Dystopian Literature

[PennKen2009]

so yeah I was just wondering what some of your favorite pieces of Dystopian Literature were? I'll define it first if you havent heard of this term. A Dystopia is a fictional society that is the antithesis of a utopia. Examples would be 1984, Brave New World, V for Vendetta and etc. So yeah I love these types of stories. 1984 is a classic and Brave New World is simply awesome, but those are like the only two that I really know of and I was wondering if anyone had any other favorites or examples of this type.

[TEND]

Hmmm, A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke, We by Yevgeni Zamyatin. That's all I can think of off the top of my head.

EDIT: Just thought of some more:
Fahrenheight 451 - Ray Bradbury
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Philip K. Dick
The Lottery - Shirley Jackson
Make Room! Make Room! - Harry Harrison

[mono]

I have read very little dystopian literature myself; most (but not all) tends to fall in the categories of science fiction and fantasy, which I cannot quite call in my taste. What I have read: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, and a few short stories by Kurt Vonnegut.

[PennKen2009]

oh I've read the Lottery and I also read Harrison Bergeron, we read these in one of my english classes in high school and all and thats kinda what got me started on these. V for Vendetta the movie was amazing, I wish the novel wasn't in comic book form though

[melancolia]

George Orwell's 1984... without a doubt, one of the best :nod:

[Virgil]

Anthony Burgess has another dystopian novel of note, called The Wanting Seed.

[dude-]

i jkhkjhgjh

[PennKen2009]

why were you disappointed?

[mono]

oh I've read the Lottery and I also read Harrison Bergeron, we read these in one of my english classes in high school and all and thats kinda what got me started on these.
Perhaps surprisingly from my previous post, I really enjoyed The Lottery; I read the story in a literature course I took years ago, and we even watched a fairly decent film adaption of it.
Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron, which we ironically read the same term, I cannot say that I enjoyed as much, though it had an interesting plot; my reason more rests in the same reason why I sometimes have trouble reading most science fiction and fantasy, and I hope not to offend anyone. Harrison Bergeron had a fascinating and thought-provoking plot, obviously well thought out, but I think I would have liked it more to seem more down-to-earth and realistic.

[Marmaduke]

I've only read 1984, Fahrenheight 451, A Clockwork Orange and Thinner Than Thou (Kit Reed) in this genre, and I'd recommend them all but Thinner Than Thou. This seemed a lot more confused, and perhaps too close to reality to be interesting. It explored a world where body image is everything, and old age is dealt with by the Government. Or something. As I said, it seemed a little confused.

[penelopea]

Try Philip P Dick

[Nightwalk]

1984 is the first novel I read when I got into literature and it was a memorable introduction. After the passage of time the impact of the book still lingers.

[1984_yo]

could someone help me out? im new here and i need to write an obituary on Smith..i need to know where he was born, where he died (ministry of love?..im not sure) ..well i gues what im saying is i need TONS of background info on him. so if you guys could help me out..it'd be great :]

[Nightwalk]

could someone help me out? im new here and i need to write an obituary on Smith..i need to know where he was born, where he died (ministry of love?..im not sure) ..well i gues what im saying is i need TONS of background info on him. so if you guys could help me out..it'd be great :]

Check out the 'net or browse through the novel.

[jtoland]

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

[Styx]

I really liked "We" by Samjatin.

[NoviceSeer]

"Animal Farm" by George Orwell

[Idril]

I really liked "We" by Samjatin.


That's neat that you mentioned that because I'd never heard of it before but yesterday I was checking out my Amazon "store" and they had recommended it to me because I bought Heart of a Dog by Bulgakov. I read through the reviews and it looks like a truly fascinating book and I was seriously considering adding it to my next order and now that I've heard at least one recommendation for it here, I think I'll go ahead and order it. Thank you! :D

[Nightwalk]

We is certainly in my "to get" list.

[Jantex]

Also...

"The Day the Dollar Dies" by W.Cantelon

"Frankenstein" by Merry Shelley ;)

"Erehwon" by Samuel Butler
(it's an anagram of "nowherE")

"R.U.R." by Karel Capek

"Futuro Imprefecto" by Domingo Santos

+ some Russian authors -> V.F. Odoevski and G.P. Danilevski
......

samo movies

"Equilibrium"

"13th Floor"
....

enjoy :thumbs_up

[lerinard]

White Noise by Don DeLillo.
Neuromancer by Willaim Gibson
Starship troopers was a terrible movie but a great book: The theme of valuing rights only if they are earned is an interesting one.

[xtina]

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

i really liked this one, too. :)

Although it's a children's book, I really enjoyed "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. It won a Newbery medal, too. :o) Here's a nice 'net descriptionm per sparknotes:

"The society Lowry depicts in The Giver is a utopian society—a perfect world as envisioned by its creators. It has eliminated fear, pain, hunger, illness, conflict, and hatred—all things that most of us would like to eliminate in our own society. But in order to maintain the peace and order of their society, the citizens of the community in The Giver have to submit to strict rules governing their behavior, their relationships, and even their language. Individual freedom and human passions add a chaotic element to society, and in The Giver even the memory of freedom and passion, along with the pain and conflict that human choice and emotion often cause, must be suppressed. In effect, the inhabitants of the society, though they are happy and peaceful, also lack the basic freedoms and pleasures that our own society values.
In this way, The Giver is part of the tradition of dystopian novels written in English, including George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. In these novels, societies that might seem to be perfect because all the inhabitants are well fed or healthy or seemingly happy are revealed to be profoundly flawed because they limit the intellectual or emotional freedom of the individual. 1984 and Brave New World both feature characters who awaken to the richness of experience possible outside the confines of the society, but they are either destroyed by the society or reassimilated before they can make any significant changes. The books function as warnings to the reader: do not let this happen to your society."

ps: This is my first post. :wave: Hello!

[hp 4ever!]

This thread is THE place for you to discuss your dystopian literature. Specifically the aspects that make the piece dsytopian such as violence!
ENJOY!
:yawnb:

[dramasnot6]

I loved Giver, and The Handmaid's Tale, the latter I have read a lot more recently.

[bakestewah]

Book Antiqua"]I think that dystopian literature is the best. I love the corrupted societies, let downs of characters (like Winston in 1984), and the neverending totaltitarian government. Personally i think that Nineteen Eighty-Four is the best book i've read yet!:p :p :p [/COLOR]:D

[sir orange]

Philip Dick wrote a lot of novels dealing with a dystopian world. Try with "The man in the high castle", one of his best books ever.

