Genre Research: Dystopian Fiction

 

    The genre of dystopian fiction is one that is not only common in films/TV, with some of the most popular including the film-series Divergent, a story following a young adult Tris Prior in a futuristic world where society is divided into 5 factions, in which she is considered different (can't fit into one faction- a Divergent), the film The Matrix starring Keanu Reeves, and even TV shows like Black Mirror that explore how the ranges of humanity/ human nature intersect with the extremities of modern-day life. Apart from the necessary production elements necessary to create a futuristic/ specific world such as set design, makeup, lighting, etc... I want to dive into the history of dystopian fiction, as well as different related concepts.

When did Dystopian Fiction Start?

    To investigate about dystopian fiction's beginnings, we have to understand when the idea of a dystopia, and opposing term 'utopia' came up. According to electricliterature.com (click here for specific article) the concept of a utopia initiated the contrasting concept of dystopia, with the first mention of an imagined place/ state of things that appear to be perfect (UTOPIA) in 1516 by Sir Thomas More, with people concluding that this fantastical land of perfection is nothing we know, meaning it doesn't/ will never exist. This leads to the eventual use of the word 'dystopia' in 1868 by John Stuart Mill, taking over 50 years for the word to begin to be more actively responded to in public conscious, meaning an imagined place where everything is bad/ overly controlled/ degraded/ totalitarian (UTOPIA).

    Relating to it's integration into a genre, and fictional stories, literature about an ideal world that we wish to live in were the major relation to utopias, until the Russian book "We" came out during the 1920's (1921). This book paved the way for other classic dystopian literature such as "Brave New World" and "1984", as it introduced traditional tropes such as unresolved endings and an intense, totalitarian government that largely conflicts with its' people. After, this the first major dystopian film Metropolis (1927) came out, enforcing tropes like class division (workers rebelling against higher classes) and new technological dangers. 

Characteristics

    Dystopian Fiction is a subgenre of science Fiction, which is a genre of speculative fiction. This genre typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts like advanced science and technology, with dystopias exploring the social/ political aspects of society. Dystopian fiction provides social commentary on the political environment, and issues warnings to society about possible consequences of current societal trends. This genre also oftentimes leaves the audience with multiple unanswered questions, one of my favorite parts of the genre. The themes/ worlds demonstrated don't hold back/ open up to any version of our world, which I love to explore. This genre is characterized by...

•  Loss of Individuality
• Oppression
• Government Control- Propaganda/ Censorship
• Technology
• Fear of citizens
• Environmental Disaster

    The target audience specific to this genre is very broad, and inclusive to males and females, as they both can relate to the society they are in and the one created in the fictional stories. The most popular age group is teenagers, but again it isn't exclusive.

Quick Reflection

    I will use this research to properly develop a plot that includes/ reflects these characteristics, as well as investigate the OG dystopian films/ books to get a better idea of introductory tropes. We have also decided that we want to implement some genre characteristics of psychological drama/thriller, which I have already researched into in one of my past blog posts linked here. I will make sure to distinguish thriller from drama depending on which we choose.