In order to have more benefits and attain a desired level of personal security, individuals enter into social contracts. However, in a bid to increase safety, personal freedom is diminished. When the diminution is equitable, fairness prevails unlike when one party is exposed to greater diminution of personal freedom, like in Panem.
In such a case, then one side is enslaved to another. The Hunger Games series 1 is a science-fiction drama that delineates the situation of enslavement among the citizens of Panem to the governing class that reside in a city called Capitol.
In every country, social contracts exist to delineate each party’s, government and citizens, obligation to the other. There are some social contracts in Panem that either encourage or suppress the citizens. There is a contract between the small ruling class and those in the 12 districts, where dominance of this governing ruling class prevails.
This social contract is characterized by suppression, oppression, starvation and torture. The citizens of Panem work as ordered by the governing class, for the benefit of this class, and in return they only get supplies for their survival.
Since the rebellion that happened some years earlier, in addition to working, they should sacrifice their own children. The citizens have a social contract amongst themselves: citizenry, which is to work collectively for the sake of their well being (Durden).
Each district’s produce is based on prevailing resources. For example, in district 12, they are largely miners. Rebelling against the Capitols could lead to a disastrous end as was the case with the annihilation of district 13. Out of this event, the hunger games were born (Collins).
The young adults engage in a “kill, or be killed, war,” which is the reason for the title “Hunger Games” (Durden). These games are an act of submission by the populace to the cruelty of the Capitols, and a source of the Capitols’ amusement.
It is a social contract that guides the people to sacrificing their children for the hunger games by attending these games. The media apparently forms a social contract with the Capitols to televise the hunger games and spread propaganda developed by this governing class.
In return, their socioeconomic status quo is maintained (Arrow). Unfortunately, the devotion of the citizens is abused for the selfish gain of the elite ruling class. Later on, the citizenry social contract enables the citizens of Panem to actually understand that they don’t need to fight each other.
The people agree to rebel against the harsh ruling class. Individuals in the 12 Districts and the elites have a social contract dictating that people living in Panem should not hunt beyond the electric fences that border each district, but Katniss and Gale have their own social contract, which is to defy this rule.
The governing elites are able to control the populace and enforce the social contract by controlling hope. When there is a faint hope within, people are less likely to be rebellious unlike when all hope is gone since they feel they have nothing to lose (“May the odds”).
There is hope for a better future; hence, the people hope to get enough food and stay alive. The Capitols have control over electricity supplies and food, and in order to get these supplies, parents have got to send their children into the pit of hunger games. Also, the governing elite divide and conquer.
They pit districts against each other; thus, creating division among the districts. They also use force and oppression as is the case with the hunger games. The lives of citizens at Panem are totally controlled by the Capitols, and a slight deviance is met with cruel punishment as a means of reinforcing the Capitols’ social contract (Collins).
The Hunger Games series 1 is reflective of the current society where governments tax people’s income for objectives not in line with the people’s. In addition, the governments do not protect the people as should be the case.
Instead, corruption is the norm and the original values of the social contract are gradually becoming shattered (Durden). When an effective and fair social contract is in place, no man is above the law, but when those in power forget the initial purpose of such a contract, this statement starts to fade away.
When this happens, governments are above the law and whatever they do is not in the best interests of their citizens. The United States is in a similar state as the Panem, and if things go on, it would mean the end of the U.S. (Durden).
The U.S. is continually changing from bad to worse. In the times of modern social contract, things were relatively good with higher wages and dependable benefits due to the New Deal era. Later, a system of low wages and cheap consumer prices set in. Things have not improved as they have progressed to the detriment of workers.
There are sentiments that lower prices on goods, lower taxes and tax credits enable consumers to have a higher purchasing power. However, the Census Bureau’s Supplemental Poverty Measure shows that 10% of the total working population in America, including 5 million full-time workers, live in lavishing poverty (Freedman and Michael).
It is evident that the U.S. is gradually becoming another Panem due to dwindling living conditions that are frustrating the citizens. This is the culture that Suzanne Collins is critiquing.
The citizens have entrusted their wellbeing to their governments, who have turned against them. Instead, the governments are working for their own selfish gain at the expense of the citizens (“May the odds”).
Whereas the districts in Panem are divided by the Capitols using fights, in the current society, such wars are evident in classism, gender inequality, racism and civil wars (“May the odds”). There are numerous instances of parallelism between the Hunger Games and the current American culture, being critiqued by Suzanne.
The Hunger Games series 1 was produced in 2008 when the crisis in the United States began. It was during this time that the capitalists, in the wake of global competition, developed social contracts in their favor. The aim was to enrich the kleptocratic governing class at the expense of the working middle class and impoverished citizens.
It is an effective critique that would have been made better if it were specifically targeting adults. Hunger Games target the young adults, and this content is a little too harsh for them to decipher. In the current society, social contract also subsists between the government and its people.
The citizens of a country willingly work for the sake of their government, which in turn is expected to protect them from physical and economic harm. Hunger Games are a reflection of post-modern North America (Tammy). Panem came about as a result of disasters and famine that left the country at the mercy of the Capitols.
In America, there are frequent disasters and even though mitigation efforts seem to be well placed, frequent disasters coupled with the encroachment of the sea can convert North America into a real Panem (Arrow).
Works Cited
Arrow, V. The Panem Companion. Dallas: Benbella Books, 2012. Web.
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic, 2008. Web.
Durden Tyler. “Is America’s social contract broken?” ABC Media, 18 July 2013. Web.
Freedman, Josh and Michael Lind. “The Past and Future of America’s Social Contract.” The Atlantic, 19 December 2013. Web.
May the odds ever be in your favour-hope and defiance. 9 December 2013. Web.