[Remarkable]

You could read "Seeing" by Jose Saramago,even though it is not a proper dystopian novel.It speaks of the capital of a country and there,the population as a whole,without any apparent reason,decides to cast blank votes in the general elections.The book describes the mayhem that this creates and very serious doubts about the wellfunctioning of democracy.It is a wonderful book.

And,1984 yo,Smith never dies,at least the book doesn't speak about his death,it is just understood.

[johann cruyff]

I'm not sure if anyone's mentioned it already,but Infinite Jest is also a good read,and could be interpreted as a dystopian novel.

[blazeofglory]

so yeah I was just wondering what some of your favorite pieces of Dystopian Literature were? I'll define it first if you havent heard of this term. A Dystopia is a fictional society that is the antithesis of a utopia. Examples would be 1984, Brave New World, V for Vendetta and etc. So yeah I love these types of stories. 1984 is a classic and Brave New World is simply awesome, but those are like the only two that I really know of and I was wondering if anyone had any other favorites or examples of this type.

I like the idea and of course to see thing or think not long traditional lines is what appeals to me immensely.

Utopianism is something totally unrealistic and it takes to a world of dreams and I therefore never opt for an Utopian city and always go for something not abstract but concrete.

A dystopian society must not be a fictional one. It must be a realistic one as a matter of fact.

[Nostredame]

I supposed Joe Haldeman's War and Peace novels could be considered dystopian. The first book is called 'Forever War' I believe.

[annakarina]

I'm reading Farenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury) at the moment.
Funny how the book smacks of déjà-vu (the themes have been explored so many times in other novels since it came out in 1950 that they do seem a little tired to me) but at the same time is so amazingly prophetical... the importance of TV, the dumbing down of mainstream culture, etc...
One thing Bradbury didn't accurately predict was the smoking ban... *sighs sadly*.

[Erichtho]

The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse is the first novel to come to my mind; a wonderful book which I very much recommend.

I've also enjoyed We by Samjatin, think of Brave New World rather as a utopia (but maybe we should define those words first) and disliked 1984, for I think it is poorly written and highly unrealistically.
I saw a theatre perfomance of Fahrenheit 451, which was quite interesting (but I probably won't read the book).
Oh, and I've also read M. Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, which I found to be dreadfully boring.

[ntropyincarnate]

Only one I can think of that I've read is Lord of the Flies. I loved it. Actually it was funny, I read it in English last year, I think everyone in the class but me put it on their worst reads of the year list, and it was on my top reads list. :D Is that saying something about me or what?

[hp 4ever!]

I personally believe that "The Machine Stops" by E.M. Forster is an excellent example of dystopian literature due to the following attributes:

Helplessness: Immediately an enormous apparatus fell on to her out of the ceiling, a thermometer was automatically laid upon her heart. She lay powerless. Cool pads soothed her forehead. Kuno had telegraphed to her doctor.

Terror is predominant: Vashti was afraid. In vain. The globe went eastward quicker still, horrible accidents occurred, and the Committee of the Machine, at the time rising into prominence, declared the pursuit illegal, unmechanical, and punishable by Homelessness.
A spasm of horror shook her and she rang for the attendant. The attendant too was horrified, but she could do nothing; it was not her place to mend the blind
I feared something far more intangible-doing what was not contemplated by the Machine.
You see - the gap in the tunnel had been mended; the Mending Apparatus; the Mending Apparatus, was after me.
Out of the shaft - it is too horrible. A worm, a long white worm, had crawled out of the shaft and gliding over the moonlit grass.
"I screamed. I did everything that I should not have done, I stamped upon the creature instead of flying from it, and it at once curled round the ankle. Then we fought. The worm let me run all over the dell, but edged up my leg as I ran. “Help!” I cried. (That part is too awful. It belongs to the part that you will never know.) “Help!” I cried. (Why cannot we suffer in silence?) “Help!” I cried. When my feet were wound together, I fell, I was dragged away from the dear ferns and the living hills, and past the great metal stopper (I can tell you this part), and I thought it might save me again if I caught hold of the handle.
and these were nightmares from her worst dreams. People were crawling about, people were screaming, whimpering, gasping for breath, touching each other, vanishing in the dark, and ever and anon being pushed off the platform on to the live rail. Some were fighting round the electric bells, trying to summon trains which could not be summoned. Others were yelling for Euthanasia or for respirators, or blaspheming the Machine. Others stood at the doors of their cells fearing, like herself, either to stop in them or to leave them.

Homelessness means death. The victim is exposed to the air, which kills him.

Rob individuality to preserve order:
People were almost exactly alike all over the world.
"A way of your own?" she whispered. "But that would be wrong."
"Why?"
The question shocked her beyond measure.

Enforce equality to provide happiness to decrease rebellions:"thanks to the advance of science, the earth was exactly alike all over."

People living in the society like society they're in: How we have advanced, thanks to the Machine!" She might well declare that the visit was superfluous. The buttons, the knobs, the reading-desk with the Book, the temperature, the atmosphere, the illumination - all were exactly the same. there is no such thing as religion left. All the fear and the superstition that existed once have been destroyed by the Machine
Justify w/ means of religion and Machine:By these days it was a demerit to be muscular. Each infant was examined at birth, and all who promised undue strength were destroyed. Humanitarians may protest, but it would have been no true kindness to let an athlete live; he would never have been happy in that state of life to which the Machine had called him; he would have yearned for trees to climb, rivers to bathe in, meadows and hills against which he might measure his body.
Meanwhile let us do without our beds, our tabloids, our other little wants. Such, I feel sure, would be the wish of the Machine."

REBELLION: The Machine hums! Did you know that? Its hum penetrates our blood, and may even guide our thoughts. Who knows! I was getting beyond its power. Then I thought: “This silence means that I am doing wrong.” But I heard voices in the silence, and again they strengthened me."
Ultimate thing in control: Persecution - that also was present. It did not break out, for reasons that will be set forward shortly. But it was latent, and all who did not accept the minimum known as "undenominational Mechanism" lived in danger of Homelessness, which means death, as we know.
No one confessed the Machine was out of hand. Year by year it was served with increased efficiency and decreased intelligence.

