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IreneTen literary dystopias
June 2nd 2009 03:40
Literary dystopias have the distinction of being able to fall broadly into genres such as literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and forms such as comic books and manga. As a result, this list of books is rather more varied than my previous list of dystopian movies.
V for Vendetta
- Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell - This remains the ultimate and most powerful example of dystopian fiction that I can think of. Indeed, its significance to literature, language, and culture cannot be overstated; from it we get the notions of Big Brother, doublespeak, and an all-surveilling government. And Trekkies might recognise Gul Madred's interrogation technique in Star Trek: TNG episode "Chain of Command" as an homage to Nineteen Eighty-Four's "2 plus 2 equals 5".
- We by Yevgeny Zamyatin - The precursor to Orwell's and Huxley's famous dystopian novels, We is a taut, short novel written in the form of diary entries. It depicts a futuristic state where people are known by alphanumeric characters and kept from contact with the natural world.
- The Ear, the Eye and the Arm by Nancy Farmer - Set in Zimbabwe in the late 22nd century, this is a serious children's book. If you're interested, here is an article, from six years ago, that I wrote about this book: 'No-Place' Like Home.
- The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - I'm such a lover of John Wyndham novels and stories; indeed, I prefer my mysteries and my science fiction (sometimes) well-written and cosy. This book was required reading when I was in school. In this novel, nuclear radiation causes birth defects in humans and other anomalies that aren't as visible as extra toes. Those who have defects are banished or killed.
- The Giver by Lois Lowry - This is YA book, but it is probably the most distressing one (for me), after Nineteen Eighty-Four. Thematically, this is similar to Chrysalids and Brave New World, but it differs from the other books on this list because it's not overtly dystopian at first. An effective and creepy book.
- Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban - Hoban is best known for writing the gentle Frances chapter books for children, but Riddley Walker is one awesome, strange, and memorable book about a post-apocalyptic future. It is written phonetically, which makes it rather a challenge to read, much more so than, say, A Clockwork Orange.
- V for Vendetta by Alan Moore - A post-war Fascist Great Britain is the setting for this comic series. The character V is an anarchist who rebels against the totalitarian government. Complex and multilayered.
- Blindness by Jose Saramago - Saramago writes poetically and unsettlingly. The dystopia in this book isn't permanent, but the societal breakdown that ensues after an epidemic of blindness leaves lasting effects. The premise is similar to that of The Day of the Triffids (Wyndham again; did I mention that I love his work?), but is perhaps deeper and more pessimistic in its outlook.
- Battle Royale by Koushun Takami - This manga is a blend of futuristic science fiction, Lord of the Flies, and human hunting narratives like The Most Dangerous Game. The titular Battle Royale sees school children being forced to kill each other on an island until only one is left alive. Damn, I should have added the movie version to the honourable mentions in my last post!
- Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood - Everyone seems to like Atwood. I don't (which is blasphemous, coming from a Canadian!). But I enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale, and Oryx and Crake is much better still. The novel deals with genetically modified animals, as well as human-animal hybrids. Of all the books on this list, this one seems the most realistic, because it extrapolates uses of existing technologies.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy (honourable mention) - It's a post-apocalyptic story about a father and his young son journeying to more hospitable environs before winter sets in. But the roads are full of marauders and cannibals. To tell the truth, I couldn't finish this book--it proved too sad for me and after reading page after page of utter but well-written bleakness I just skipped to the end (and cried). This is being made into a probably-just-as-depressing movie starring Viggo Mortensen.
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