Amelia M. Anderson

Warner

English 112B

Critical Annotated Bibliography

 

Imperfections in Perfect Worlds

A dystopia is typically classified as a futuristic world that appears perfect on the outside, but on further examination is revealed as a dominated society that lacks love or freedom. In Fahrenheit 451, �Repent Harlequin, said the Tick Tock Man,� Brave New World, The Giver, Messenger, Gathering Blue, Utopia, 1984, Eragon, and The Time Machine all focus on near-perfect worlds where most of the inhabitants ignore the imperfections of their world. These dystopian novels are often set in the future and contain advanced technology or advanced powers. All of them focus on the sociological and emotional aspects of life to try, the fantasy worlds entertain while providing morals, and the futuristic science fiction give consequences to human actions; they all show readers a better perspective on life without being didactic.

            The fantasy dystopian worlds set the readers in a supernatural world, while exemplifying how there is no real life if people lack feelings. Eragon shows how the importance of being brave and breaking free of a diplomatic Emperor is the only way to feel true emotions and live. The Giver has characters who cannot feel any emotion because they do not want to feel any pain, but they do not realize that they cannot feel any love either. Gathering Blue reveals a society where the handicap are rejects in society, but the people eventually learn that even the physically disadvantaged have other positive traits advantages. In Utopia the people have equal responsibility and equal status with no rulers to boss anyone; however, people have no ambition and no individuality. Messenger has a beautiful Village where people care for one another, but is ruined because the people become selfish. These characters begin to live better lives when they realize pain and love come hand in hand.

            The futuristic dystopian books exemplify how even when technology and government control can give people certain conveniences, people can also lose many freedoms as well. In The Time Machine, the Eloi people live carefree lives, but they are also in danger of losing their lives every night since the Morlocks - who build the city the Eloi live in � capture and eat the Eloi. Fahrenheit 451 is set in a future where there are nearly no laws, except owning books is illegal because it encourages creative and independent thought. In 1984 people have no freedom whatsoever, but the people live in an orderly society with little to no crime. ��Repent, Harlequin!� Said the Tick Tock Man� also involves a completely controlling government that even controls how long people live; people do not worry about crime, but they have no joy either. Brave New World has an organized society with everyone taken care of, but none of the people have any feelings for anyone except themselves. The characters in these books learn the importance of thinking for oneself and the advantages of hard work.

The main characters of these dystopian books realize what most of their society cannot see: their world is not perfect after all, but is in fact extremely problematic and often dangerous. The dystopian genre exemplifies how sacrificing certain freedoms for other privileges is not worth it because people lose more than just freedom when that is given up; they lose an unknown part of themselves as well.

 

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993.

�Ray Bradbury�His Book: Fahrenheit 451.�

            This book is set in the future, during a time when books are burned for encouraging creativity in individual. It is a federal offense to own a book; however, people are allowed to drive over 100 miles per hour, own gigantic televisions, and use narcotics freely--all at the price of avoiding reading or owning books. This book qualifies as a dystopia because it shows a world where most people believe they are living the perfect carefree lifestyle, but they do not realize what they are sacrificing for that life. Bradbury emphasizes the freedom reading a book gives and the creativity books inspire. Fahrenheit 451 is an excellent dystopian book because it reveals the sacrifices of freedom people exchange for another freedom, it is set in the future, and it depends on the readers suspending their beliefs in order to enjoy this book.

Ellison, Harlan. ��Repent, Harlequin!� Said the Tick Tock Man.� The Essential Ellison.           Beverly Hills: Morpheus, 2001. 923-931.

This short story is set in a world where people�s lives are run entirely by one individual, the Time Keeper. Everyone has a limit to how long they live, and if someone breaks the law in any minor way, the Time Keeper removes some years from their lives on the clock; however, a rebellious man cannot be punished for throwing jelly beans at people if he remains anonymous. This story is another example of how too much government control leaves no freedom and no real life for the citizens. Ellison shows the life of a man tires of being under government control, in a dystopian society, and decides to rebel by wearing a funny clown mask. This short story is an entertaining story that follows the dystopian facets by being set in the future, having advanced technology, and living in a society that is too constrained.  

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper, 1932.

            This novel is set 600 years in the future, in a supposed world of stability where everyone is supposedly content, but people are controlled by the World State who uses genetic engineering to maintain stable production. People live selfish lives, where family and love are despicable concepts. Huxley focuses on how it is the citizens� choice to live in a selfish meaningless life by allowing the government to have so much control. The story is a good example of a dystopian society because it is set in the future with technological advantages, but has humanistic disadvantages. This is a thought-provoking and well-written story because it shows how the selfishness of people leads to a meaningless lives that are not worth living without love.