DECEPTIVE GOAL: All the fear and the superstition that existed once have been destroyed by the Machine.

[JBI]

Hmm, I'm wondering if Macbeth counts as dystopian. Lear could also have a case to be called that.

Either way, Eliot's Wasteland is always a great piece of dystopian poetry.

Beowulf too I would argue can categorize as dystopian.

[superunknown]

How is Lear dystopian? I don't get that. Dunno about Macbeth, haven't read it.

I've read:
1984
Brave New World
Farenheit 451

I would say Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? but that's more apocalyptic than dystopic. I'm not sure if A Clockwork Orange can really be classified as dystopic. The society itself is not portrayed in that way. Brave New World is probably the best, but 1984 is amazing as well. They convey different points though: in Brave New World Huxley focuses on the depersonalisation of humanity as caused by the introduction of machinery, Ford, and the assembly line, whereas 1984 is more of a reflection on what was happening in Stalin's Russia. He even makes subtle references to Stalin, like when he says Big Brother's speaking style is characterised by asking questions and then immediately answering them when making speeches. The interesting thing about Brave New World is that it's quite ambiguous. It almost seems like a nice place to live in at times.

[Idril]

I've read:
1984
Brave New World
Farenheit 451


Since you're interested in Russian literature, I would highly recommend We by Yevgeny Zamyatin. It's a truely fascinating piece of dystopian lit.

[TheFifthElement]

Heroes and Villains & The Infernal Desire Machines of Dr. Hoffman both by Angela Carter. Brilliant and disturbing at the same time.

[teejay17]

Atwood's Oryx and Crake is fascinating. It continues within the Dytopian tradition while at the same time this novel also, shall I say it, "modernizes" the dystopian text by incorporating everything that is current in today's society.
For example, Atwood incorporates the idea of genetic modifications into the narrative, into the plot, whereas Orwell (who is attributed to penning the first "dystopia") and other earlier writers were not aware of such science.
So, to put it simply, Atwood continues in the tradition of the Dystopia, while also breaking new ground in Oryx and Crake.

[superunknown]

Since you're interested in Russian literature, I would highly recommend We by Yevgeny Zamyatin. It's a truely fascinating piece of dystopian lit.
Yes I've had it recommended already, just haven't had the time to get round to it.

[TheJoker4184]

Never Let Me Go by Ishugiro

[supergirl09]

Artificial Intelligence is one of my personal favorite movies and it contains some of the Dystopian aspects.

The setting of the movie is sometime in the distant future. The polar icecaps had been melted over time because of global warming. Some of the major cities suffered from the flood because of the rising sea levels and the human population has fallen greatly.

Global warming has led to an ecological disaster resulting in a drastic reduction of the human population and rising sea levels

Technology is so developed that people start to rely on artificial intelligence. Highly sophisticated robots with artificial intelligence take the place of humans for those who need friends, lovers, or even children.

In the movie, the main character who is a young boy robot is abandoned by his "mother." After he is abandoned, he goes to find the Blue Fairy who will make him a real boy like the story Pinocchio. He repeats his wish and waits 2,000 years. The city of Manhattan is buried under hundreds of ice and by then, humans are extinct.

This movie shows many aspects of the Dystopian society. The movie is very fictional and futuristic. It shows the possibility of our own society becoming a technology-relying place. It warns about the global warming also. Global warming is becoming a serious problem as researchers say. The movie shows the most fearful part of Dystopia: human extiction.

Artificial Intelligence is a very well made movie in my opinion. Graphic is great and the story is also very good, AND it is Dystopian!

[AGS512]

Another Dystopian movie is Aeon Flux...

This movie is dystopian in several different ways...Their is the classic disaster and uprising of some sort that takes place in the near future, but the actual story line presents itself 400 years after this great disaster (aka a virus that wiped out 99% of earth's population) putting us in about 2415. The horrifying extremes the govenment takes to ensure its reign and absolute control are very dystopian such as the constant surveillance the society can not escape from.

The earth's population is now at only 5 million live in a city surrounded by wall for their "protection." :brickwall The Goodchild dynasty is the one who found the cure for the virus saving the remaining population. Though a costly side effect of the "cure"was the sterility of the entire population. Which leads to the cloning of each individual after they die, continuing the human population.

Aeon Flux is our main charcter who is a part of the rebelion (who call themselves the Monicans) against the Goodchild regime. She finds out what their govenment is hiding in the relical (a supposed memorial to those lost to the virus). It is storing the DNA of every human left on earth to be brought back time after time. Our archtype hero, Treavor Goodchild, is in high-standing withe the government considering he is part of the dynasty along with his corrupt brother, who has taken to killing those who can get pregnantor anyone rebelling against his control. Treavor and Aeon take action upon this corrupt govenment. This leads to an action packed hostile takeover.

[zukazamme]

Another Dystopian movie is Casshern...

This movie is entirely in Japanese:argue:with English subtitles, so if you are one to watch a movie by listening to it you might have trouble with this one.;)

The movie itself takes place a ways in the future, like usual, and at the beginning of the movie a war ends.:banana:The war was between Eastern Army and Europa which was comprised entirely of robots. The weapons used covered the entire specturm including Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical. So the humans killed the technology:crash:, but society was far from perfect. The government is very controlling and doesn't like things that are different unless they themselves are in charge of it. Since the government is mainly comprised of the older generation and they are sick:sick:and dying they had the idea:idea:to fund research into the "Neo Cell" which was a super cell that had regenerative properties and was discovered by the main characters father.:thumbs_upThe sons of the corporational heads didn't like this idea since they wanted to be in charge of the company.

Research is heading slowly into this unknown territory:(, and people are starting to grow impatient. The main problem was not that the cell wasn't working, in fact they were able to grow various body parts, they just didn't know how to make it live.:confused:This alien:alien:spike comes plummeting down into the research center and invigorates the Neo Cells. All the body parts come together and form these "mutants":eek:who want to be friendly:wave:, but instead are immediatly discriminated against, which of course makes them very angry.:rage: So they rebuild the robot armies.

The main character actually dies in the beginning and gets infused with the Neo Cells making him have amazing powers.:D So now the society is being oppressed from multiple directions and our hero tries to fix things. I'm not going to say anything more since that is pretty much the entire beginning and that's enough to set the scene.:p

[nyka]

I've read Brave New World by Huxley and 1984 by Orwell. I'm not sure but I think there is a difference between antiutopia and dystopia. Dystopia is about unrealized utopia and antiutopia is a parody of utopia. What do you think about difference between antiutopia and dystopia?

