Dystopias

1. “Brave New World”, by Aldous Huxley, 1932

Set in London, AD 2540 (the year of our Ford 632) in this future-world babies are born in laboratories; humans are quantified as having certain capability levels, and everyone consumes daily grams of soma to fight depression. Society is divided into five castes created in reproductive centers, the highest caste is allowed to develop naturally; the lower castes are interfered with to arrest intelligence or physical growth (castes are Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons). Bernard, the protagonist, senses that something is missing from this non-violent, extremely careful world – which is highlighted when a “Savage” enters into it.

2. “1984”, by George Orwell

Set in 1984 in London, in a totalitarian world, Winston Smith works at the Ministry of Truth. The world is separated into three entities, constantly at war or allying with each other, Oceania, Eureasia, and Eastasia. As alignments switch, so does history; in this dystopic universe, citizens are forced to accept ever-changing histories as truth as directed by Big Brother, their all-seeing, all-knowing leader: “Big Brother is always Watching You.” The Thought Police monitor the proles and Winston is in grave danger as he rebels against his government by searching for a Truth that doesn’t change, and engaging in an illicit and passionate love affair with a young woman.

3. “Never Let Me Go”, by Kazuo Ishiguro, 2005

At Hailsham, children are special – raised in a beautiful environment at a lovely boarding school. However, their fates are not theirs to decide. Narrated by Kathy H., a 31-year-old former Hailsham student, this recounts her discovery of her purpose, and the love lost along the way because of it. The Hailsham students are essentially genetic matches for naturally born people people and are intended to be used as replacement parts to elongate their originals' lives. Whether these copies can have authenticity and share love is the central topic in this novel.


Commentary: This flight reads in chronological order. Themes present in all of these books are reproduction and reproductive control; totalitarian government; and individual struggles with truth, lies, and love. “Brave New World” introduces a reproductive caste system, which is echoed by the replaceable copycats in “Never Let Me Go.” 1984’s “Big Brother”, whose government administers the most painful torture in The Ministry of Love is also echoed in “Never Let Me Go,” as the kindness with which the children are treated is only offset by the cruelty of their isolation and their knowledge that they can never control their own destinies. In all three, death is inevitable, as characters are forced through their proscriptive humanity to succumb to inhumane fates. Also, all three were written by British writers, and "Brave New World" and "1984" are set in London.