A good working definition of a dystopia is “an…place wracked by misery and wretchedness, in which people lead dehumanized and often fear-ridden lives” (”Nineteen Eighty-Four”, 252)*. While this is one very basic definition, the history of the dystopian literature gives many indications of what elements are essential in the genre.
The term dystopia was coined in the 1900s, and is a play on Thomas More’s Utopia. Utopia was a place in which people lived in complete harmony with the environment and amongst themselves. The troubles and problems of reality did not exist in Utopia- violence, disease, death, aging, and so on were unheard of.
Dystopias grew out of a manipulation of the idea of a utopia. Essentially, many dystopias are extensions of the idea of utopia, and an examination of what we must sacrifice in order to create a utopia (see Lois Lowry’s The Giver). Often, these dystopias are called anti-utopias to reflect the intention of the author to expose the faults of the utopia. Dystopias are also termed ‘negative utopias’, but the more general and more frequently used term is dystopia. Many only use this term, however, to reflect works in which the creator chooses the make the reader directly aware of the dystopic nature of the piece.
Although some materials from before the 20th century are considered dystopian works, the genre began in earnest in the 20th century after the two World Wars and the Cold War. Dystopias began as reflections of the sense of disillusionment many members of society felt after the death and destruction wrought by the major wars of the century. Writers from the early time period often depict a Western world on the brink of collapse, and attempt to express the powerless and hopelessness of the modern man. These writers began to explore the notion of ‘what if…’, taking events, social movements, and technology from that time period to an often horrific extreme. In fact, dystopias are often considered one sub-genre of the science fiction/fantasy genre given the propensity of writers to use technological changes and manipulations as a theme.
Dystopias have grown in popularity since their original appearance, with more and more writers utilizing the genre (or elements from the genre). In fact, in recent years, many of the books on bestsellers lists and many of the top-grossing movies have been dystopian works of one form or another.
Even understanding the growth of dystopias, however, does not really clue us into exactly what makes a piece of literature or media ‘dystopian’. In fact, there is no standard, agreed-upon definition of the genre, but there are many characteristics that are shared among dystopian works.
Often, dystopias are set in a future society; censorship, environmental degradation, social degradation, totalitarianism/fascism, and atomic warfare are common themes. Governments and technology are frequently cited as at fault for the state of despair. Many are set in a post-apocalyptic world, but many include recognizable elements of contemporary life. Control (generally complete and total control) by outside forces is also a very common theme in this genre.