[Nico87]

Argh, I've always wanted a hardcover copy of We. I can only find one copy which have a goodlooking dustjacket on abebooks, but I'm not going to pay $420.

[missreader]

I'm reading A Clockwork Apple, by Belinda Webb - dystopian! It's about a gang of girls who are living in a dystopian Manchester, trying to lead their own lives, and trying to evade conformity to a heavy-handed addiction therapy 'culture'. It's obviously inspired by A Clockwork Orange yet it has it's own distinctive language, using old words and is about totalitarianist addiction therapy used to keep people down. Another favourite is Animal Farm, as well as The Handmaid's Tale.

[Pipidar1991]

One of my favorite dystopian pieces The Minority Report…

This action-packed movie is set in a futuristic society, in which crime is carefully monitored by a unit called Pre-crime. Pre-crime uses the brains of pre-cogs, or unique human beings able to see a crime before it occurs, to communicate future crimes to officers in order to prevent the events from happening.

The main character, Anderton, is an officer of pre-crime. One day the one female pre-cog, who usually lies somewhat dormant, grabs Anderton and shows him an image of a murder of a woman many years ago. Anderton makes it his mission to find out the truth behind the murder. While on this mission, he discovers that the pre-cogs have a vision of him killing someone, and he quickly becomes the target of the system that he had for so long been a servant to.

As a result he is left to solve the mystery of a murdered woman while running away from the cops, himself.

The use of Pre-crime in this society portrays the common aspect of surveillance that is seen in many dystopian works. With the use of the pre-cogs, along with other surveillance techniques, the government is able to constantly monitor the actions of its citizens in order to ensure that the people stay under its control. The best way for them to make sure that no one goes against them is to prevent it before it can even happen.

This movie will keep you guessing with a surprise around every corner, plus it is dystopian, and what can beat that? It is definitely a movie worth watching.

[h.i.]

Another piece of Dystopian work is the movie "Stepford Wives." This movie depicts the issue of male dominance in society. In order to disregard the issue of men and women equality this society is created. Then, women are made subservient to men. This shows what our society may lead to because men are being given more respect and power. Also, the movie empowers women to not become what women are depicted in the movie as. Since women are depicted as domestic freaks. All the wives are perfect in that they are all blonde, nicely figure, and dressy colorfully. They even exercise in their full frocks and makeup.

Also, the movie contains many characteristics of a dystopian piece. The story contains traces of the past, but also mantains a futuristic setting. The movie is set in a small suburb in Conneticut, but all the women are robots! Also, the society is ruled by a totalitarian force, an ideal couple named the Wellingtons. Also, conformity is extremely encouraged in this society.

This movie is extremely entertaining and is very easy to understand; however, its dystopian society gives it new and profound meaning.

[Neo93]

Whoops! I posted more than once! See below:crash:

[Neo93]

Hey again! I think the caffine may be making me hit the post button too many times in a row!:alien:

[Neo93]

All right, while we're on the topic of Dystopian movies...

If anyone has seen "The Matrix" (PG-13), there is actually a lot of dystopian imagery when you look past all of the incredibly awesome action scenes. For thos of you who haven't seen the Matrix, the basic synopsis of the story involves a war raging between humans and some of thier Artificial Intelligence based machines. At some point in the early 21st century, the human race suceeded in creating Artificial intelligence and created a mass network of "machines" that soon turned on thier human creators. After a short war, the machines, desperate for a source of energy, subjagated the human race and basically turned the humans into bateries by absorbing thier heat and electrical energy. They were able to do this by creating a complicated computer society called the matrix which serves as a prison for the humans. Basically, the humans are "plugged in" and do not realize that the world which they live in (which bears a significant similarity to ours) is a computer geberated false reality. "The Matrix" involves the quest of a small band of human rebels led by Morpheus and the main character Neo to overthrow the rule of the machines.

Before analyzing the dystopia of the Matrix, let me go ahead and say that it is definitely worth watching. The action scenes and fights were like the best scenes I've ever seen in a movie, and the story line wa second to none in terms of being interesting and original.

But anyway...
Throught "The Matrix", there are many dystopian elements, portrayed both inside and outside of the computer matrix. Firstly, the amount of information given to the main characters, even when they escape the matrix, is extremely small. Inside the matrix, Neo has absolutely no idea that what he percieves is not real, and outside the matrix, no one knows the actual date. By diliberately limiting the amount of information that the human resistance and race accumulate, the machines have built a powerful mechanism for empowering themselves over the humans. Another important element of this movie that rings true of other famous dystopian texts, like 1984, The Island, The Giver, and Fahrenheit 451 Is the illusion of a perfect society which the Machines portray. Although the Matrix is far from a perfect world, it comforts and helps almost all of the humans, making them dependant on the very system that imprisoons them to live. Even Neo has trouble releasing the presence of the Matrix after he is rescued by Morpheus. This, even more than the actual power of the machinjes, keeps the human race from rebeling. To them, the Matrix offers the best solution.

All in All, "The Matrix" is an incredible movie, and takes on a very deep meaning as a ystopian work. If you're looking for a really easy to understand love story, "The Matrix" may not be exactly what you're looking for, but the storyline and actual shooting of the movie are pretty much flawless.

PS: If you haven't figured out from my avatar and my username, Neo93, I'm a huge Matrix fan. Props to the Wachowski Brothers!

[TheKatInTheHat]

One of my favorite movies, The Island, just happens to be dystopian... It is one of those movies you can watch 20 times and still not get bored. The main character, Lincoln 6 Echo (Ewan McGregor), is a resident of a futuristic controlled environment which he must now live in due to a worldwide “contamination”. Although we never learn what the contamination is…. Lincoln and all of the others living in the Institute are to follow the rules given, such as strict diets and behavior patterns. The residents all wear white and are taught to the level of 15 year-olds. The only hope that they have is to one day get their chance to live on the last uncontaminated place on the earth, the Island. Each day the anticipated lottery announces the winners who will be traveling to said island. The movie opens with a peaceful trip on a boat until the travelers are attacked and held underwater. He wakes up and is informed by his wall screen about his nightmares and is scheduled for an appointment with Dr. Merrick (Sean Bean), the guy who runs the place.

