Dystopia in Literature Essay Example

V for Vendetta, V, the only survivor of government biological experiments on Its citizens, Is motivated by both revenge and Idealistic plans for freeing England from fascist rule and restoring democracy. Like Winston, who has allowed fear to beat him, V, with almost superman qualities recognizes that "Fear became the ultimate tool of this government" and shows the citizens of London and Eve, In particular, that there Is nothing to fear. Through destroying all of the leading figures of Innersole, the fascist party, he encourages and motivates the oppressed citizens to stand up against their government.

V, himself is prepared to be a martyr for democracy. He does not fear death and knows his actions cannot be stopped; "Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there Is an idea, Mr..

Greedy, and Ideas are bulletproof" While his violent actions, solely based on his personal beliefs, are reminiscent of a terrorist, he suggests that, in order to bring 1 OFF One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the two main characters, McCarthy and Broaden, react differently to Nurse Ratchet's total control of the ward, which shares similar characteristics to the governments of 1984 and V for Vendetta by removing individual freedom and privacy. Broaden, who has been taken over by the 'combine', for some time, lives in constant fear and has a fog' in his mind where he tries to hide away from reality.

Because of his past experience with white people and his white mother who 'crushed' him by treating him as invisible, he feels powerless and does not believe he can overcome Ratchet. Instead, he pretends to be dumb and deaf

in an attempt to be as 'invisible' as possible; "They don't bother not talking out loud about their hate secrets when I'm nearby because they think I'm deaf and dumb. " In contrast, McCarthy is full of confidence, a free spirit who is not afraid to say what he thinks.

Initially, his defiant actions against Ratchet's dictatorship were for selfish reasons, to waste time and irritate her; muff want bet? One week.

I bet in one week, I can put a bug so far up her ass she won't know whether to sit or wind her wristwatch. " However, when he sees how she controls her helpless patients, he decides to help by rebelling and encouraging other patients, including Broaden, to fight against Ratchet's tyranny. While Mummy's determination to free the ward ultimately results in his death, he succeeds in overthrowing Ratchet which enables patients to take control of their lives.

This not only reveals McCarthy as a true hero, but also shows that an individual can overcome oppression by acting unselfishly.

Montage, the protagonist in Fahrenheit 451, takes a different approach to his oppressive and censored society which bans all literature to 'dumb down' its citizens. As a fireman who burns books, he is initially a 'good citizen', following the government's rules. However, his encounter with Claries changes his perspective of society as he discovers that a lack of literature has made society a worse place to live in.

His fascination with books grows; "There must be something in books, something we can't imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don't stay for nothing.

"

After being chased down by the government for his forbidden actions, Montage Joins a group of underground intellectuals who share the same goal of bringing back the world of literature. His actions emphasis his growing belief in the importance of literature, realizing that the government is destroying the power of intellectual thinking to retain power and prevent any opposition to its repressive rule.

Q) What are the similarities and differences between the texts? All of the texts have a disappoint theme with dictators or totalitarian governments using violence, murder ND censorship to achieve total control over their citizens. For example, Nurse Ratchet, in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest, emasculates and verbally abuses her patients with the result that some commit suicide. The disappoint theme results in the people under the authority having no power.

This is evident in 1984 and V for Vendetta, where humanity is oppressed by a totalitarian government.

There is no freedom or privacy; telecasters watch your every move in 1984 and there is a strict curfew in V for Vendetta. As in Nazi Germany under Hitler, they also have ruthless punishments for disobedience. The repression of academics as a way of removing Party members who knew too much about their government were simply eradicated; "People simply disappeared, always during the night.

Your name was removed from the registers, every record of everything you had ever done was wiped out, your one- time existence was denied and then forgotten. You were abolished, annihilated: vaporized was the usual word. In Fahrenheit 451, the government banned the use of literature, preventing any intellectual thinking and questioning of the government; Mimi don't have to

burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.