Tammy, John. “Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games” Illustrates the Horrors of Big Government.” Forbes, 20 March 2012. Web.
The world of dystopia is one of those places that seem to be a result of the fruitful work of one’s imagination, yet conceal a number of innuendoes that become tangible only when being analyzed. Despite the fact that there are considerable differences between the works of Orwell, Huxley and Eliot, the three writers actually draw quite similar pictures of the universe of dystopia, which allows to suggest that the latter is a universal flight of fancy, the place that possesses the common features no matter who the author of another realm of imagination is. Drawing parallels between the creations of the above-mentioned authors, one is likely to find considerable similarities concerning the topics discussed in the novels, the interpretations of the then social problems and the vision of the collapsing future world, as well as the doomed humankind with its regressive development.
Indeed, taking a closer look at the issues discussed in the novels, one can see distinctly that four major topics are raised in The Brave New World by Huxley, 1984 by Orwell and The Wasteland by T. C. Eliot – the major creations on the issue of dystopia over the XX century. With their ability to tell the audience “where we are going” (Bloom, 2004, p.8), the authors of the dystopias touch upon a number of issues that used to be topical in the epoch the novels were written, yet somehow manage to remain essential even for the modern world, thus, drawing the literary universe and the reality as close as none of the existing literary genres ever did.
Language and Form as Sources of Inspiration
Among the most recurrent issues that can be considered the most specific in the novels, the language peculiarities are, perhaps, the most outstanding; referring to the deterioration of the linguistic progress and at the same time putting considerable emphasis on the political state of affairs in the dystopian worlds, each of the books offers an enticing journey into the world of language, its forms and the ways they can be used as an expression of the desperate state that the world was in. Each choosing their own linguistic means to express the immense tension and the fears of the people of the future and the weird, shocking structure of the futuristic reality, the writers collide in their choice of literary means at certain points, which is worth considering as something more than merely a coincidence. Hence, the aforementioned language and forms should be considered closer.
It is quite peculiar that both Orwell and Huxley chose the same tool to express the tension and the absurdity of the situation that the people of the future were trapped in, creating the abridged forms of the English language. Short and harsh, they snap and make the most revolting impression. Coining ugly snatches of the English language, both Orwell and Huxley add to the atmosphere of despair in the futuristic world. If considering the futuristic language created by Orwell closer, one will see that every single word helps to build the gloomy atmosphere of hopelessness in the novel. One of the brightest examples of the given instance is the famous newsflash that Winston reads:
times 17.3.84 bb speech malreported africa rectify
times 19.12.83 forecasts 3 yp 4th quarter 83 misprints verify current issue
times 14.2.84 miniplenty malquoted chocolate rectify
times 3.12.83 reporting bb dayorder doubleplusungood refs unpersons rewrite
fullwise upsub antefiling (Orwell, 2001).
Almost impossible to understand, these short snatches of words make a perfect background for the tragic situation that Winston, as well as the rest of the world, is trapped in. Just as ugly as the reality that Winston lives in, these are not words, but ersatz of speech, just like the life that the people in the dystopian world live is merely an ersatz life. Compared to the Newspeak created by Orwell, the language that the people in The Brave New World speak is the same attempt at taking over the humankind even by means of controlling the speech of the latter; however, in the given case, the words are merely distributed into the positive and the negative ones.
“In brief,” the Director summed up, “the parents were the father and the mother.” The smut that was really science fell with a crash into the boys’ eyeavoiding silence. “Mother,” he repeated loudly rubbing in the science; and, leaning back in his chair, “These,” he said gravely, “are unpleasant facts; I know it. But then most historical facts are unpleasant. (Huxley, 2002)
It is important, though, that the words that Huxley chooses as the improper ones in his dystopia refer to parents and everything connected with conception. Making mother and father pejorative words in his novel, Huxley puts the emphasis on the gender relations, which sets the further course for the novel.
However, when it comes to speaking about the poem by Eliot, it becomes obvious that the writer has chosen quite different means of linguistic expression. To stress the specifics of the dystopian universe, the author resorts to switching from English to German, which also makes quite an impression:
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you; I will show you fear in a handful of dust. Frisch weht der Wind Der Heimat zu Mein Irisch Kind, Wo weilest du? (Eliot, 2011). Manifestation of Sex: The Revolution Has Come!
Another issue at which the three works devoted to the worlds of dystopia cross, the manifestation of sex is one of the numerous responses to the sexual revolution taking place in the 60ies and the rapid change of morals from the strictest to considerably loose, which gave vent to a surge of indignation. It is worth mentioning that all three authors deal with the issue of sexuality and the attitudes towards sexuality in rather impressive manner, and at certain points, the approaches that the authors undertake to convey their ideas cross. However, it still must be admitted that the issue of sexuality is one of those elements that each of the writers interprets in his own manner, making it flow with the structure and the plot of the works. For instance, in Huxley’s The Brave New World, the essence of the relationships between the sexes is taken down to a plain cheap physiological pleasure: “We had Elementary Sex for the first forty minutes,” she answered. “But now it’s switched over to Elementary Class Consciousness” (Huxley, 2002). “The brave new world makes promiscuity a virtue: you have sex with any partner you want, who wants you – and sooner or later every partner will want you” (Astrachan & Huxley, 1984, p.22), which calls for a closer consideration of Huxley’s vision of modern morals.
It is quite peculiar that Orwell also describes the delicate issue of sexuality in the dystopian world as the integral part of the Party’s plan. Though it does not offer just as bestial interpretation of love as Huxley’s novel does, it still manifests emotionless relationships for the sake of the population increase: “The aim of the Party was not merely to prevent men and women from forming loyalties which it might not be able to control. Its real, undeclared purpose was to remove all pleasure from the sexual act” (Orwell, 2001). Though interpreted in his own manner, the gender problem is still one of the key themes of the writer’s novel.
Offering a striking contrast to the previous two novels, the poem by Eliot does not discuss any sex or gender issue in the open, which makes it a completely different picture of the dystopian world. Offering quite subtle innuendoes, the poem dwells on the sexual relationships as the final ordeal that a human being has to pass to leave the realm of the earthy world symbolized by fire as Tiresias “Bestows one final patronising kiss/ And gropes his way, finding the stairs unlit…” (Eliot, 2011). The issue of sex takes a more complicated turn from The Fire Sermon and further on develops into a conflict within Tiresias, the protagonist. Offering quite different interpretations of the sexual issues, the writers still consider the recurrent problems in relationships between men and women as the key manifestation of a wrong social structure, which allows them to make the distorted idea of sex the backbone of their dystopian worlds.
Depersonalized, Lost, Forsaken: The Miserable Ones
One more issue that deserves close attention in the three works mentioned above concerns the issue of depersonalization that the totalitarian regime presupposes and that the three authors in question depict so well. Weirdly enough, though the works of the three authors dwell on relatively similar issues, the ways in which the depersonalization manifests itself in the novels is quite different, which makes each of the works a unique piece of the whole and a peculiar matter to dwell upon. Understanding the ways in which the authors of the works communicate the idea of depersonalization is quite essential, sine the latter is the central concept in each of the works and the key to understanding the problems that are discussed by the authors; therefore, conducting the analysis of the three, one can see distinctly if the means of expressing the depersonalization resulting from the totalitarian regime are similar in each of the works.
Speaking of the poem by Eliot, it is necessary to mark that the author displays the depersonalization of people rather vividly. As Laity & Gish (2004) claim, Eliot’s terms and references as well as his poetic voices show an intense interest in the psychology of doubting and depersonalization, which he denigrates and reframes as philosophy, not internal division as an individual condition but the absence of a unified philosophy (such as Dante could assume) that explains the “disintegration” of intellect in a time of fragmented ideas. (p.116)
Therefore, it can be considered that in Eliot’s dystopia, the process of depersonalization takes place on a nationwide scale, which adds to the magnificence of the chaos that takes over the country. It is quite peculiar that the similar processes can be observed in The Brave New World and 1984, the novels in which people are controlled by the superior power completely and, hence, lose the remaining of their personality, becoming a part of the crowd, faceless and thoughtless. In Huxley’s vision of the dystopian world, the process of depersonalization is already complete, and all characters except John the Savage are as bland as they can be, thinking only according to the allowed pattern; they are even born with the mindset that does not permit them to stretch their fantasy beyond the ordinary: “Solved by standard Gammas, unvarying Deltas, uniform Epsilons. Millions of identical twins. The principle of mass production as applied to biology” (Huxley, 2002, p.8). Introduced in a slightly different way, this issue is also mentioned in 1984 as Orwell depicts people chanting: “War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength” (Orwell, 2001). Deprived of any distinct feature of their own unique personalities, people in each of the three dystopian words are shaped according to the model that has been developed by the totalitarian government; these are no more people, but a world of clones with no ideas, wishes or interests of their own, and that is the most shocking and frightening about Orwell’s, Huxley’s and Eliot’s dystopias.
Weird Philosophy of the Dystopian World: Utilitarianism
No matter how dark and gloomy the irony of the books is, there is still a distinct flair of hope in each of the novels, even though at times it seems that the last flicker of hope has gone. Despite the tragic ending in 1984: “He loved Big Brother” (Orwell, 2001), which actually meant that Winston was doomed to live a dull life of obedience and remain a wreck of a man, the fact that he was an ordinary man from the most ordinary background who found the key to freedom absolutely by chance gives the reader hope that there will be other instances of a rebellion, even though the first attempts turn out just as inconsistent. It is important to mention that Orwell is not saying that the only things that are good are those that we believe are bound to succeed, a simple utilitarianism shared, in his opinion (and that of others) by both Marxists and market liberals. He is saying both that the spirit of the common people cannot be crushed and even when individual are crushed, memory of their spiritedness is good in itself. (p.81)
The same cannot be applied to Huxley’s work which does not leave any remnants of hope. In the given case, the ideas of utilitarianism are pictured less vividly, since the author makes it obvious that a dingle man’s attempts are enough to change a single person, yet are not sufficient to right all the wrongs. The suicide of Savage speaks for itself, leaving little hope for the humankind: “Just under the crown of the arch dangled a pair of feet” (Huxley, 2002, p.176). Likewise, Eliot shares Huxley’s idea of utilitarianism as rather a utopia than a reasonable idea: “London Bridge is falling down falling down falling down” (Eliot, 2011), and there is hardly anything that a single person can do about it, even if taking the right steps. Therefore, the authors of the dystopian novels in question not only claim that the well-being of the world depends on the right course of actions, but also turn the utilitarianism idea inside out, claiming that, once proper actions are not taken, the well-being of the humankind is in peril.
Conclusion: The Prophecy of the Writers
Summing up the above-mentioned, one must claim that there are considerable similarities between the works of the writers; moreover, it can be concluded that the three authors developed the same issues in their works, being influenced by the tendencies of the XX century and the threats that the then backside of progress was posing to the humankind. Moreover, it is necessary to add that there is one major idea that brings the aforementioned creations together, namely, the fear of the post-Apocalyptic future that the humankind is bound to witness as soon as the current policy of the government, the cultural tendencies and the moods in the society reach their climax, making the tension release in a drastic denouement, presupposes a lot of food for thoughts. Despite the obvious exaggerations and the surreal settings, each of the creations sends shivers down the readers’ spines, allowing to take a peek at the future painted as black as it can be, which makes every single line as realistic as it can be. The unmatched specimens of dystopian writing, the three pieces doubtlessly touch upon similar issues, yet each of the authors manages to deliver his point in the most unique way, which makes the novels the pinnacle of dystopian world picturing. The worlds where the social sanity was a complete impossibility (Astrachan & Huxley, 1984, p.5), The Brave New World, 1984 and The Wasteland are the worst fears for the future come true, and once they are voiced, it is up to the humankind to make these fears never burst into the reality.
References
Astrachan, A., & Huxley, A., 1984. Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series.
Bloom, H., 2004. George Orwell’s 1984. New York, NY: InfoBase Publishing. Eliot, T. S., 2011. The wasteland. Bartleby.com [Online].
Huxley, A., 2002. The brave new world. Instituto de Desemvolvimento [Online]. Web.
Laity, C., & Gish, N. K., 2004. Gender, desire and sexuality in T. S. Eliot.
Astutopia is the name of the aspired New World Order. This world aims to end global warming marked by overpopulation, which has gradually depleted the environment and associated resources. The guiding symbol is shown below; this symbol represents the land envisioned by the ruling government. This land can only be attained if everyone works hard to support the cause.
The New World Order aims at reducing the current population by half, and thereafter, it ensures balance is maintained by conducting IQ tests once in every 10 years to get rid of less smart people. The IQ tests evaluate the smartness of individuals using transmitters that are connected to the brain, and smartness is assessed based on three strikes: economic, logic and efficiency. Failure in either one of the strikes is an indicator of stupidity.
The number of newborns each year is closely monitored by the government. This New World Order ensures that the little resources left can be salvaged and used to restore the environment. It also dictates that members of one district should not interact with members of another district to prevent a revolution.
Ministry of Plenty
The have-nots (not smart people) work tirelessly in accordance with the objectives of the haves (very smart). Upon completion of assigned work to the satisfaction of the haves, the have-nots are given some money, just enough to meet their basic need for food and hoping for a better future.
This hope is enough to keep them working for the good of the aristocrats. Education and hospital needs are received by only those people who show their identification cards that are issued by the smart. The parent of any child spotted without the card is thrown into the dungeons of death.
The dungeons of death are mining valleys where anyone violating the law works for the rest of his or her life until he or she dies. People in the dungeons are provided with water, and the heavy work here is intended to slowly suck all the energy from their bodies until they die. There is no communication with one another, and any slight sluggishness is met with several lashes.
Ministry of truth
The dungeon of death acts as a consistent reminder of the consequences of violating any one of the teachings approved by the Ministry. The Ministry develops teachings and doctrines in favor of the ruling government, and all institutions act as propagation media. The education system reinforces the essence of the dungeons, and the aim is to instill fear within the children so they can adhere to laid down teachings and doctrines. Teachers help in the selection of very smart persons, and the birth of smart people is controlled using tubes and the IQ tests. Individuals who pass the IQ tests are allowed to give birth while those who fail work in the mines or other menial jobs like farming and cleaning.
Ministry of Love
Anyone who tries to disagree with the objectives of the ruling class will be instantly killed while his or her relatives will be thrown into the dungeons of death.
Research
Stability of governance will be reinforced using surveillance cameras that will be installed in all prohibited areas, for example, at the boundaries of districts. In addition, each district will be fitted with security lights having these surveillance cameras to monitor the conduct of people (NightWatcher).
These people will be warned of the existing cameras to make them aware that they are being watched; thus, avoid doing wrong. The government will also explain that it does not intend to punish anyone; hence, the reason for creating awareness. Aerial surveillance teams will also survey each district at predetermined times to monitor ongoing activities. Aircrafts will be installed with cameras capable of capturing an area of 36 square miles (Timberg). This technology is meant to caution citizens so they can avoid trouble.
History
Astutopia was born in 2050 after the land fell into a state of deprivation; there was no water, food, fuel and land due to overpopulation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It was important to salvage the little left; hence, the testing began. Screening was done in all districts by the elite group.
People were ranked in the order of most productive to least productive. All the people falling in the lower quarters of the list were thrown into the dungeons of death until the desired number of people remained. All departments of internal security worked collectively to ensure that no endorsed law was violated.
Using the surveillance system explained above, it will be easier to note the slightest of violations, thus ensure prompt action. The registry of persons continues to ensure that the balance in population numbers is well maintained to avoid overpopulation. The divide and rule method is used to confine people in their particular districts and avoid assembling of persons that could lead to the downfall of this Astutopia.
Own Position
This is a very daunting task because it does not line with my humane character. I was earnestly and fervidly involved in developing the concept of Astutopia, and I even played a greater part coming up with the consequences of aversion. Initially, it seemed a very interesting challenge, but upon narrowing down to the actual details of Astutopia, I felt the humanity in me being threatened. Every person played a role based on ability, but generally, everyone played an essential role to finishing the entire project.
Works Cited
“NightWatcher.” NightWatcher Security, 2011. Web.
Timberg, Craig. “New surveillance technology can track everyone in an area for several hours at a time.” The Washington Post, 6 February 2014. Web.
U.S. Census Bureau. International Database. 19 December 2013. Web.
The world of literature is rich in different genres and styles implemented in it. In this respect people should judge on the literature solely from the perspective of time and philosophical trends relevant to it. In this way one is able to shape the reality of this or that work of literature through glancing at the author himself/herself and his characteristic features in writing novels or stories.
Main text
Dystopia is a genre that is quite opposite to something good that awaits people in the future. It is quite pessimistic narration on the drawbacks of current society with glimpses at the future. Turning out to the fact that reality can be deceitful and governmental unities can have an extra plan of making people obedient is an inevitable fact that is upon suspicion of many intelligent people. In this respect Modernism was going the way quite unique in its philosophical and rational coloring. Thereupon, one may suppose that the power of word used by Modernists, such as Kurt Vonnegut or Robert Silverberg was influenced by many social changes of the time. Scientific and technological progress and attempts of a man to reach out the areas of knowledge and influence that were not accessible for a long period of time provoked it. This is why it is vital to comparatively analyze the works by aforementioned Kurt Vonnegut and Robert Silverberg.
The main ideas of dominance concentrated at hand of a higher straum of people are presupposed with the books by two outstanding dystopia writers. The manifestation of the everlasting longing of mind and spirit to the freedom of self-expression is common place for all three works under analysis.
First of all, it is necessary to admit the works that are of great significance in this comparative essay. The first one is Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut. The second is Welcome to the Monkey House by the same writer. Finally, the third short story is The Pain Peddlers by Robert Silverberg. Each of them is a futuristic description of imaginary society in which people are void of freedom in almost everything. The main idea is that freedom of self-expression is harshly controlled by the top caste described in each story. Thus, it is about time to get deep into the peculiarities of these three works.
Harrison Bergeron amazes by the fact that the main character is fourteen-year-old boy who wants to show people the truth. It is his great desire to make people understand what is great in life. Done in best features of Vonnegut’s style, this story characterizes the society of the future that is overloaded with scientific innovations. In turn it makes people spurred to the higher powers of the society due to being handicapped by special collars. The main motivation is to reduce the power of mind in every human being and achieve equality, as a result. This idea is particular to totalitarian regimes where people are highly controlled to prevent any obstacle to criminal regime of oppressors. It is, possibly, something like in North Korea or so. Harrison is a genius who managed to break down the system of personal control. Moreover, he used mass media (television) to project truth of living beyond those collars. He influenced public opinion for a while. However, he was stopped.
Such tragedy is seen on the example of the ominous medicine headed by Dr, Northrop. Under his command people (assistants) were trying make things with other individuals go well. The feature of the story The Pain Peddlers is in the fact that the situation in it reminds bureaucratic procedures in reality. It also states the danger of autocratic societies. Such hazard is not in the society itself, but in its ruler or rulers. A very significant statement characterizing the whole idea in the book follows: “The organization couldn’t tolerate inefficiency” (Silverberg 218). The affairs of some organization (meaning the power leading the society) may go apart from the natural needs of individuals on the whole. Northrop intentionally ignores providing anesthetic measures for patients. He tries to give scientific grounds on the use of pain, as an alternative to anesthesia. Northrop is a pain peddler, for the scientific progress made him think of its use to decrease the natural martyrdom of individuals.
Welcome to the Monkey House is peculiar for the same idea that in Harrison Burgeron. It is seen here that the system tries to control people related to it. In this respect different tools are used. These are different pills letting people be apart from the entire truth. ESS (Ethical Suicide Service) was something of the most dangerous type. The main rule for Hostesses, Nancy, Mary, and other girls reads: “A woman’s not a woman till the pills wear off” (Vonnegut 235). This truth shakes all of them, but it is senseless, for all are under the control of sheriff. Women are prevented from having sexual relations, as something wrong for the society. Otherwise, such people would be called “nothingheads.”
Now it is necessary to point out that the works of literature outlined above have several similarities and differences as well. In this case, first point concerns the way the stories are written. They are short but rich in content. Such paradoxical statement is possible owing to the deep thoughts put forward in them. Both Vonnegut and Silverberg tried to predict the hazards of overall technological progress as being used in selfish aims of some people to control others. Vonnegut is best in this feature of discussion. Both works, Harrison Burgeron and Welcome to the House of Monkeys, are mutually related to the political and social changes that may be assumed if the society stops developing. Each individual is precious in this case. Each one is a bearer and, perhaps, generator of ideas.
Washing peoples’ brains out is a travesty on what is done currently in totalitarian societies and in some communities of people led mostly by religious motives. Both works of Kurt Vonnegut are different to The Pain Peddlers in this feature. It is vital to admit that Silverberg tries to make emphasis on the possibility of wrongness that is generated inside the society. It concerns solely the field of medicine. However, the author highlights that persuasion in scientific use of wrong methods is painful. Pain cannot be distorted, unless being reduced.
Harrison Burgeron is similar in thematic character to Welcome to the House of Monkeys. However, it is more expressive due to the deeds that are supposed with the main character when he ordered to put collars off. Vonnegut attempted to maintain the truth of being alive in peoples’ inner world. He also showcased that there are a lot of fallacies which one can trap into. Nonetheless, both stories can be united on similar ideas of happiness. Nancy tried to guess which the true idea of being happy is. She was trying to imagine it apart from the pills. She trapped into a pitfall when realized that there is something better. Billy the Port helped her feel this peculiarity of intimacy. In this respect The Pain Peddlers can be understood as the story of people who prevented people from being relieved.
One more touch concerns the time when three works were published. It is the middle of 1960s when the world seems to blow up at any time. The authors used this peculiarity of social differences that were apparent in different countries of the world. The ideas of their main characters reflect their vision on what is good or bad about living in a “promising” society. They forecast that it is possible to make people obey to people in authority. It is especially seen due to the experiment of Stanley Milgram The Perils of Obedience which took place at the same period of time. The instruments and technologies were invented. Thus, the humanity should keep it in mind that the end may come, unless the reason is considered to be the main for decision making.
Conclusion
All in all, three works analyzed above serve to be a warning for those having no idea of the real charms of life, love, thinking, creating, feeling, etc. Provided in accordance with the dystopia genre these stories opened the way to think over the reality, notwithstanding their somewhat exaggerated setting in themes.
Works cited
Vonnegut, Kurt. Welcome to the monkey house: a collection of short works. NY: Delta Trade Paperbacks, 1998.
Silverberg, Robert. ‘The Pain Peddlers.’ In The Galaxy and If Years: 1960-1969; 216-224.
The film industry comprises many types of film products, which are commonly known as ‘movie genres’. A movie genre is conventionally a class under which a movie falls with regard to its characteristics, nature of the storyline, and theme.
As different types of audiences have different interests that make them to prefer different movie genres, so do the filmmakers, which explains why there are numerous genres in the film industry. In other words, genres are defined in a bid to please a certain audience whose interests are satisfied and relay particular information in the best possible way to the audience (Acher and Pincus 56).
Science Fiction Dystopia Genre
Science fiction dystopia is one of the most fascinating movie genres of the twenty first century. In the contemporary world, people have made a great deal of progress as far as the issue of technology and science is concerned. Therefore, there is great anxiety as to where the technological development is taking the world.
To the advantage of the filmmakers, the existence of anxiety enables them to create movies that display the usage of technology in the future and its harmful replications that would crop up concerning the relationship between humans and scientific developments.
However, science fiction dystopia is almost the same as the horror movie genre. The difference lies in the former’s minimal role of human beings directly involved in causing harm to human life and products of scientific progress taking different roles in the movies as opposed to the horror movies.
In addition, it is possible for more than one film genres to be incorporated into a movie in order to produce a hybrid-genre film work. A good example is the case where war films incorporate modernized weapons that are products of fiction science as it has been the case in a majority of the twenty first century movies.
Although science fiction dystopia is one of the strongest movie genres, it is often very hard to apply it singly in a film without having to incorporate other genres. Science and technology are useful elements to human life due to their ability to solve problems that human beings face in their daily life. In addition, it is used to save money and time while increasing efficiency of the work done without it being applied.
Hence, there has to be inherent problems facing human characters in order for the genre to make sense in a movie. Its application exhibits its ability to give efficient solutions to the problems affecting human characters throughout the movie (Acher and Pincus 78).
Comparing and Contrasting Science Fiction Dystopia with Other Movie Genres
Four main movie genres were studied in the class work, which include science fiction dystopia, the western, the war films, and crime detective or noir film genre.
The western genre is the most common movie genre used to highlight the dominance and development of both American and European cultures and economies to the rest of the world. The western genre is the backbone of all other movie genres that are produced in the United States.
Looking into the film industry as part of literature, since it is a virtual literature work, movies are used to highlight human cultures and social behaviors. Literature is a definite mirror of the society whereby a storyline is filled with cultural and social ethics of the human characters in use, and thus the film’s storyline highlights the same for the human characters that are in play.
For instance, the movie, High Noon, seeks to highlight social issues in the American society. A retired Marshal (Will Kane) is about to die in the hands of a convict (Frank Miller) he helped to bring to justice. Kane seeks help from the society but it is too afraid to stand up to the task. Ultimately, Kane’s relatives leave the town, but his wife, Amy, changes her mind and rescues Kane, who shoots Miller dead.
As aforementioned, the western genre mirrors societal issues and crime, murder, and revenge are real issues in the American society. In addition, as opposed to science fiction dystopia, the western genre uses real people as characters to highlight real societal issues as shown in this movie.
However, this movie compares to science fiction by painting marshal Kane as a bold solo gunman who confronts a gang of dissidents. Kane comes out as a ‘superhuman’, and such characteristics are only found in science fiction dystopia.
The war film genre is also common in the film industry especially after the events of the World War II. Looking back into the relevance of the film industry to the society, movies are a part of literature that reflects the image of a society through virtual images. Hence, many movies have been played in the last half of the twentieth century, which tends to explain the events of the World War II across the world.
The war film genre is based on human and social relations that are conflicting and in most cases leading to war. For instance, the movie Twelve O’clock High is a twentieth century war film that was produced in 1949 and it is one of the most successful movies of the century. The movie is about the United States’ Army Air Force who flew for bombing missions against the Nazi German forces.
The movie is generally a fiction war film, as it was not based on real events of the war, but just an imaginary story of the events that could have taken place in the World War II (Rubin 87). The movie paints the American Air Force as the only force with the best war machineries when compared with other countries.
Science fiction dystopia has been used here to display the great efficiency of war machineries that the United States had in possession at the time (Rubin 65). Again, this genre differs from science fiction dystopia due to the use of real people to show real events in a real world.
However, this film takes after science fiction dystopia via the use of flashbacks where Harvey Stovall buys a jug from a stall and remembers the events of 1942 where the story begins and all other scenes appear futuristic.
The crime detective or noir film genre is also common in the film industry. Crime detective is an important area of expertise in any given society across all social parameters in the world. The genre is applicable in situations where a crime occurs and detective mission is undertaken to reveal the possible causes and the series of events that could have transpired when it took place.
Crime detective is an involving task that tries to look into past events that are unknown to prove the hypothetical truth for necessary action to be undertaken. The movie, The Maltese Falcon, which is a noir film, a golden falcon on its way from Malta to Spain disappears to the hands of pirates probably due to its worth. Sherlock Miles Archer dies in mysterious circumstances as he follows a lead to a missing girl.
The missing girl’s sister, Miss Ruth, is responsible for the death, but she frames Archer’s partner, Sam Spade, who was supposed to have accompanied Archer, but he broke protocols. Now Spade has to look for alibi and come up with strong evidence that he did not kill his partner. In the process of knowing the truth, he discovers the golden falcon and retrieves it before hiding it at a bus terminal.
He then manages to know the Archer’s killer, but ultimately realizes that the falcon he has is fake. However, he manages to prove that Ruth was the real killer and even though they are emotionally involved, he arrests her and she is charged with Archer’s murder.
As mentioned, earlier noir films use real characters as opposed to science fiction dystopia. In this movie, science fiction does not have a place as all the events are real involving real people in real time.