A horrifying encounter confirms Lincoln's uneasieness about the institution when he ventures out into sector 7. Disguised as a nurse, he veiws the nights previous winner cut open and his organs harvested. Lincon discovers that there is no island...

Lincoln’s best friend is a female named Jordan 2 Delta (Scarlett Johansson), although he is unable to touch her due to the proximity rules with the opposite gender. After Jordan wins the lottery, he takes immediate action in trying to save her, so he convinces her to run away with him out into the unprotected world. After figuring out that the “contamination” is all a hoax, and that they are just clones or “insurance policies” for their famous counterparts, they ask the supervisor from sector 7, McCord, for help. They then go on the biggest adventure of their lifetimes and Lincoln even gets to meet his owner, the man to whom he was cloned from, which turns out to be a disaster.

The viewer learns that Dr. Merrick is running an underground cloning facility. The people who buy his "insurance policies" are enticed bythe chance to cheat death. They are lead to believe that their clones are simply bags of organs, incapable of cognition. Dr. Merrick keeps the real clones supressed by implanting childhood memories of the contamination. So is the desire to go the the island. The clones are constantly monitored by television screens and buff guards.

Most of the clones seem content with their lives, however, Lincoln wants to know more. He dreams of life outside the island and questions how contaninated it can be if they keep bringing more people in. A synaptic scan done by Dr. Merrick reveals that miraculously Lincoln has acquired his sponsor's memories. I won't spoil the end but there are enough car chases with cool futuristic cars, explosions and deception to please the whole family.

Uniforms, unreliable memories, television screens, seperated sexes, murder, good v evil, generic name, assassins, and a main who dares question what is true... unarguably dystopian.

[flgirl073]

Waterworld is a 1995 movie staring Kevin Costner that portrays life in the future after the polar ice caps have melted and the world is flooded. This movie has many dystopian aspects that relate to many of the dystopian works we have read. Like other dystopian literature, Waterworld sends a message and warning to today’s society. Although it is not specifically said in the movie, something dealing with global warming obviously caused the melting of the polar ice caps. The flooding of the world is an extreme consequence, but it shows that we need to act now in order to prevent other problems. Also the main character in Waterworld takes actions in order to rebel from society. He tries to discover the small amount of land left on earth while keeping it from Deacon, the bad guy of the film. The Mariner wants to use the land for good unlike Deacon. Waterworld is not only a great work of dystopian literature, but also an interesting and intriguing movie. This film leaves one on the edge of his or her seat, anticipating the next adventure. Anyone searching for a great piece of dystopian literature must look no further than Waterworld.

[BigPapi34]

Most people have read Lois Lowry's The Giver, but I found her companion novel, Gathering Blue equally as intriguing. The style is very similar to The Giver, in that it is very simplistic writing, but the dystopian theme is as relevant in this novel as it is in any of the great books of the genre. Despite the seeming simplicity of the book, there are certainly plenty of literary features including color symbolism (see the title). You should be able to read this book in one sitting if you have a good attention span, which, makes it less overwhelming of an undertaking, and you will be able to move on to the more complex dystopian novels because this one will not waste your time. I have not yet read the third book in this trilogy, but I understand that the connections between this one and the third are stronger than those between the first two, but it is intriguing nonetheless to make connections between The Giver and Gathering Blue. This is not the best book I've ever read, but it is worthwhile if you are studying the dystopian genre.

[L'EngleLover]

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Have you read The Giver? If you have (or have not), I definitely recommend its sequel to you. The dystopian society of Gathering Blue is one of a "primitive future" where people, although fortunately constrained by a system of rules, have little feeling or compassion for others. Physical imperfection is not tolerated, and parents routinely beat their children. The protagonist of the novel, Kira, is an orphan with a twisted leg, atomatically making her an outcast (soon to be killed!) of this harsh civilization. However, her gifted weaving abilities spare her life and grant her certain privelges as a community member with the ability to preserve history. But what of the mysteries and secrets of her world, including the Forest of "Beasts" that supposedly claimed the life of her father? Or the disease that her mother died from, coincidently spreading to noone else? Is Kira's world doomed to corruption and turmoil forever, or will she and her equally gifted friends be able to transform it into one of peace and harmony?

The only way you can find out is by reading this book. It is truly amazing. Trust me, I would rather take a 0 for this 5 point assignment than lie; its really that good. But then again, I love all of Lois Lowry's books. I recoomend that you read The Giver first, then Gathering Blue, and last The Messenger. You will fall in love with this loose trilogy and the ways that it reflects societal issues of today.

[IBREAL]

The best dystopian movie in the world is the fifth element. It has many of the dystopian elements but it also has the common elements of normal movies. It is hilarious in combination with action fighting. It is set in the future which makes you wonder what the future will be like. It is different from the average movie. It has aliens and spiritual beings. It is full of color and excitment. It also has great actors that make the movie spectacular. I suggest you all see this movie because it will bring you many laughs.

[pink591]

A dystopian movie that I would suggest would be Minority Report. This movie exposes the entire dystopian style in a fascinating manner.

As the movie begins, the main character, Anderton, who is apart of the Pre-crime branch, is seen trying to figure out the details of a future murder. He uses a set of people called the pre-cogs to help him see the future and understand what will happen next. The pre-cogs can lead him to the time and date of the murder, the murderer's name, and the victim's name. He has to do further research, looking at the clips, to find the location of the crime. Anderton barely makes it to the scene of the crime.

As the movie goes on, and Anderton returns to pre-crime, he finds out that there will be a murder in exactly 36 hours which will be committed by him. As he is on the run, he is also trying to figure out another mystery.

This is a great movie, filled with edging mystery which is presented to the audience in a dystopian manner.

