Dysutopia - 1984 & A Handmaid's Tale

Discussion in 'Art & Culture' started by StepOnMe, Oct 23, 2003.

  1. StepOnMe Registered Senior Member

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    I'm doing an essay on the dysutopia of 1984 and A Handmaid's Tale. This is my thesis:

    In A Handmaid's tale and Nineteen-Eighty-four the main characters live in a dysutopian world due to the tolitarian goverment in which they live, their restriction of freedom and the physical pain they are exposed to.

    Do you think this is a fair thesis? If it needs to be altered, how do you think I could be more specific?

    P.S. If anyone knows alot about dysutopia and would like to reply bk it would be GREATLY appreciated as I am in DEEP touble. lol
     
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  3. nico Banned Banned

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    dysutopian world due to the tolitarian goverment in which they live, their restriction of freedom and the physical pain they are exposed to.


    I think the first two are pretty much the same thing, Gatz u know is going to say it. He said that you have to have three pretty distinct things to talk about. Look at my thesis on horror:

    The two main characters I will compare will be Dr.Monreau and Frankenstein; together they represent the three main ideas of both novels, being; Manipulation of nature, their callous attitude towards their creations, and their creations revenge.

    So I think the first two are too wound up together.

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  5. Xev Registered Senior Member

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    Well, for one thing it's a dystopia, not a dysutopia.

    As to the thesis, it's redundant to say that their world is dystopian because of the totalitarian system of government and because of the restriction of freedom. A totalitarian government necessarily is restrictive. You'd be better off saying that Atwood's and Orwell's visions are dystopian because of x, y and z - physical deprivation, the destruction of intimacy (Atwood's character is reduced to baring the most intimate functions of her body - her ability to bear children - and Winston Smith is trapped by the "gaze" of Big Brother into bearing the most intimate functions of his life) and the lack of freedom.

    But then it sounds like you're comparing and contrasting the societies in "1984" and in "The Handmaid's Tale". I don't know if this is your essay, but it sounds decent.

    A note on dystopias - a dystopia is generally not simply a "nasty future" but a satire or criticism of existing or imagined social structure. Orwell was attacking totalitarianism, Atwood was attacking the Christian conservatives' take on gender relations.
    http://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/glossary/glossary_de.htm#dystopia
     
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  7. Raha Registered Senior Member

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    Merely a suggestion.

    I think it would be interesting to compare dystopia (or dysutopia? The later term is also quite frequently used…) with More’s original concept of “Utopia“. Some of More’s ideas sounds pretty dystopian to me.

    for instance:

    (http://www.d-holliday.com/tmore/socialism.htm)
     
  8. Xev Registered Senior Member

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    Well, there is the cliche that one man's utopia is another's dystopia. I'd be miserable in More's Utopia (Christian virtues? Yeck) but he'd be equally miserable in my Heorot.

    Likewise, a Christian man would be overjoyed to live in Gilead. Since Christians are an especially sick and weak sort of creature, the idea of owning another human (especially a woman) would doubtless appeal to him.
    A more healthy human would consider such a system abhorrent. Likewise for Plato's Republic, which Popper has done a supurb job savaging. Yet many less healthy humans would consider the Republic to be a sort of paradise.
     
  9. StepOnMe Registered Senior Member

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    Oops, I meant dystopia... Sorry...
    My teacher helped me edit my thesis and this is what I came up with:

    In The Handmaid's Tale and Nineteen Eighty-Four the main characters live in dystopian worlds which expose them to totalitarian governments, mental and spiritual enslavement, along with physical pain and torment in their respective societies.

    Think this sounds a bit better... Or do I need to re-edit it?

    Just to clarify, in the essay I will have to examine the concept of the dystopian existance in the characters' worlds.
     
  10. Xev Registered Senior Member

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    I think it's good, but I wouldn't say that they are physically in pain so much as physically deprived. Yes? Winston's ulcer causes him pain, certainly being tortured is unpleasant, but the atmosphere is more of constant deprivation (the woman in Handmaid's Tale is always hunting for food) than of actual pain.

    (Sorry, you've got me started on one of my favorite books)
     
  11. StepOnMe Registered Senior Member

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    Well thanks for the advice!

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    Which book is your favourite?
     
  12. beanie89 Registered Member

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    hi you seem to have very interesting and valid points on both 'The handmaid's tale' and '1984'. I was wondering if you could give me some guidance on this essay title,

    'Compare Orwell’s and Atwood’s presentation of the relationships between Winston and Julia and between Offred and The Commander.

    it would be really appreciated,and i would really prefer if you could do so via this email: abdulwhite@aol.com

    thanks!
     
  13. beanie89 Registered Member

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    hi Xev you seem to have very interesting and valid points on both 'The handmaid's tale' and '1984'. I was wondering if you could give me some guidance on this essay title,

    'Compare Orwell’s and Atwood’s presentation of the relationships between Winston and Julia and between Offred and The Commander.

    it would be really appreciated,and i would really prefer if you could do so via this email: abdulwhite@aol.com

    thanks!
     
  14. Count Sudoku Banned Banned

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    First, I would learn it is dystopia and totalitarian
     
  15. Till Eulenspiegel Registered Member

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    Is the topic of your essay simply a comparison of 1984 and A Handmaid's Tale or is it or about dystopia in general as illustrated by the two books. If it is the latter there might be better choices of books.

    There need not be physical pain to have a dystopican world. Think of, A Boy and His Dog, On the Beach, The Trial, (or anything else by Kafka), even a comedy like Sleeper. There is no physical pain involved yet they are all books or movies about dystopian worlds.

    I may be wrong but isn't a dystopian world simply one that is the antithesis of a utopian world and not necessarily one that inflicts physical pain on its citizens.
     

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