University:
Alcorn State University
Course:
EN 213 | Studies in Literature
Academic year:

2019
Views:

499

Pages:

13
Author:

CometConductor

First Meaning: § Ɛú + topia: § Topos means place § Ɛú means “good, divine, heavenly.” § Example words: euphoric, euphonium. § Ɛútopia then means – First Meaning: a good place, or paradise. Second Meaning: § Oú + topia: § Topos still means place § Oú means “not” or “no.” § Example words: oblivion, oubliette. § Oútopia then means – Second Meaning: NOWHERE. Contradiction: § Utopia, by its very definition, cannot exist. § This leads us to the discussion of dystopia. Discuss: § What do the two conflicting meanings of utopia make you think about? § What does dystopia mean to you? § What does it mean when something is dystopian? Word Meaning: § § § § Dystopia, like Utopia, is also Greek. Same root: topos, meaning place. Prefix: Dys – bad, ill, or abnormal. Other definitions say dys means “destroying the good sense of a word or increasing its bad sense.” § Example words: dysfunctional, dyslexic, dysgraphic. Dystopia: Definition § A society characterized by human misery, squalor, oppression, and disease. § A society that is in some important way undesirable or frightening. § In recent times, the first definition of dystopia is not used often. § We primarily focus on the second definition. Characteristics of Dystopia: § Dystopias are typically homogenous – everything is the same and differences are shunned or seen as abnormal or dangerous. § Dystopias have totalitarian governments: one person or ideology is in command of every aspect of civilian life. § Dystopian governments purport that their society is perfect, or that their society is much better off living this way. § § § § § § § § § § Examples of Dystopias: The Hunger Games Divergent The Maze Runner Uglies The Giver 1984 Brave New World The Road Fahrenheit 451 Darkness at Noon Focus on Second Definition: Possible Explanation § English author C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia, Out of the Silent Planet, Till We Have Faces) wrote a book called The Screwtape Letters. § In this book, an older devil named Screwtape gives advice to his nephew Wormwood on how to lead a human’s soul to hell. § C.S. Lewis made his “hell” resemble a bureaucratic office. § When asked why, Lewis gave this as a response: Analysis & Response § READ Lewis’s quote. § WRITE an ANALYTICAL RESPONSE to the quote by answering the provided questions in paragraph form. § Your response should be AT LEAST 4-6 SENTENCES LONG. § You need AT LEAST ONE DIRECT QUOTE for EVIDENCE. Analysis: § Essentially, Lewis’s argument is that the first definition of dystopia only arises because of the second. § Someone in power has allowed the poor state of affairs to continue. § Someone in power has created the miserable conditions in order to remain in power.