My definition of dystopia has not necessarily changed, but it has expanded and now I am capable of applying the definition to real world events. I always viewed a dystopia as something fictional, but America is not too far from what a dystopia is. In my opinion it has a lot of qualities that relate to a dystopia. I would define a dystopia as a society who is attempting to be perfect, but everything fails. I also would argue that many dystopias have some controlling government, a lot of citizens are restricted from doing anything, and someone who has some sense to say, “this is not right.” From our reading ‘ Five Faces of Oppression,” I was able to tie my meaning of dystopia to it. In reading, the author states powerlessness, which is what many dystopias display. For instance, in the book The Giver, no one had to power to be themselves. Everything was controlled and there was no individuality. This relates to the real world, because many black people must alter their identity in order to fit in the societal norm. For example, a lot of black women express themselves through their natural hair, but in many big businesses it is seen as unprofessional and black women feel as if they must straighten their hair. Black women feel as if they have a say in how they present themselves in the workforce which demonstrates powerlessness. Another real-world example of dystopia is impoverished communities. This is a dystopia because many impoverished communities are poor because the government keeps it an ongoing cycle. For instance, in many impoverished communities there are a lot of fast-food places, run down stores, and streets that need a little love, but what exactly is the government doing to prevent that? Exactly, nothing, because it is the government’s plan to keep this cycle running so the rich can get richer and the poor can get poorer. After taking this class, I have gained more knowledge on how to apply dystopias to life.
