Unit 4 – Heroes, Villains, and Underdogs in Literature

 Topics dealing with imaginary yet plausible content and situations.  Exploration of the consequences of scientific innovations in contemporary times.  Largely based on writing rationally about alternative possible worlds or futures.  Settings are often contrary to known reality, but most relies on “suspension of disbelief” to create arguments.

 Utopia: A place, state, or condition that is ideally perfect in respect of politics, laws, customs, and conditions.  Dystopia: A futuristic, imagined universe in which oppressive societal control and the illusion of a perfect society are maintained through corporate, bureaucratic, technological, moral, or totalitarian control. Dystopias, through an exaggerated worst-case scenario, make a criticism about a current trend, societal norm, or political system.

 Propaganda is used to control the citizens of society.  Information, independent thought, and freedom are restricted.  A figurehead or concept is worshipped by the citizens of the society.  Citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance.  Citizens have a fear of the outside world.  Citizens live in a dehumanized state.  The natural world is banished and distrusted.  Citizens conform to uniform expectations. Individuality and dissent are bad.  The society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world.

 What the issue is for the future, because that is what the author is trying to highlight about the present.  Characters are isolated from the natural world and are conditioned to fear nature  Nature can play an important role with the characters, conflict, and setting (mood).  Total absence of social groups other than the “state”  State is in control of the economy – banned items, contraband, black markets; privatization of businesses  Government is oppressive and is flawed in some way  Climax – can be unresolved; death, reeducation, or conformity can occur

 Corporate control: One or more large corporations control society through products, advertising, and/or the media.  Bureaucratic control: Society is controlled by a mindless bureaucracy through a tangle of red tape, relentless regulations, and incompetent government officials.  Technological control: Society is controlled by technology—through computers, robots, and/or scientific means.  Philosophical/religious control: Society is controlled by philosophical or religious ideology often enforced through a dictatorship or theocratic government.

 …often feels trapped and is struggling to escape.  …questions the existing social and political systems; very intuitive – a rebel.  …believes or feels that something is terribly wrong with the society in which he or she lives.  …helps the audience recognize the negative aspects of the dystopian world through his or her perspective.

 Censorship  Knowledge vs. Ignorance  Mass Media  Conformity vs. Individuality  The Search for Identity  Distraction vs. Happiness  Action vs. Inaction  The Power of Science  The Role of Technology  Social Statuses  Law and Justice

 “Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards.” -- Aldous Huxley  “It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.” -- Albert Einstein