Throughout the semester my view on what a dystopia is has broadened. My new definition of a dystopia is a world or society where people are constantly oppressed and live fearful, dehumanized lives. Citizens in dystopian films are in tyrannical governments and have control over anything.
Dystopia can be explained from Young’s Five Faces of Oppression: exploitation, powerlessness, marginalization, cultural imperialism, and violence. All the dystopia films and novels we have been introduced to during the course include most of the these. In 1984 powerlessness was demonstrated when the government forced the citizens to feel nothing and only think what they wanted them too. If they tried to do what they pleased or have their own thoughts they would torture them ( use of violence,) until they felt absolute powerless against the government. In 1984 the citizens were oppressed and it was ruled by a monarchy, where the people had no say so at all.
