Why is dystopia so appealing to young adults

Her attraction to Ky seems to give her the permission she needs to take his stories seriously and lends credibility to his suggestions that things in the society are not as they seem to be. By the end of the first book, this attraction gives her the courage to make a decision that is bound to have negative consequences for herself and her family. This is not to dismiss the influence of her grandfather or father, both "closet activists" who we infer have their own questions about the truths promulgated by the society, but it's clear that her attraction to and blossoming romantic relationship with Ky are what drive much of the change in her thinking and what give her the motivation to deviate more and more seriously from society's strictures.

It isn't enough to argue that dystopian fiction is compelling to young adult readers because it depicts romantic and platonic relationships. We would suggest that it is the nature of those relationships as depicted in this genre that speaks to young readers. These books portray honest and authentic relationships; they acknowledge that romantic relationships are not just about exploring physical attraction or sexuality, they are about how becoming intimate with another person can have an impact on the way you see the world, the actions you take, the level of responsibility you feel toward another person.

They confirm that friendships are about more than simply having someone to hang out with, someone with whom to pursue common interests; friends also have a significant impact on the way you see the world and can influence your actions in ways that are positive and negative. While the patterns that emerged from comparing these titles are interesting to literary geeks like us, they also signal some important implications for teachers and librarians.

First and foremost, we see that these novels can withstand serious literary scrutiny, and perhaps deserve a place alongside the study of other classic dystopian pieces such as Orwell's or Huxley's Brave New World. In fact, the dystopian pieces we discuss here bear striking similarities to these classics, and studying a YA dystopian novel would certainly provide an effective bridge to a classic piece, as has been suggested in the past by Herz and Gallo and Joan Kaywell Students' appreciation for 's Winston as he becomes aware of what's wrong in his society and of his potential for action will increase as they compare him to Cassia in Matched or Todd in The Knife of Never Letting Go.

Likewise, Winston's relationship with Julia will benefit from a character analysis based on examining the relationship between Anna and Peter in The Declaration.

We can also look to ways to connect these texts with content from other curricular areas. The novels discussed here provide rich opportunities for discussion about the role government can and should play in our lives, and the responsibility individuals have for ensuring that justice and humanity are preserved by those in power.

We could use dystopian literature to build cross—curricular connections between the English class and a Government or Civics course, with a thematic unit exploring the purpose and role that government should play.

Connecting events in Little Brother to current events related to security, especially in the face of past and potential terrorist attacks, would help students explore the implications of these things for their lives and personal liberties.

Similar connections could be built between physics courses and the exploration of space travel in Across the Universe , between geography courses and the ideas of limited natural resources in The Declaration , or between debates of abortion policy in current events and the policies depicted in Unwind. The dystopian novel doesn't need to be so close to our reality in order to provide meaningful exploration of significant topics, however: Birthmarked and The Declaration raise important questions about human rights and the value of a human life; Unwind raises similar questions and also explores the rights of teenagers to make decisions about their future.

Issues of free choice—and paying the price for wrong choices— could be explored meaningfully in Matched , and the potential negative influences of a consumerist society rest in nearly every chapter of Feed and The Unidentified. The richness of many of these novels argues for their study in the ELA classroom, whether independently or coupled with a dystopian classic.

Perhaps most compelling, given the broad choices available in this genre, we could consider using dystopian novels in literature circles see Daniels, This would allow students to exercise individual choice in selecting a book to study while at the same time allowing for whole—class explorations of these thematic issues and the stylistic elements of the genre. For teachers and librarians both, we feel strongly that the connections between these novels and teens' lives and concerns argue for a need to showcase these books as we converse with teens about their reading.

While the same could be said of most YA literature, dystopian literature seems to speak particularly strongly to teens at this time and to the choices and challenges they face as they move toward adulthood. Justin Scholes teaches seventh grade language arts in Evanston, Wyoming. He can be reached at jscholes uintal. Jon Ostenson is an assistant professor at Brigham Young University.

He works with preservice teachers and teaches courses in young adult literature. Aguirre, A. New York, NY: Macmillan. Anderson, M. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Bacigalupi, P. The dark side of young adult fiction. The New York Times. Burke, M. Social network activity and social well—being.