Lowry, Lois. The Giver. New York: Laurel Leaf, 1993.
            This is a story of a world where people�s lives are in complete order because the leaders of the town tell each person what jobs to have, whom to marry, and what children they can have and when. People do not mind this kind of control; they are happy with their lives because they have never had to feel suffering or any other strong emotion in their entire lives. Lowry stresses how exchanging emotions like love and pain leads to lives that have no feeling and no meaning. This dystopian society is set in a world, uncertain of time, which does not have technological advances, but it does have odd powers that deprive people of colors and music. This is an exemplary dystopian book because it shows the importance of all human feelings, including pain.

Lowry, Lois. Messenger. New York: Laurel Leaf, 2004.

This novel is about a near perfect Village that is used as a refuge for outsiders who need to seek a new home and way of life for themselves. The problem is that the people of Village are becoming selfish and no longer want any newcomers, so the Village is becoming no different than the rest of the world. Lowry stresses the importance of having compassion for others and seeing that there is more to life than objects. This books is a different dystopian book in that it displays the utopian society turning into a dystopian society because of greed, and though it is not set in the future, it still displays the common characteristics of the genre by forcing the readers to think beyond belief. This is a good book to read because if focuses on more than a controlled society, but the nature of human beings instead.

Lowry, Lois. Gathering Blue. New York: Laurel Leaf, 2000.

This novel is set in a world where physical imperfection is seen as weakness that must be discarded, which is why Kira, a girl with a twisted leg, is so scared. However, the only reason why Kira has no reason to fear is because the Council Guardians of her town have decided that Kira has a special gift that will be useful and worth sparing Kira�s life. Lowry focuses on how people should look at the quality of a person rather than the imperfections of an individual. This is a typical dystopian book because it exemplifies what happens when people�s lives are in the hands of dictators, it forces readers to see beyond reality, and it focuses on the emotional as well physiological aspects of humanity.

More, Thomas. Utopia. New York: Penguin, 2003.

Utopia is book about the perfect society, where there is no crime, people have their designated equal roles in society and are happy with them, and there are no rulers. Travelers from all over the world come to see Utopia, but outsiders are laughed at because of their supposedly mixed-up values and government system. More focuses on a better lifestyle for people to live, yet he also has a character who mocks the Utopian society because it lacks the freedom to advance and be different. This novel can be seen as a dystopian society because it shows a place where people do not have the freedom to grow, where ambition is not rewarded or needed. This is not a worthwhile book to read unless the utopian society is seen as a dystopia; otherwise, the simplicity of Utopia is juvenile.

Orwell, George. 1984. New York: Signet Classics, 1950.

            A story set in the (then) future where the government controls everyone, and every room in every house has the Big Brother�s picture to remind them of the control over them. Every aspect of human life is controlled, including language and relationships. Orwell focuses on how governmental control leads to rebellion when people have no control over their own lives. This is the definitive dystopian novel.

Paolini, Christopher. Eragon. New York: Knopf, 2002.

            This story is about a child named Eragon who lives in an Empire, which is run by an evil king who controls everyone and everything. Eragon goes on a wild adventure with a dragon and magic stone that leads him through the realm of the Empire. Paolini focuses on the rebellious nature of a child and how the need for freedom lives in people of all ages. This dystopia is set in a dominated world where the king has no regard for anyone else�s life but his own. This is an appropriate dystopian book because it shows the negativity of a dictator�s society, while using fantasy and adventure to keep the readers entertained.

Wells, H.G. The Time Machine. New York: Doherty, 1986.

            This story is about a man who lives in the normal world, but is unsatisfied with it so he creates a time machine to travel far into the future in hopes of finding a better society. However, the Time Traveler ends up in a world where the civilized and innocent Eloi are hunted and killed by the savage and monstrous Morlocks who terrorize the whole world. Wells projects a world of fear that�s split between two classes that consist of the hunter and the hunted. This book is classified as a dystopia because it shows a near-perfect world in the future with the lives of the Eloi being relaxed, free of work, and completely provided for, until nighttime comes and everyone has to fear for their lives in which they have sacrificed safety for laziness. The Time Machine is a enlightening book to read because it shows how the simple pleasures and work of life are taken for granted by most individuals. Without being didactic, this book shows how the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence.