Themes in Literature: Dystopian Fiction and Social Critique

Dystopian fiction imagines societies where power turns oppressive—often marketed as “safety,” “order,” or “progress”—and everyday life is shaped by control rather than freedom. These stories surge during political anxiety because they help us recognize how authoritarian impulses can take root in real life.

This course examines how literature and screen media critique authoritarianism through surveillance, propaganda, censorship, conformity, spectacle, and the normalization of violence. Students will study works such as 1984 and Brave New World, as well as the film Battle Royale and episodes of Black Mirror.

Reading across novels, short fiction, film, and television, students will ask: How do authoritarian systems gain power? Why do individuals comply—or resist? How do language, fear, and pleasure become tools of control?

Students will build skills in close reading, rhetorical analysis, comparative interpretation across genres and media, and evidence-based argumentation. Assignments include informal reading responses, a creative rhetoric activity, and three short (3–4 page) analytical essays.