Based on what I learned this semester, I would define a dystopia is a place where the population is oppressed, it is unideal to live in, and where the population do not have most or all their rights. As far as oppressed aspect, I would classify them as the “Five Faces of Oppression” listed by Young. Those five faces being classified as the a population being exploited, marginalized, denied power, being ruled by force by the government, and fearing violent attacks at random. When I mention a dystopia not being an ideal place to live I’m referencing all the movies and books we’ve read and watched that display dystopias, they all have one thing in common. They were societies that were inhuman, that usually took all or most of the population’s rights away. Previously I would just describe a dystopia as a bad place or one that is apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic, but now I know it doesn’t have to even be that bad. As the article by Robinson would say, a dystopia emcopasses the feeling of hopelessness, helplessness, and detachment. Another thing Robinson would say that a dystopia depicts something that could always be and get worse. Meaning it isn’t necessarily the epitome of being a bad or horrid place.