Claeys, G. The origins of dystopia: Wells, Huxley, and Orwell. Claeys Ed. Collins, S. The hunger games. New York, NY: Scholastic. Catching fire. Condie, A. Connolly, J. Romantic relationships in adolescence. Underwood Eds. Daniels, H. Literature circles: Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Doctorow, C. Little brother. Hall, T. The line. Herz, S. From Hinton to Hamlet: Building bridges between young adult literature and the classics 2nd ed. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Hintz, C. Utopian and dystopian writing for children and young adults. New York, NY: Routledge. Huxley, A. Brave New World.

Kaywell, J. Adolescent literature as a complement to the classics. Norwood, MA: Christopher—Gordon. Kerig, P. Adolescence and beyond: Family processes and development. Larson, R. Family emotions: Do young adolescents and their parents experience the same states? Journal of Research on Adolescence, 4 , — Lowry, L. The Giver. New York: Random House. Malley, G. The declaration. New York, NY: Bloomsbury.

Mariz, R. The unidentified. McCafferty, M. Miller, L. Fresh hell: What's behind the boom in dystopian fiction for young readers? The New Yorker. The only question you posed that readers cannot adequately answer for themselves, given enough critical reflection, is the first one. And I would say that for the story and the points it is trying to make, that answer is of a decidedly secondary importance. As for the other questions, because you know to ask them, the road signs you talk about must be present.

The answers then, are something you have to decide for yourself. Teens have always have liked this genre and they eat up edgy realistic fiction as well. Good dystopian fiction is ominously fascinating.

I think it is a combination of things. I do think that dystopian lit has always been there. I remember reading and Farenheit when I was a kid. I think the modern times have just changed the marketing to attract younger audiences. I also think that adults are being drawn to those books as well. I have read all of the Nicholas Flamel series and love them. When you come into this world, it seems that everything already exists — houses, roads, cars, society, science.

It is hard for a young person to feel any sense of ownership. Instead, they feel more like consumers and lodgers. They did not choose the world to be the way it is, but they are expected to work to maintain it, and most of the power is in the hands of old folk like me. Collapsing societies gives young folk a chance to remake things the way they would like them to be — it is a fiction where the young have tremendous power.

Of course this makes exciting reading! It is hard to comprehend that everything around us belongs to us — the ones who are alive today. We did not personally build all this stuff, but it is ours to do with as we want.

Imagine what it must have been like just after the French Revolution. Everything in that enormously rich nation changed hands overnight. What a thrill! The best unknown Dystopian novel would be We by Yogani Armington. Dystopian fiction is on the rise because teen fiction in general is on the rise. These days, recognizing the money-making possibilities by targeting the year-old reading community, more writers are writing for this age group in mind.

There are so many choices now in young adult literature, one of which is the dystopian literature. I used to be a really avid reader, from 4th through 8th grade. Then when 9th grade started and puberty hit, I stopped reading. I remember going to the bookstore and just seeing kids books and adult literature, nothing for teens.

There was no YA section, no teen romance, teen horror, teen dystopias, nothing. I tried reading the novels from English class but found them too difficult to consume. I wish there had been teen fiction in my day because I know I would have thoroughly enjoyed it. So literally, 6 years of my life, I did not read. The big difference now, compared when I was a kid is that I was scared of the planet disappearing while I was at school.

The fear of a nuclear war is something a whole generation grew up with. Its far nicer to be in control of your scares, and that is what the books are feeding — safe in the knowledge that it will never happen! Good article. Well done! The rise in popularity of YA dystopic novels is interesting. As other commenters have noted—dystopic novels have been around for a long time.

Now the market is saturated with apocalyptic adolescent fiction. Perhaps, publishers have caught on that this particular genre resonates well with younger crowd. But intentional marketing aside, these fictional dystopic worlds are so exhilarating to engage in for many reasons. I think you forgot one of the best, more contemporary and intriguing dystopian novels of our recent time — Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Even for well-versed adults and parents. I only point this out because these YA novels really do pull their punches. If these dystopias are truly about exploring the darker side of society and human nature, I would really love to see a main character that is at least slightly morally compromised. If possible, completely so.

It would also be pleasant if one of them could get a premise its plot could stand on. As it is now, all I can see it as is a self-indulgent, profiteering fad. I respect YA dystopian books and writers for their success even though I can never get into them. I like your distinction, Daniel, betwee teen and adult dystopian novels.