[elp101]

I’d have to agree with The Stepford Wives. Though I haven’t yet read the book by Ira Levin, I highly recommend the movie made in 2004. It has an awesome cast who put on a believable show. Nicole Kidman plays Joanna, a powerful business woman who has recently been fired and whose more submissive husband Walter (Matthew Broderick) encourages her to abandon the busy city atmosphere for a quiet life in the suburbs. But Stepford, Connecticut is not quite what they planned for. The picturesque town is abnormally perfect, and as Joanna and her two friends begin to investigate, they discover what is behind these robotic housewives. Both hilarious and suspenseful, The Stepford Wives keeps you laughing on the edge of your seat until the very end.
Though highly entertaining, this movie also communicates an interesting message. It conveys, as in many other dystopian works, that in our imperfect world, a utopia is impossible. We cannot all be perfect housewives or ideal working husbands. Every marriage is different with the husband and wife playing various roles in each. It’s okay for the woman to work from 9-5 and the father to raise the children. Husbands with powerful wives should not feel intimidated, but lucky to have found such a wonderful woman to spend his life with. It is up to the two people in the relationship to decide how to live, not some arbitrary standard or overrated stereotype. “Variety is the spice of life.”

[BABi 0G]

A dystopian movie that I would suggest is Gattaca. This movie demonstrates many dystopian elements in ways that our society is currently heading.

In a society that uses a genetic database to instantly identify and classify people into "Valids" and "In-Valids," Vincent was born an "In-Valid." As the movie begins the main character, Vincent, has assumed the false identity of a member of the genetic elite, Jerrome, in order to pursue his life-long dream of traveling into space. A week before his mission into space (Titan), the murder of the general and a fallen eyelash marks Vincent as a suspect.

As the story unwinds, Vincent has to constantly keep on his toes to ensure that he does not get caught.

This exciting yet mysterious and thought-provoking movie will engage you keeping you extremely anxious to the end. I really recommend this movie and anyone searching for a good movie should really consider this!

[tymper]

As mentioned before, Minority Report is a great dystopian film. It has the attributes of an excellent dystopian piece of literature, while still having action packed scenes and a mysterious plotline. Based on short stories by Philip K. Dick, the movie follows Anderton (Tom Cruise) as he is running away from the Precrime unit that he was once in charge of. Precrime is an agency that apprehends murderers before the crime is actually committed. They get their information from three “precogs,” people that have visions of murders that have yet to occur. These visions provide the victim and the murderer and the time or date, but they do not include the location of the crime. This is the job of the people like Anderton- to piece together the elements of the vision and figure out the crime before it can actually happen. Every one of these visions is considered to be the truth, although sometimes the precogs do not agree in their visions. When this happens, the one that does not agree with the other two is disregarded (hence- the MINORITY report…the report that doesn’t count). However, when the precogs show that Anderton himself will be a murderer, he must escape and solve the mystery of his own crime before it actually happens. While on the run, he must be aware of anything that can give him up- including sensors that can scan his eyes and know his identity. This is a thrilling movie that will leave you on your seat; it’s like three movies in one- a mystery, an action movie, and a futuristic (set in 2054), dystopian movie.

[tymper]

oh and of course, Minority Report is super-dystopian because of the measures that are taken to completely eliminate crime in the society. Even though no one truly knows if the precogs are right, the so-called murderers are never given a chance to have any type of explanation for the crime that they have not yet committed. Any single person in the vision is immidietely apprehended..hmmm.

Also, the use of visions has been seen in many dystopian pieces before- namely The Giver and also some in Orwell's 1984. Although not a big portion of dystopian literature, it serves as a link between a higher power that seems to control societies, but also serves as a type of rebel that works to overcome the influences of the societies.

Again, this is an awesome dystopian movie..everyone should definitely see it, whether a fan of dystopian films or not!

[iloveenglish3]

My favorite piece of dystopian work is I, Robot, the movie based off of Isaac Asimov's short stories. This movie was released in 2004 and stars Will Smith. I, Robot takes place in the year 2035 in a society where people have become dependent on robots to get through everyday tasks. There are three laws that govern the robots. The first law states that a robot cannot harm a human being or let a human being come into harm. The second law states that the robots must do everything the humans say as long as it doesn't conflict with law one. The third law states that the robots must do everything to protect themselves as long as it doesn't conflict with law one and two. Everyone is reliant and trusting of these robots except for one detective, Del Spooner. When Dr. Lanning, one of the scientists behind the creation of the robots, falls from his window and is accused of suicide, Spooner believes that he was actually killed by a robot. This would mean that the robot who committed the crime would have had to break one of the laws. If this is true, Spooner must quickly solve the problem with the robots or the robots can truly become a danger to society.

This piece of dystopian work is not only my favorite because of the action and suspense it possesses, but also because of its dystopian elements. Like many dystopian works, the main character is one who does not agree with society and wants to do something to change it or at least point out its flaws. The main character in this movie does not trust the robots and the work they do and wants to show that entrusting these robots with human lives in not necessarily the best thing. Also, like other dystopian works, this movie is trying convey a message about reform needed in current society. This movie is trying to show that human technology is becoming more and more advanced everyday, and that this isn't necessarily a good thing. Technology is becoming so smart and advanced that it may become to advanced for humans. It is showing that although humans have control over technology right now, if technology progresses, in the future technology will have control over humans. This work can also be a demonstration of how reliant humans have become on technology and how the greatness of a person is no longer determined by how smart a human is but by how much technology they possess.

If you haven't seen I, Robot yet, I highly recommend renting it!

[rani2230]

If you're in search of a great dystopian movie, try The Stepford Wives. This is a great movie featuring Nicole Kidman and Matthew Broderick as a married couple. This movie will leave you wondering about the possibilities.

The Stepford Wives is a great movie to consider as a dystopian piece. This movie portrays all aspects of a dystopia from power and control to the way the characters act. Power and control is seen through Claire, the wife of the town mayor. She controls all of the women in Stepford, Connecticut. The society in which these women live in, is very much totalitarian. Everything is controlled. The way they act, dress, and say is planned out. The totalitarian society gives the movie a more dystopian-like touch because the members of such a society is demanded to oblige. Another aspect of dystopian literature is seen through the characters. All of them are identical, which can be related to the short story, "Harrison Bergeron." In the story, all of the characters were equally beautiful and equally intelligent. These are just some aspects of dystopian literature that are portrayed in this movie.

This movie is a great film for family night! So, next time you want to have family night, go get The Stepford Wives.

