by Heather Bellingham

Created on: August 26, 2010   Last Updated: August 27, 2010

A dystopia is an imaginary world or situation in which everything is as bad as possible. It is the opposite of a utopia, which is an imaginary world where everything is perfect. So what makes a novel, film, or short story a dystopia, rather than any other genre, predominantly science fiction (while many dystopias are science fiction, they need not all be). There are eight common elements that all dystopian stories have that allow them to be categorized in this particular genre.

The first common element is that the majority of the population is somehow oppressed by a powerful elite person or class. An example of this is in Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, where a totalitarian, socialist regime whose leader, Big Brother is constantly watching for dissenters. Absolutely anyone can turn you in to the “thought police” for any thought that goes against the norm, even if it was a dream.    

Another element is the regimentation of society. In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, a cloning system is in place that alters the genes of the clones so that these “people” will remain in their class. After they are born, they all go through an extensive training program that further indoctrinates them to think of or enjoy nothing but their own place in life.  

In a dystopia, there is a denial of individualism or free will for the citizens of that world. In V For Vendetta by Alan Moore (or the film version) anyone who is perceived as different is imprisoned and tortured. The main character Evey reads a letter from one such woman, who was arrested and killed for being a lesbian. This idea can also be used to read the character of V, whose identity remains unknown due to his mask – this society created him, and there is no more individual person.  

The ruling elite in a dystopia create of an atmosphere of fear. Going back to the example of Nineteen Eighty-Four, because Big Brother is always watching, and no one has ever seen anyone come back after being arrested, there is a huge level of mistrust among everybody. People are even afraid of their own children.

Part of creating the atmosphere of fear is creating a fear of progress and new ideas. In V For Vendetta, V’s ideas of a free England cannot be shared by the people until he inspires them via violence and destruction. Because of his new ideas, he is hunted by the authorities.  

The societies depicted in dystopias are almost always urban. There is an inherent opposition to rural, pastoral civilizations. In Brave New World, the society which John “The Savage” comes from lives outside of standard society and is seen as, obviously, savage.

The dystopian society denies the possibility of friendship, personal connections, or romantic relationships. In Brave New World, everyone is encouraged from a very early age to have sex with a great number of people, because “everyone belongs to everyone else.” The few who seem interested in only one individual are seen as freakish.  

The final element which often creates the plot in dystopian fiction is the possibility of rebellion or change. A good example of the is The Matrix trilogy, directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski. In The Matrix, robots control and feed off of humans by creating an elaborate fantasy world. The film trilogy follows the few who dare to try to break free from the system.  

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