What dystopian novels from the adult perspective do you recommend? Well, Fahrenheit has long been my favorite novel of all time, and that is an amazing novel for adults. Then you consider other classics like and Brave New World. I also really like The Children of Men, but I consider the movie to be much better. That movie is absolutely perfect. I beleive the dystopian novel is a cautionary tale that gives the reader road signs indicating how the present could become a dystopian future.

You should see your own society in the reflection of the dystopian society. I enjoy dystopian novels, the ideas they portray and the characters they create are intriguing and fitting of this time. Dystopian societies can be written off as mere fictional places, but this is a great description of their importance and relevance in the lives of readers. Psst, found a few typoes.

I was interviewing someone once about a related topic, and he stated that part of the reason that Dystopian books are becoming more popular and being written is partially based on how our generation currently views the world. We are at a point in time where the economy is weak and there is constant talk about global warming. I love this genre and hope that it might spark something in the minds of the current YA fanbase and encourage some sort of change in the way we think.

A very in-depth look at the popularity of the dystopian genre. This genre gets me thinking about events going on in our world now and in the future.

I really enjoyed the comparison of events in Divergent and The Hunger Games to high school. I also find it extremely interesting that the popularity in Dystopian literature is at such a peak. Comparing that to the past and present, opens up a whole new dialogue.

My Grade 7 class read The Last Book in the Universe and it was amazing how the kids related to it in relation to the technology they are embroiled in right now. The same can be said about my Grade 10 class and Fahrenheit The biggest question to come out of this is will books eventually be replaced and will we lose the power to think by overuse of search engines.

But it is true that dystopian literature shows us our fears of our current society gone wrong. Fascinating article. This is a fantastic article! Have you by chance read Battle Royale? Very similar theme to The Hunger Games, but focuses more on a totalitarian universe, and far darker in brutality but anexcellent read just the same!

I think there are so many dystopian novel because no one believes in a utopian society, so they create dystopian to so that life can be improved if fought for. With all of the war, destruction, and repression in dystopian novels one would think that the reader would find them discouraging and even depressing. We all see glimpses of these major themes of dystopian literature in real life: government corruption, unfair distribution of wealth, the power and danger of surveillance and the all too common abuse of power.

Dealing with these things in real life is often difficult to face. However, reading about these very real issues, but in a fictional setting makes them easier to comprehend and to deal with.

Perhaps this is one reason why so many people myself included read dystopian novels. I like the comparison between classes in society and social classes in high school. Very well written and researched article.

Many people attach stigmas to this genre, but an in-depth study into any of the novels you mentioned would shatter a lot of those stereotypes. The dystopian genre has definitely always been there. I think as humans we are drawn to the idea of destruction, of a different world and chaotic world, especially in our entertainment.

A story like that would be too boring as entertainment, even though it is something we want. And this is why dystopian is so interesting, because it has flawed characters and a flawed world, because it comments on society and leads to questions.

Nice write up. I have not read all of the novels you mention but I get a good feel for the patterns etc. I am a huge fan of Sci-Fi dystopian novels. I think that as long as there is trauma there will be dystopian novels.

The system was not beaten in or Brave New World. These older novels usually focused on smaller individual stories rather than someone saving the entire population. I think the YA aspect or teenager as you pointed out plays a part in how these newer stories are told.

Sci-Fi stories have always been cautionary stories set in the future about the present. The current dystopic novels are less Sci-Fi and more Dystopic Melodramas. This is not to say they are bad but that they are different. The threats are different. The classics were in reaction to the atomic bomb, censorship, and classisms and other -isms. Something happens — an event, or a messenger arrives bearing news — and the teenage protagonist is catapulted out of their normal existence into the unknown.

They cross the threshold into a world of darkness and danger, of allies and enemies, and begin a journey towards their own destiny that will change their world. They will be tested, often to the very edge of death.

The stakes are high. The adults are the oppressors. The children are the liberators. It's heady stuff, far removed from the routine of everyday life. The outer, global journey of the characters is matched by an inner, emotional and psychological journey. These are no cartoon superheroes.

They, like their teen readers, have to deal with recognisable concerns and problems, including friendship, family, betrayal, loss, love, death and sexual awakening.

A new wave of dystopian fiction at this particular time shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. It's the zeitgeist. Adults write books for teenagers.