[Kappy22]

I, Robot is a modern day version of dystopian literatture. It shows us what will eventually become of us one day if we don't keep in check the technology that we're creating and using. Will Smith plays the character of a robot-hating cop perfectly, even though he has a robotic arm (from an accident involving a little girl and a robot). He seems to have a good sense of what it used to be like without robots (or maybe it's just he hates robots and loves "vintage" shoes.) He understands that people need to be around people and not robots, because robots don't have the emotional capabilities that humans do, if you don't count Sonny. There are also various uses of color symbolism in I, Robot (greys, blues and blacks that show the depressed atmosphere of the city, and colorful hues in Gigi's house to show the warm, loving, care-ness of home. Check out I, Robot if you haven't already and enjoy the dystopian elements in it!

[LoLXD]

The Chronicles of Riddick, is also a modern day movie version of dystopian literature. It shows what happens when one group of people becomes too powerful in socitey. Vin Diesel plays the role of Riddick a wanted fugitive, and also by the race of Necromongers leader the Lord Marshall. Riddick has a street wise attitude, and seems very arrogant at times, but in the end he comes through for himself and the other that were counting on him defeating the Lord Marshall. The tone of this whole movie is meant to be dark and depressing, this is evident with this many battles and prison scenes throughout the movie. Riddick is tired of running from everywhere he goes and after they take his long time friend, Jack (female), he finally stands up to the necromongers and fights their leader. i will not spoil the ending for those who have not seen the movie, so go check this movie out it is always a very thrilling movie to watch and also has many of the dystopian elements discussed previously.

[Pumpkin]

If you're really looking for a dystopian movie, then I highly recommend Soylent Green. Released in 1973, the movie is set in 2022, where overpopulation, pollution, and global warming have taken their tole. Unemployment is high, literacy can no longer be taken for granted, and certain people are even referred to as "furniture". "Real" food is so scarce that only the extremely wealthy can afford it, the rest of society being forced to subsist on the synthetic food products Soylent Yellow, Soylent Red, and the very popular Soylent Green. When riots break out as a result of too little of even these synthetic foods the people are scooped up into machines as though they were dirt. At the end of the movie we discover, along with the rest of that society, that the ever popular Soylent Green is made of people. Nothing more clearly illustrates the loss of the people's humanity in this movie than that. This is similar to the short story "Harrison Bergeron" that in that work as well, people's humanity is stripped from them.

[valleyjune]

I liked all the movies you mentioned, probably I prefer Gattaca. As for literature I adore Clive Barker's works and above and most of all Ender's trilogy by Orson Scott Card. I could let the books down!!!! Something not to be missed by the lovers of the genre...

[valleyjune]

Sorry, of course I meant that I could not let the books down -it would be a joke otherwise :-)))

[manolia]

I liked all the movies you mentioned, probably I prefer Gattaca. As for literature I adore Clive Barker's works and above and most of all Ender's trilogy by Orson Scott Card. I could let the books down!!!! Something not to be missed by the lovers of the genre...

Yeay for Clive Barker :thumbs_up (i don't find often CB fans in these forums). Welcome Valleyjune :D

[valleyjune]

Yeay for Clive Barker :thumbs_up (i don't find often CB fans in these forums). Welcome Valleyjune :D

Well, nice to meet you :wave: My favourites are "Everville" and "Weaveworld". Which are yours?

[manolia]

Weavenworld and the books of blood ;) Nice too meet you too. Hope you stick around :)

[valleyjune]

Hope you stick around :)

I'll be here... :D

[cipherdecoy]

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess.

Am I late? :alien:

[wonderwall]

for a somewhat lighter novel i reccomend Fatherland by Robert Harris, he manages to achieve a balance between drama and history. it contains many Orwellian devices and is a pretty good read, if a bit light.

[jikan myshkin]

anything by J.G Ballard, then again i could argue that the books are now as opposed to the future, even the past

[_Shannon_]

What about Crash by JG Ballard??

[_Shannon_]

LOL-- guess I ought to have read the whole thread before I posted :blush:

[jikan myshkin]

LOL-- guess I ought to have read the whole thread before I posted :blush:

haha, i do that too! some just seem so long if you haven't been with them from the first moment! laziness eh ;)

[Statistic]

Brave New World was a dystopia? Hmmm, seemed like the perfect society to me. It puzzles me that even Huxley described it as "the horror". What is horrible about a place where most people have a purpose, live in peace, and for the most part are content?

My favorite genuine dystopia story is Brandon Sanderson's Elantris. In this fantasy novel, anyone might wake up with legions and bruises on their body, which marks them as "chosen by the Shoad". They are then dragged off to the city of Elantris, where the chosen ones spend eternity in starvation and conflict. Wounds in Elantris don't heal and pain never dulls, so the chosen ones must avoid injury at all costs.

The Mistborn series (also by Sanderson) tells the tale of Allomancers who fight against the tyrant Lord Ruler. Entire world is a dystopia, very original magic system.

[liesl]

Brave New World was a dystopia? Hmmm, seemed like the perfect society to me. It puzzles me that even Huxley described it as "the horror". What is horrible about a place where most people have a purpose, live in peace, and for the most part are content?



Having just completed my university dissertation on both Nineteen Eighty-Four and Brave New World, I can agree in part with this arguement. While Brave New World is generally thought of as a dystopian text it can be argued that the majority of society's citizens are perfectly content with their scientifically manipulated, drug fuelled existence.

My arguement, for my dissertation, largely stated that the existence presented by the society was dystopian in effect due to the efforts made by the rulers of said society to harness control over their subjects, unethically (without prior consent), through the use of scientific and technological advancement.

Either arguement can be presented, it all depends upon how fully the reader accepts the use of science, as it can be understood as either beneficial to the individuals or as a controlling influence.

[mzmarymack]

I haven't read Brave New World, but I've read 1984 and A Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood.

In 1984, couldn't you say that everyone has a choice? They just all end up choosing to be submissive to the Party, intentionally at first, and then unconsciously as time goes on. I'm not saying that 1984 isn't a dystopian... just trying to play devil's advocate. :)

One thing that I found impressive about the party is that it cut through the crap. O'Brien said that the party wanted power. He acknowledged that their goals were not for the common good of anyone but the Inner Party members.

"The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power... We are different from all the oligarchies of the past, in that we know what we are doing. All the others, even those who resembled ourselves, were cowards and hypocrites....They pretended, perhaps they even believed, that they had seized power unwillingly and for a limited time, and that just round the corner there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal. We are not like that. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power."

If nothing else, that exudes brutal honesty.

If you prick us, do we not bleed?
Where is that from? Why does it sound so familiar...?

