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Judging by the number of dystopian and apocalyptic movies hitting theaters, interest in the genre continues to hit new highs. I’ve been a fan of the genre for many years, starting with the incomparable H.G. Wells, Robert A. Heinlein, and Arthur C. Clarke. Stephen King’s, The Stand, is one of my top ten of all time. It got me to wondering what’s fueling this trend, especially with YA books. A quick search of articles that weighed in on the subject yielded a plethora of opinion and commentary, thanks in part to the movie, Hunger Games, based on Suzanne Collin’s YA story. I thought I’d reference a few that caught my eye, and worth revisiting.
First, let’s make sure we all understand the definition of dystopia. Webster’s Dictionary online defines Dystopia as, “an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives.” Wikipedia describes it as, “an often futuristic society that has degraded into a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian.” Wikipedia cites the first notable dystopian novel as Jack London’s Iron Heel, which chronicles the rise of an oligarchic tyranny in the United States. I have a few friends who think we’re already there. Most people are more familiar with George Orwell’s, 1984, Aldoux Huxley’s, Brave New World, and H.G. Wells, The Time Machine. Wells had a fear of how quick men were willing to apply new technologies to war, which inspired (or scared) him to include dystopian issues in most of his novels.
Rachel Ives, examines what characteristics dystopian novels have in common and why they sell, in her 2010 article, Exploring Dystopia: The Rise of Dystopian Fiction. She quotes, “Dystopian novels deal with real issues that we face everyday, and turn them into a dire prediction of what could happen to society as we know it, if we don’t change our ways.” She discusses the consequences of the repressive control of a government, the break-down of a government, war and natural disaster, all while using the literary device of the questioning protagonist to explore these ideas. Her top-ten list of great dystopian authors closely resembles mine.
Author Beth Revis posted an article on why the trend caught on with YA. “YA is a genre about character-focused stories with fast, exciting plots. Dystopian literature lends itself perfectly to that mold — when the world ends, we don’t care so much about the how of the end as we do about the who: who survived, and how, and why. Dystopian literature has a natural focus on the characters and their survival, and what makes them continue in a world so bleak. The great thing about dystopian literature, especially in the young adult range is that it’s not about the end of the world. It’s about living past it, overcoming it. It’s about humanity being stronger than inhumanity. It’s about triumph despite the odds.”
Janie Slater offered four reasons Why Teens Love and Need Dystopian Literature, and why the genre delivers a teen’s need for heroes.
- It provides a healthy outlet for exploring socially unacceptable topics within our own spheres and communities.
- It helps us see new, different perspectives than we’re capable of from our own limited experience.
- It helps us sort out and express feelings and emotions, providing cathartic release and relief.
- It inspires us with often courageous, defiant (in a healthy way), quirky & unique protagonists (main characters) who overcome barriers and limitations.
A more recent and intriguing article comes from Dr. Harold Koplewicz, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist; President, Child Mind Institute, where he digs into the reasons Why Kids Love Disaster, Distress, and Dystopia. “The truth — is that these books strike a nerve with teenagers because of the intense developmental and social changes they’re experiencing. Between 12 and 18, the ages broadly classified as YA, everything is changing all the time — socially, physically, sexually. In reading about worlds and lives that are literally falling apart, kids are reading about emotions that are as intense as their own. Dr. Koplewicz references Scott Westerfield’s novel, The Uglies, in which Westerfield states the success of the novel is partly because high school is dystopia. Dystopian novels may be set in the future, but as far as the teenagers reading them are concerned, they are happening now.
Eric Feig of Lionsgate, the studio behind Hunger Games, says “young-adult literature is a genre that takes place at a specific time in your life when everything seems to be high stakes. If you set stories in different worlds with unique protagonists and an element of wish fulfillment, I don’t think people will ever be tired of it.”
Commentary is long and varied. One commenter said dystopian novels give us a sense of warning. A Baptist minister suggested the reemergence of dystopia is because we often think the past was better than it really was and the future can never be as bright. Blogger Parker Peevyhouse cited that teachers love to use dystopian novels in the classroom because they want to ready kids for society and to prepare them to inherit the power they will soon gain to change it.
In my youth, I never analyzed the reasons why I liked dystopia. I just liked disappearing into a world gone mad and imagined myself in it. The novel I’m working on explores the remnants of a society culled to less than 5% of its original population by a heterogenetic virus that sterilizes survivors and sets the stage for mankind’s extinction. I’m finding it a fun ride, and hope to share it with you in the near future. In the meantime, I’d be curious to hear what you think drives our love affair with dystopia.
