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  3. Garden of Eden or Apocalypse Now? : an exploration of dystopic texts, modern day fears, and the impending future
Title

Garden of Eden or Apocalypse Now? : an exploration of dystopic texts, modern day fears, and the impending future

    Item Description
    Limited Access
    The author(s) chose to restrict access to this thesis to current Whitman students, faculty, and staff. Please log in to view it.
    Linked Agent
    Creator (cre): Fritts, Kelsey
    Advisor (adv): Morrissey, Suzanne
    Department (dpt): Whitman College. Anthropology Department
    Date
    May 18, 2012
    Graduation Year
    2012
    Abstract

    Western society can potentially be characterized by our fear of our own potential power and our anxiety about politics and social institutions. Dystopian texts are used as a foil for social commentary on the issues that are affecting current society. The texts are frameworks that can provide warnings about the future and potential problems that may develop. Dystopian authors take themes that are anxiety-provoking and invert them in order to draw attention to issues of the modern day. In an analysis of several novels and short stories, this thesis discusses the use of dystopic fiction as an anthropological thought experiment. The cultural inversions in these texts are providing critical commentary on institutions and/or systems of justice in modern Western society. Overall, this thesis helps to shed some light on patterns present in dystopian novels and the author’s reasons for incorporating them.

    Subject
    Huxley, Aldous, 1894-1963 -- Brave New World
    Collins, Suzanne -- Hunger Games (Novel)
    Atwood, Margaret, 1939- -- Handmaid’s tale
    Rand, Ayn -- Anthem
    Orwell, George, 1903-1950 -- Nineteen eighty-four
    Lowry, Lois -- Giver
    Ishiguro, Kazuo, 1954- -- Never let me go
    Technology -- Advancements
    Society in literature -- Government
    Authors -- Influence
    Future life
    Fear -- Chronophobia
    Future figure
    Western civilization -- Society
    Social sciences
    Academic theses
    Whitman College 2012 -- Dissertation collection -- Anthropology Department
    Genre
    Theses
    Extent
    94 pages
    Permanent URL
    http://works.whitman.edu/1123
    Rights
    http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
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