The movie: Wall E
Wall E is a perfect science fiction dystopia movie as it involves robots in a futuristic earth cleaning exercise sometimes in the 29th Century. Every occurrence in the movie is futuristic and fictitious and no human beings are involved in the task.
The movie’s plot is rather intriguing as at the start of the 22nd Century, unnecessary consumerism replaces humanity courtesy of the garbage that comes from the consumerism wastes.
In addition, the movie offers solutions to such the dire consequences of the consumerism issue. In another science fiction movie, Gattaca, the issue of genetics is explored widely. The movie shows how genetic manipulation can be used to aid individuals to overcome diseases and premature deaths.
Contemporarily, humans’ life span is decreasing and diseases like cancer amongst others are becoming a thorn in the flesh of humanity. I like Gattaca as it shows that not all is lost and people can still manipulate genetics to their advantage to overcome problems that appear insurmountable contemporarily.
Conclusion
Film work is irrelevant until genres are considered and well applied in a film. Of all the four genres that were studied in class, science fiction dystopia is the most favorable for the twentieth and the twenty-first century movies. The economic and social developments of the world are engulfed in scientific and technological developments where nearly all problems have scientific solutions.
In addition, there is a great fear and anxiety in the contemporary world as technology is viewed to have taken the social evolutions many steps ahead from where humanity was half a century ago. That anxiety forms the basis on which filmmakers use to create imaginary storylines, in which future scientific developments are exhibited.
Of all movie genres studied in class, science fiction dystopia is superior to all others as it can be incorporated in almost all other genres. In addition, I like science fiction as it seeks to warn people and offer futuristic solutions to anticipated problems and that to me matters a lot as life is all about solving problems.
For instance, in Wall E, people are warned of unnecessary consumerism, which is slowly gaining pace in the contemporary times. In Gattaca, it is clear that humanity can use genetic manipulation to its advantage to clone superior being and overcome the problem of waning life span and diseases like cancer and insanity.
Works Cited
Acher, Steven, and Edward Pincus. The Filmmaker’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age, New York: Plume, 2012. Print.
The movie WALL-E is an animated story about a robot named WALL-E who is endowed with irrational feeling despite its programmed nature. The robot falls in love with another advanced robot called EVE regardless the impossibility of robotic love. The story, therefore, uncovers the eternal confrontation between science and nature, reason and emotion, consumerism and environmentalism.
More importantly, the film focuses on the current trends in consumption, as well as degradation of humans who are confined to ‘programmed’ means of existence. The protagonist of the story is a robot that should clean up the Earth after it was abandoned by humans.
One the one hand, the story is a science-fiction environmentalist film; on the other hand, the picture is a dystopian narrative revealing the consequences of consumerist culture developed at the present times.
Despite the initial messages that the director intended to deliver, the film can also be recognized as an environmental precautionary tale about the negative consequences of consumption habits of humans. The author focuses on environmental pollution and obesity problems as the leading ones in posing threats to the future of our planet.
In particular, Howey argues, “WALL-E…is implicated within its own critique; its science-fiction conventions…raise questions about the way humans are “programmed” through education and consumer directives” (45). Moreover, the movie also embraces such important topics as ecological situation and attitude of younger viewers to the current environmental situation.
The dystopian narrative and genre of the film underlines these topics and provides both a fiction and realistic account for what might happen to humanity in the nearest future. In addition, genre conventions, along with the rules of science fiction, promote the engagement of the movie with the issues of programming and consumption.
In particular, the contemporary concerns with garbage disposal are highlighted to create a vivid image of the world future.
To emphasize the consumption patterns of the contemporary society, the movie refers to two types of consumerism. The first one – the consumption of object – results in towers of garbage that human left on Earth.
The second type – the consumption of narratives – is also represented in the movie, particularly in the scene when WALL-E watches Hello Dolly! and interprets the acts. As a result, the director relies to the cultural and social issues of youth, as well as compares current consumers with robotic creatures who are under the influence of media culture and programming.
Although the movie is oriented on youth audience, it still explores such urgent issues as garboard disposal, consumerism, and obesity problems. In this respect, Poore considers the movie as an interpretation of a new reality, the Semantic Web that contains piles of unnecessary information distorting the real world.
By creating the new semantic environments, humans become dependent on machines that are able to navigate the world. In addition, Poore argues, “A critical approach to ontology could take some of the same pathways that critical GIS has taken…but a most effective direction would be to combine ontologies with an examination of the local practices of users as they struggle with the technology” (116).
To enlarge on this issue, humans can also be represented as passive users who are confined to the existing patterns of consumption and who are reluctant to follow new lifestyles that could save the planet.
At the end of the movie, the robots call humans for action and make them believe that the Earth should be rescued from the technological expansion, despite the fact that they are representative of technological progress. Both active humans and machines start working on the Earth’s natural and environmental restoration.
The dystopian features of the movie are also highlighted in the way the directors describes the information realm within robots are working. Humans, therefore, have become too dependent on the information space introduced by the World Wide Web.
In the story, the director emphasizes the virtual expansion, as well as its consequences for humans. Despite the criticism of technological progress, the movie proves that the world can be saved in case both the machines and humans are involved in collaborative work.
The movie is not only a representation of confrontation between human and machines, but an attempt to demonstrate humans that they can also become part of the computerized system. In this respect, the director describes WALL-E as the robot that is endowed with human characteristics.
He is capable of love and compassion and, therefore, he feels extreme anxiety about the future of the planet. In this respect, it is logical that the hero is described as a “intellectual, emotional, or spiritual” being (Beck 92).
The focus on psychological characteristics provides a sufficient explanation for outcomes of human-machine interaction. In the movie, “people are there as a sub-plot, a secondary issue that reflects the dangers of some machines and the generosity and benevolence of our heroes” (Beck 92).