D.T. Krippene 
Great post, D.T. I love the pics above…very bleak and yet somehow beautiful. Much like the dystopian worlds in books and movies. There is something eerily beautiful about destruction that we can’t take our eyes off of. It’s just some weird part of our humanity. The same mechanism that keeps us watching the ugly news feeds, slowing down to see a car wreck, or watching buildings crumble to the ground. Humans are fascinated with destructive forces and have a morbid curiosity for disaster. Every three year old boy will spend precious time building up his blocks or legos only to crush and stomp them to see them scatter. Overcoming makes us feel powerful. Perhaps imagining the worst case scenario and believing we could survive taps into the natural sense of invincibility that teens have.
After publishing three contemporary YA romances that had some tragic themes but hopeful endings, I was drawn to writing a dystopian trilogy. The idea came to me after many discussions with my neighbors about political and societal unrest and ideas about how we would all survive an apocalypse. Once the ideas began to flow, I couldn’t NOT write them down. You know how those characters won’t leave you alone until you tell their story. The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael was born…the story of a 16 yo genetically enhanced teen with the ability to heal. But is she strong enough to heal the planet and save the world? Like you, I chose a virus to bring about a global winnowing as it were, and then added a polar shift that threatens humanity with extinction. Waning Moon came out last September and book two, Western desert will release in June. Despite winning some contest accolades, sales have been surprisingly slow for book one. I’m wondering if there is some “dystopian fatigue” going on in the industry. What do you think?
I’d like to think Eric Feig is more right than wrong when he said – “If you set stories in different worlds with unique protagonists and an element of wish fulfillment, I don’t think people will ever be tired of it.” I certainly hope that’s true when it comes time to find a home for my latest story. You have me greatly interested in Lily Carmichael’s journey, and I’ll have to stop by your site have a look see. Thanks for sharing your insight on the genre, PJ.
what drives it? in part the feeling that something isn’t right, in real life, and the readers wants it exposed and the wish fulfillment of revenge on authority gone bad. ” Look what you’ll do to my world if you don’t stop.”
Exactly, Rachel. You intice me to offer a sneak peak into Ryan Townsend’s journey, the protag of the dystopian series I’m working on, called “Lasty”. In this chapter, Ryan questions if we, as humans, are worth saving.
Our transition from primordial primate to thinking man, thanks to a developed frontal lobe, must have missed a crucial turning point somewhere that was supposed to steer us toward an enlightened, caring and civil species. We got smarter, made better toys, but we never got better ourselves. At the height of environmental excess, a virus plague hiding inside our own human genome for millions of years, threw a flag on our existence with an express lane to the edge of self-induced extinction. It was nature’s way of saying we had our chance, you blew it, now it’s time for you to join your Jurassic brothers and contribute to the future’s energy needs. Even now, we still didn’t get it. Instead of moving to the extinction exit ramp with grace, we continued to peck at each other as if it might improve our chances of a few more years, or a better place in line for the hereafter … if there was one.
Thanks for your comment, Rachel.
Great post and love the pics. I love dystopians too. In the romance genre, I’ve heard it’s a hard sell now. But I think readers are still interested in them. I like reading about strong characters who overcome impossible odds. These stories give humanity hope that no matter what we have strengths we might not know we possess to survive all obstacles.
A good point, Kathy, and I agree. Readers still have an interest if they can connect with a compelling character in a unique setting. I loved James Dasner’s “Maze Runner” series, told from a boy’s POV in a one of the more imaginative settings I’ve read for a dystopian. From Carl Sagan’s story, “Contact”, our brief encounter with an advanced being tells us – “You are capable of such beautiful dreams, and such horrible nightmares.” We have to work on that second part. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Don’t forget Mad Max! Dystopians have been pretty hot for as far back as I can remember. I think we’re fascinated with the idea of other worlds. I saw Oblivion a few days ago and was thoroughly entertained. You should check it out. Thought provoking even…:)
Oblivion is on my “my must see” list before it leaves the big screen. I saw a couple previews of what’s coming. One is with Will and Jaden Smith in “After Earth”, and one called “Elysium”, with Matt Damon. I agree, Mad Max is one of the greats, and it didn’t need a lot of special effects. Thanks, Tuere, for reminding me to get tickets to Oblivion.