Always look on the bleak side of life: The need for dystopian fiction in dire times
While it seems like readers should be turning to almost any other genre of fiction to escape the difficulties we are currently facing globally, the opposite seems to be the reality. According to Nielsen Bookscan, four of the top ten selling science fiction novels of 2020 were dystopian fiction. So, throughout a global pandemic and numerous lockdowns, why is the dystopian sub-genre continuing to succeed?
Perhaps given recent events, it’s not surprising that there is still a market for readers wanting to invest their time into reading about a darker alternative future. After all, according to Michael Gordin, author of Utopia/Dystopia: Conditions of Historical Possibility, a dystopia is not just an opposite of a utopia, but rather ‘a utopia that has gone wrong, or a utopia that functions only for a particular segment of society’ (Gordin et al., 2010). The coronavirus pandemic has shone a light on some of the inequalities present within society, from the luxury of a stable job and housing, to seemingly smaller issues like access to outdoor spaces when confined to our homes.
Dystopian fiction ultimately enables an objective perspective of our own society through allegory. Discussions of dystopias often talk about escapism, but in reality, dystopian fiction is intrinsically linked with our own societal structures. Shivani Bhasin, a journalist for Firstpost suggests that, in reading stories of dystopias, readers leave with ‘a clearer perception of what ails our present’ (Bhasin, 2020). Perhaps there is some catharsis to be gained from looking objectively at dire situations and drawing comparisons to our own current predicaments, trapped indoors, away from our loved ones, and looking at ways of getting through it.
While dystopian fiction draws parallels with current bleak events, more vitally the sub-genre is able to convey the potential of escape from these dystopian situations and of the potential for hope. The genre exists as a warning of events that could occur, but according to Caroline Zielinski, a journalist for The Guardian, the genre more importantly exists to ‘show us a way out’ (Zielinski, 2020), found through the action of the protagonist. Dystopian fiction is often not about the experiences of the character, but rather how they act in the face of these adversities. In the age of pandemics and lockdowns, there is no better allegory for reality than dystopian fiction. Through the medium of dystopias, readers can look to the dystopian inhabitants to see how to endure when freedoms are limited and the light at the end of the tunnel is a way off.
It is the opinion of Arizona State University professor P. W. Singer and Wall Street Journal reporter August Cole, that the authors of the genre are ‘oddly optimists at heart’ (Cole and Singer., 2020). Even in the direst of situations, the way out can be found through self-driven action and persistence, rather than through external intervention. Dystopian fiction often presents unsettling situations filled with fear and oppression, but dystopian narratives also ‘familiarise us with the process of the fall’ (Bhasin, 2020). It appears that even the darkest dystopias from the likes of Atwood and Orwell, eventually come to an end, thanks to the unity and hope of individuals. While the dystopian sub-genre will persist to draw parallels to reality for years to come, the genre shows its readership the power to overcome any dire situation sits inside us all and the seemingly dystopian real-life events readers currently face will eventually pass.
Bhasin, S. (2020) Reading dystopian fiction during the coronavirus pandemic: Genre’s prescience helps imagine a better future. The Guardian [Online] — Available at: https://www.firstpost.com/living/reading-dystopian-fiction-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-genres-prescience-helps-imagine-a-better-future-8332921.html [Date Accessed: 29/01/20]
Cole, A. and Singer, P. W., (2020) Why we need dystopian fiction more than ever. [Online] — Available at: https://slate.com/technology/2020/07/dystopian-fiction-coronavirus-pandemic.html [Date Accessed: 29/01/20]
Gordin, M. D., Tilley, H. and Prakash, G., (2010) Utopia/Dystopia: Conditions of Historical Possibility, Woodstock, Princeton University Press
Zielinski, C. (2020) I’ve been reading more dystopian fiction than ever during the corona crisis. Here’s why. The Guardian [Online] — Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/apr/08/ive-been-reading-more-dystopian-fiction-than-ever-during-the-corona-crisis-heres-why [Date Accessed: 29/01/20]