Their aspirations and goals are not oriented on preserving the nature and environment. Lack of awareness of the ecological disaster makes them passive participants in the rescuing activities.
Apart from environmentalist and consumerist issues, the story reveals the themes of loneliness of the protagonist who has to perform his job regardless of his personal goals and aspirations. WALL-E strives to make sense of his actions and escape from solitary existence.
In this respect, Bakes accentuates, “this little robot has the desire to understand what living is all about while people who truly have the gift of being alive have lost it” (93). Humans gave up saving the environment because of the prevalence of commercialism and consumerism dictating future behavioral patterns.
More importantly, the movie emphasizes the inevitability of the destruction until humans become more aware of the consequences of their passive existence. In addition, lack of dialogues makes the movie more focused on the passiveness and reluctance of the humanity to introduce changes.
In conclusion, the movie WALL-E exposes dystopian trends of the contemporary society that is engaged into the technological and scientific progress. In particular, the picture incorporates consumerist and environmentalist issues and compares humans with programmed being who are under the influence of consumption culture.
Within this context, the director refers to the machines as to humanized creatures that are still fighting for the welfare of the Earth. Although the movie presents a science-fiction story, it still calls people for actions to preserve the planet for future generation and contribute to the development of new trends of technological and scientific development.
In particular, both machines and humans should fight for the recovery of the Earth from ecological and social destruction. Society, therefore, should get rid of consumerist patterns and become more aware of the consequences of their stereotypic thinking.
Works Cited
Baker, Frank. W. “The Future According To Pixar: A Wall-E Study Guide”. Screen Education, 51 (2008): 92-97. Web. EBSCOhost.
Beck, Bernard. “Don’t Make Me Laugh: People Are Funny In WALL-E and Tropic Thunder.” Multicultural Perspectives 11.2 (2009): 90-93. Web. EBSCOhost.
Howey, Ann. “Going Beyond Our Directive: Wall-E and the Limits of Social Commentary.” Jeunesse: Young People, Texts, Cultures 2.1 (2010): 45-70. Web. EBSCOhost.
Poore, Barbara S. “WALL-E and the “Many, Many” Maps: Toward User-Centred Ontologies For The National Map.” Cartographica 45.2 (2010): 113-120. Web. EBSCOhost.
‘Se7en’ is a film steeped in dystopia. Director David Fincher portrays the fundamental features of dystopia brilliantly and shockingly, employing spectacular visuals to thrill its audience with a frightful tale. The plot, set in New York, revolves around a serial killer Jonathan Doe (Kevin Spacey) who commits brutal murders and defends them because he has made the world a better place by exposing its unawareness and unspoken toleration of the Seven Deadly Sins. In Doe’s words: “We see a deadly sin in every street corner, in every home, and we tolerate it because it’s common and trivial. We tolerate it morning, noon, and night. Well, not anymore. I’m setting the example.”
Description of film
The film begins with Detective David Mills (Brad Pitt) and his wife Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow) moving to New York to start a new chapter in their lives. Mills starts work with veteran Detective Lt. William Somerset (Morgan Freeman). They are despatched to check out the killing of a morbidly obese man (Bob Mack) who was tied to a chair and force-fed spaghetti till his stomach exploded. The first of Seven Deadly Sins, GLUTTONY, is scribbled in grease on the rear of the refrigerator. Soon, other murders start cropping up. A famous lawyer Eli Gould (Gene Borkan) is killed in his office and GREED is scribbled in blood on the carpet. Regular sexual offender and drug dealer Victor (Michael R. Mackay) is found bound to his bed for a year, nearly dead due to atrophy. The word SLOTH is smeared in feces above his bed. The dead body of a prostitute (Cat Mueller) is found bound to a bed; her death was caused by forced brutal sex with a customer who, forced by Doe, used a sharp strap-on dildo on her. The word LUST is etched on the door. A professional model (Heidi Schanz) is found dead in her bed with her nose cut off, a container of sleeping pills in one hand, and a phone in the other; her death was the result of a drug overdose perpetrated by Doe. The word PRIDE is scrawled in lipstick on the headboard.
The next part of the film is significantly more alarming due to the way it leads to the triumph of evil in the end. Although Mills and Somerset succeed in capturing the killer, it is Doe who emerges as the one in control. Doe taunts them that he ‘let’ himself be caught. Pointing out that only 5 of the Seven Deadly Sins have been exposed, Doe admits to having succumbed to ENVY at the happiness in Mills’ married life by murdering Tracy and cutting off her head as a souvenir (which he presents in a box). Doe seals Mills’ destiny as a victim of WRATH, as the detective, maddened with rage and sorrow on seeing his dead wife’s head, fires at Doe and kills him.
What makes the film stand apart from other serial killer films is Finch’s ability to titillate his audience and their emotions so well that they become emotionally enthralled in the movie. The film’s title sequence has been highly praised for the quick editing, artistic use of symbols, and astute foreshadowing. The cinematography is dark but lovely; it is either raining or night in most of the scenes. The conclusion marks a unique, brilliant portrayal of dystopia whereby a murderer shrewdly and deviously controls the detectives, makes them yield to his will, defends his brutal killings as instruments to expose sin, and until death remains steadfastly faithful to his purpose. Finch provides a sobering touch in the last scene where Somerset muses: “Ernest Hemingway once wrote ‘the world is a fine place and worth fighting for.’ I agree with the second part.”
Conclusion
David Fincher, director of hit films like ALIEN3 and THE GAME, has given us another masterpiece in SE7EN.
References
Fincher, David. “Se7en.” IMDB Movies. 1995.
“Forms of Government.” Politicsdefined.com. 2005. Web.