change the existence of a person as they are into something they choose them to be. They each attempt to fundamentally change people from their natural state, through the taking of the mind and the memory to create the sort of person that they desire.

The second part of this revelation is that the only way to change a disordered dystopian world is through martyrdom. George Orwell wrote it best when he revealed that his dystopian world did not allow martyrs, that by breaking into a rebel's mind and memories they could create whatever sort of criminal they desired. This would mean that they could still put the criminal to death, but by changing the person's metaphysical nature they steal from them the ability to be a martyr.

A martyr, as someone who would rather die than to say or do anything against what they are convicted is the true the good and the beautiful. In "1984" they remove the threat of martyrs by turning rebels into sniveling, mindless cowards who will confess to whatever is put into their heads.

Then looking at the other dystopian books I've read lately I began to see that each one has a martyr propelling change. Then it occurred to me that in order for a society of people who firmly believe that their dystopian world is actually utopia to see the need for any kind of change, then their eyes needed to be opened in a radical way.

What I liked most about this revelation in "1984" was The Party's awareness that martyrs had the ability to ruin the control on power that they possessed. This vein is hinted at in other dystopian universes, but it so admirably laid out in "1984."

Martyrology of Dystopian Fiction

• "Brave New World" > John the Savage
• "Farenheit 451" > Guy Montag
• "1984" > Winston
• "The Giver" > Jonas
• "The Hunger Games" > Primrose

Out of the Darkness - Dystopian Fiction

I'm working on a new book idea. I've written and started several books in my youth and in retrospect I feel that my fatal flaw was that I did not talk enough about the project, story line or characters. The result is a continual reading and rewriting to develop the world, plot and motivations for the world I created.

This time I'm going to be seeking more sounding boards, more people to ask me questions and challenge me to really develop the world. If we haven't had a conversation about this endeavor yet and you'd like to chat, let me know! I'm eager to share. 

The secondary challenge is that I feel driven to set out into the deep of a new genre, Dystopian Fiction. It's a genre that has been popping out of the woodwork into popular films and books lately and I find that I have an idea to add to the pot. 

Once the idea took me I immediately ran to target and bought a three ring binder, loose leaf paper, and dividers to organize my thoughts. Then for the next three weeks I could be found scribbling ideas into the margins of my binder, proudly sporting a blue ink-stain on my pinky from dragging it through the freshly scripted words. 

After all my preliminary thoughts were down on paper I began to challenge myself to do more, ask more questions and build the world more. This naturally led me on a journey through those who came before me toting the weight of creating a dystopian world and its problems. I'll include a list of the books I've read and brief notes below. 

My next phase is something I'm taking from L.M. Montgomery's "Chronicles of Avonlea." So far I'm calling it "Experiences of the World," where I take on a major problem facing the society of the world and place several characters within that scenario to follow it through to its eminent conclusion in a series of short stories.

Still to come; rousing research into the science of today to glean ideas for a science of the future. Followed by another round of back stories and additions to the binder before I begin to transcribe plot points onto index cards to develop further. Quite a process. Can't wait!

My goal is to create a gripping tale of a journey from darkness into light.

What I've been Reading: Spoilers Included (think of it as reading part of my research)

Published 1949
George Orwell died in 1950
Written in the Midst
and Published after WWII

   


I'm in the midst of George Orwell's "1984" and must say that I like it best of all the books on this list, even though I'm just barely begun. Orwell has created a world where history no longer exists insofar as no one can be certain that anything is true. Society is set up in such a way that a fact isn't a fact at all because it can always be rewritten to suit the Party's desires for the time. All this driven by "Big Brother" and the in-home surveillance from which Winston finds a rare and solitary respite to begin writing a journal. This act alone is tyranny against the Party not to mention his deplorable preference to be alone and solitary. Can't wait to find out what happens next.

Published 1932
Written between
WWI and WWII

A close second to my love for "1984" is Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World." Where to even begin, Huxley's rousing writing-style often left my head spinning and my heart longing to read more. This is really the story of a man who managed to grow up with some sort of watered down morality amid a hedonistic society that has done away with monogamy and natural childbirth in favor of babies born in tubes, conditioned for a predefined class and set of characteristics. The thing about John the Savage is that he was born naturally of a Beta Minus and once discovered is toted around as a novelty until he succumbs to his passions forsaking his morality and, in shame, hangs himself. Huxley had a skillful style, which gave the reader the idea of a new scientific advancement, without going too deeply into the details of how it worked.

Published 1953
Post WWII 

My understanding is that people often find Ray Bradbury's "Farenheit 451" to be a rather strange story. It's story line meanders and is all over the place. Before you read this (long) short story, you should read about the author himself and about when he wrote this story. Once you do, you find that this is Bradbury's guttural reaction to Hitler's book-burning post WWII.  In a world where homes are now fireproof Guy Montag is a firefighter who has been entrusted with the duty to burn any and all books. When Montag himself begins to collect books in secret and worse still, to read them, he can never go back. Once discovered it becomes a race against a mechanical unstoppable hound to flea the city into the unknown.

Published 1993

Lois Lowry's award winning "The Giver" takes us to a world where there are no memories. An interesting feature of this book is that once again we see that families do not conceive babies naturally, only instead of this being an expression of unchained eroticism it is the casting off of 'stirrings' in favor of society's shades of grey. Jonas is called from among his classmates to receive the memories, which are held only by The Giver. He is allowed to keep the memories as a means to solve problems in the society, like a reference guide. When Jonas begins to see the injustice of depriving society of memories he runs away taking an unlikely passenger with her, casting these memories back among the people he left behind.

Published 2008

When asked how she came up with the idea for "The Hunger Games" Suzanne Collins said that it came to her while she was flipping channels one evening. She surfed between scenes of a reality tv show and news coverage of troops. This brings us the tantalizing tale of Katniss Everdeen as she volunteers as tribute in the place of her young sister  in the 74th Hunger Games. Collins delivers a gripping story filled with complex world and character development. In the midst of this story Collins poses questions every reader should ask themselves. Who am I? What is freedom? What does my choice in who I love say about me?

Published 2011

Veronica Roth's "Divergent" series were the hardest books for me to get through on my list. Rather than over-extending myself on the reasons why I'll merely say that I felt the world and characters were underdeveloped. One of the other main flaws was that Roth endeavored to explain her world with science she wasn't able to convincingly explain. My younger sister will tell you that there are two sides to this story and that, of course, Roth's work is valid and useful to her readers.

What is Dystopian Fiction?:

• Dystopia:  an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives. (Merriam Webster)
• Dystopian Fiction: A genre of literature, which features a dehumanized and fearful world focusing on a specific issue. Often, dystopian fiction is a satire of what is seen in the current times.

Characteristics of Dystopian Fiction:

• Propaganda and fear portray a dystopian world as a utopia.
• Dehumanized world for a presented greater good and for the sake of advancement. Often this advancement is scientific.
• Free-thought is discouraged and enforced by a fear of persecution.
• Often futuristic, but with satirical veins that could be something readers face in their own lives.
• Oppression and high surveillance.
• A central ruling power, which is feared and respected.