However, there is individual opposition and rebellion in each oppressed society; McCarthy battle against Ratchet in One Flew over the Cuckoo's nest, Vs. violent attacks on Nurseries in V for Vendetta, Montage attempt to preserve and bring back literature in Fahrenheit 451 , and Winston struggle against the power of Big Brother by Joining a bogus resistance organization, Brotherhood, in 1984.

While Winston fails to achieve his goal when he becomes terrified into passivity, others succeed in overcoming the tyrant-run dictatorships and freeing the people. For example, McCarthy destruction of Ratchet brings independence back to the ward hill Vs. assassination of Mortifier's political leaders and destruction of parliament in V for Vendetta suggests the human quest for freedom from tyranny is difficult to defeat. Although success cannot be said of Montage, who Joins an underground network of intellectuals, he faces a promising future as he intends to rebuild his atomic bombed society with literature and wisdom.

Q) How do these disappoint stories accurately predict society's trend? The societal problems identified in my texts have become today's reality. Our increasingly oppressive and law obsessed society is revealed in the mental hospital nit in One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. The patients are excluded from the 'outside' world because of their lack of ability to adjust to its rules and act in a way that society deems 'normal'. Similarly, minorities and eccentrics of today are often rejected and even seen as a threat by their societies.

This exclusion and ignorance isolate vulnerable individuals and often institutionalizes and dehumidifies them by a total takeover of

mind and body with excessive force, cruelty and drug control. The individuals soon learn that the only way to survive is through passive obedience. Many commit suicide in their despair and frustration. In the 21st century, it is worrying to see our growing addiction with electronic media for information and entertainment as predicted in Fahrenheit 451.

The parlous walls and the tiny radio devices from the novel bear a striking resemblance to today's TV's, Tablets and pods which are replacing books.

Although our current society doesn't ban literature, with the development of technology, we are certainly moving away from it. We risk becoming the people of Fahrenheit 451 who are weak-minded with no communication skills, turning to technology for answers instead. It is also disturbing to see the manipulative nature of the government led media. This is evident in 1984 and V for Vendetta as they warn that when politics Join hands with the media, it becomes a powerful tool to shape or even brainwash one's thought.

In 1984, the Strength", the Brotherhood books and the Victory products are all examples of propaganda created by the Party to control its citizens. This is no different to today, where astute manipulation of language is used by the media to control public opinion. The current uprising in Syria is a good example. AY-Sad's government's militants, whose inhumane attacks on its people left tens of thousands dead, are ladled 'heroic forces' by the local news while Free Syria Army (FSP) are labeled as a terrorist group, forcing the public to condemn the group that represents democracy.

With the government's influence, the news media has become a tool of

propaganda and misinformation. This is predicted in V for Vendetta when an employee of the British TV Network says to a colleague, "Our Job is to report the news, not fabricate it.

That's the government's Job. " The repressed populations of both V for Vendetta and 1984 are little different from citizens in today's communist countries like Belabors, North Korea and China. They are unable to resist or escape their corrupt disappoint governments and activists are seen as the government's no 1 enemy.

In China, citizens trying to report and correct police and government corruption are put into 'Black Jails', which are often disguised as mental hospitals, where they are abused and sent home. Its repressive system is very similar to Ratchet's ward in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest.

Like Nurseries, Big Brother and Ratchet, today's governments utilize fear and physical violence to control their people and prevent them from formulating any opposition or revolutionary ideas. Conclusion A dysfunctional society can result from violence, corruption and censorship.

The oppressive governments in V for Vendetta and 1984, Ratchet's dictatorship in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest and the censored society of Fahrenheit 451 all send a warning not to let governments become too powerful. As V puts it, "People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people".

It is alarming to look at our current governments creating more laws that take away individual freedom and invade privacy. We are becoming more violent, selfish and genealogy dependent, with the same technology being used against us, rather than to make our lives better.

However, the characters' rebellions against their oppressive societies

show that every individual holds the key to a successful society, but only if they recognize the danger. Otherwise, we may face a bleak future with consequences that have already been seen in the atrocities of the last century and, in fact, since human history has been recorded. There will always be more Ratchets, Big Brothers, probably sitting next to you in your classroom.

Their political ambition is already planning to make your future life better. Be vigilant.