Dystopian societies are characterized by oppressive governments, lack of individual freedoms, and harsh living conditions for citizens. Common themes in dystopian works include the use of technology, surveillance, propaganda, and control to oppress populations. Dystopian protagonists typically feel trapped in these societies and want to escape or expose the true nature of the dystopian world to readers. Examples of popular dystopian books include The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Fahrenheit 451.

1. Dystopia
Why is it important to understand the characteristics of a dystopian
society in order to have a better understanding of the genre?
&
By: David Odogwu, Max Olszewski,Leon Jansson & Iker De Íbar

2. What is Utopia?
• A place, state, or condition perfect in every way.
• The politics, laws, customs, and conditions are ideal.
Read Write Think Picture

3. What is Dystopia?
• Dystopia is a futuristic imaginary universe in which a harsh society controls
the idea of Utopia, which is perfect.
Read Write Think Picture

4. Root of Dystopia

5. Characteristics of Dystopia
• "Generally there is no government, but if there is then there is a
opposing and controlling government" (Literary Devices)
• "Either there is a big income gap between the rich and poor or most
people face poverty" (Literary Devices)

6. Characteristics of Dystopia Pt.2
• No freedom
• Everybody is being watched
• Fear the outside world
• No normal world
• Seems like utopia
• No social group
• Lower level of society to live
• Protagonist is head of the place
• Survival
• Rebellion
• Action in big city, with big population
• Opposite of utopia
• Read Write Think

7. Characteristics of a Dystopian Society
• The citizens are controlled by propaganda spread by the government
• Personal thoughts and opinions are banned
• Concepts are made by citizens of society
• People have to and are under constant surveillance
• People are afraid of what is happening in the outside world
• People live in non-human conditions
• There is no natural world
• Same expectations for everyone. Individuality is bad
• People think they live in utopia but they don’t
Read Write Think

8. Types of Dystopian Controls
• In Dystopia the society is controlled/maintained in through one of these:
• Corporate control-one or more large groups maintain everything in the
society through products, advertising and media.
• Bureaucratic control-everything is controlled by a mindless bureaucracy .
• Technological control- technology controls the society, through robots,
computers etc.
• Philosophical/religious control-ruled by philosophical or religious ideology.
Read Write Think

9. Dystopian Protagonist
• Feels trapped
• Wants to escape
• Tell the author negative things about that dystopian society in their
point of view
Read Write Think
Protagonist

10. Dystopian Book Examples
• Haddix
• The hunger games
• Maze Runner
• Divergent
• Farenheit 451
• Across the Universe
• https://www.google.co.za/webhp?sourceid=chrome-
instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=dystopian+books
Hunger Games Cover
Fahrenheit 451 Cover
Haddix Cover
Divergent Cover

11. Common Dystopian Themes
• Technology
• Nature
• Violence
• Identity
• Family
• Religion
• Economy
• Politics
• Social Stratification
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopia

12. Citations
• By Using Ironical Situations of the Utopian Appearances, She Exposes Dystopian Realities in Order to Provoke the Readers to Raise
Questions and Value Their Individual Identities and Freedom. In This Novel, Jonas Community Has No Starvation, Poverty, Lack.
"Dystopia - Examples and Definition of Dystopia." Literary Devices. Literary Devices, 11 Mar. 2015. Web. 30 Sept. 2016.
•
• Fahreheit 451. Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_451>.
•
• Divergent. Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divergent_(film)>.
•
• "Ceramics: Definition and Characteristics." Advanced Structural Ceramics Basu/Advanced Structural Ceramics (2011): 1-13. Dystopias:
Definition and Characteristics. Read Write Think, 2006. Web. 30 Sept. 2016. <Dystopias: Definition and Characteristics>.
•
The Hunger Games. Digital image. Playbuzz.com. Playbuzz, n.d. Web. <http://www.playbuzz.com/maximumpop10/hot-or-not-hunger-
games-book-edition>.
• Hall, Denise. "Dystopia." Dystopian Fiction Featuring Allegiant. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Oct. 2016.
• @ImaginativeCons. "Utopia versus Myopia - The Imaginative Conservative."The Imaginative Conservative. N.p., 06 Dec. 2014. Web. 02
Oct. 2016. <http://www.theimaginativeconservative.org/2014/12/utopia-versus-myopia.html>.