[Hank Stamper]

One thing that I found impressive about the party is that it cut through the crap. O'Brien said that the party wanted power. He acknowledged that their goals were not for the common good of anyone but the Inner Party members.


isnt this orwell's point about the ills of communism/totalitarianism and his indictment against it.. everything is veiled in altruism, but really it is all just for personal gain/maintaining power

[LitNetIsGreat]

If you prick us, do we not bleed?
Where is that from? Why does it sound so familiar...?

Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice.

[mzmarymack]

isnt this orwell's point about the ills of communism/totalitarianism and his indictment against it.. everything is veiled in altruism, but really it is all just for personal gain/maintaining power

Dang. I never made that connection!
By the way, I was thinking about Syme, the Newspeak Dictionary guy. He's so orthodox, yet he gets vaporized. The government isn't happy with its citizens wholeheartedly believing in it. It wants thousands of copies of one mold as the ideal citizen. It's like natural selection... or artificial selection, I guess. Survival of the _______.
Most ignorant? Most sheep-like? Baaaa


And thanks, Neely.

[kelby_lake]

Brave New World was a dystopia? Hmmm, seemed like the perfect society to me. It puzzles me that even Huxley described it as "the horror". What is horrible about a place where most people have a purpose, live in peace, and for the most part are content?


It is not a dystopia for them, but for us it is. They have no real emotion and have become purely robotic, victims of science.Art and everything else has gone out of the window.

[WICKES]

Brave New World was a dystopia? Hmmm, seemed like the perfect society to me. It puzzles me that even Huxley described it as "the horror". What is horrible about a place where most people have a purpose, live in peace, and for the most part are content?

.

I agree, it does seem very appealing. I think people misunderstand that novel if they think they are supposed to find it an unpleasant place. Huxley's point is that happiness comes at a price- life is shallow, empty and meaningless and the inhabitants are fundamentally contemptible because they never suffer. Because they never suffer there is no need for courage, nobility, dignity, self sacrafice, endurance etc, in other words the very things that make human beings bearable.

I guess Huxley also had strong mystical leanings and thought life should be devoted to realising our higher mystical self- getting beyond the ego and all that. So to him this society was a horror because it left no room for this kind of exploration and growth.

Having said all that there are times when I honestly much prefer Huxley's so- called dystopia to this world.

[mystery_spell]

We had a whole unit in English class of my sophomore year in high school on Dystopian literature. We read Lord of the Flies, Animal Farm, Gulliver's Travels, Brave New World, 1984, among others.

[teejay17]

We had a whole unit in English class of my sophomore year in high school on Dystopian literature. We read Lord of the Flies, Animal Farm, Gulliver's Travels, Brave New World, 1984, among others.

Sounds like a really fun class.

[Mariamosis]

I am unsure whether this has been mentioned, however, Jack London's dystopian novel 'The Iron Heel' seems to be a great example. I haven't finished reading it, but it is excellent so far.

[mal4mac]

J.G. Ballard has written several Dystopian novels. I keep on meaning to re-read his early ones, like "The Drowned World". I read "Super-Cannes" recently and thought it worth reading, though I preferred 'Concrete Island', which isn't really a dystopian novel. 'The Time machine' by H.G. Wells can be looked at as a dystopian novel, given that his hero travels to a very bleak future society.

[teejay17]

I am unsure whether this has been mentioned, however, Jack London's dystopian novel 'The Iron Heel' seems to be a great example. I haven't finished reading it, but it is excellent so far.

I did not know London did dystopian.

[African_Love]

Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents (I can't remember which follows which) by Octavia Butler. It's not her best work though, I think her A Seed To Harvest series was. I'm currently reading 1984 and I love it.

[Mariamosis]

I did not know London did dystopian.

I didn't realize this either, however, I came across this book online and found out otherwise. I am guessing that it is his only dystopian book, but I am not 100%.

[Pollopicu]

Dystopian lit is on my top 3 favorite genres.

I lived in a hell. A hell on earth that no one can imagine. A hell that made me think it was justified to commit murder. A hell that is my sin because now I hate, and I will hate on my death bed, for someone who is a cockroach, and not even worth a thought. I worry about my salvation, all because of a cockroach and it's friends.

[Emil Miller]

Dystopian lit is on my top 3 favorite genres.

I lived in a hell. A hell on earth that no one can imagine. A hell that made me think it was justified to commit murder. A hell that is my sin because now I hate, and I will hate on my death bed, for someone who is a cockroach, and not even worth a thought. I worry about my salvation, all because of a cockroach and it's friends.

Sounds like a severe case of liberal democracy.
Hell is other people only if they are allowed to be.

[Pollopicu]

Easier said than done, my friend.

[Emil Miller]

Easier said than done, my friend.

I take it that NY in your avatar means New York City and, without wishing to presume, from this side of the Atlantic the equation appears to be:

Lindsay = the problem.
Giuliani = the solution.

[Pollopicu]

NY has been very good to me. It's not NYC, at all.

[barbarian]

Thanks for an amazing thread. My personal favorites include mostly these classics:

- George Orwell: 1984; Animal Farm
- Ray Bradbury: Fahrenheit 451
- Aldous Huxley: Brave New World
- H. G. Wells: The Time Machine

1984 and Brave New World are easily the best of the bunch but I enjoyed these all. Wikipedia has a good list (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dystopian_literature) of dystopian novels, but I guess I will browse through this thread instead to choose what to read next. :)

[spookymulder93]

I still say F451 is the best I've read. The dystopian genre is the most interesting imo.

[DonovanTalbot]

John Wyndham may fall under this catagory for The Chrysalids and Day of the Triffids. Some of his other works well they don't fulfill the qualifications as dystopian really.

Day of the Triffids is my personal favorite.

Also my favorite Richard Bachman (King pseudonym) book, The Long Walk.

And Battle Royale by Koushun Takami.

[TJx]

I don't think it's been mentioned but Sinclair Lewis' "It Can't Happen Here" could also be included.

[Tallon]

I did not know London did dystopian.

London also has a short novel/story called The Scarlett Plague, about a plague that wipes out the earth. I really enjoyed it.

[kelby_lake]

I read a bit of this really weird Verne novel:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_in_the_Twentieth_Century

[TJx]

Here is some pretty good commentary with more ideas for dystopian books by a Washington State professor that I stumbled across:

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/science_fiction/451.htm