Dystopian Literature and its Main Characteristics in Modern English Literature

Student: Gulrukhsor Khurramova

Group: 24/25 – 25
Introduction
Dystopian literature serves as a reflection of societal anxieties, exploring themes
of control, isolation, and the consequences of technological and political
advancements. Two significant works in modern English literature, 1984 by
George Orwell and Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, address distinct yet
overlapping issues within this genre. Orwell’s 1984 warns against the dangers of
authoritarian regimes, portraying a society where individual freedoms are
eradicated under constant surveillance and propaganda. This creates a chilling
depiction of a world where truth and identity are systematically manipulated,
raising questions about the fragility of human rights.
Similarly, Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun examines the ethical dilemmas posed by
artificial intelligence and the dehumanizing effects of technological dependence.
Through the perspective of Klara, an Artificial Friend, Ishiguro delves into
themes of inequality, emotional alienation, and the commodification of
relationships in a highly stratified society. These texts illuminate critical issues
in dystopian literature, such as the suppression of individuality and the moral
complexities of progress.
Both novels invite readers to question the trajectory of contemporary society,
emphasizing the precarious balance between technological innovation and
human values. This essay will explore the defining characteristics of dystopian
literature through the lens of these works, demonstrating their relevance in
addressing modern societal challenges.
Literature Review
Dystopian literature has long served as a critical lens through which societies
examine the consequences of social, political, and technological developments.
Scholars have approached the genre by identifying its defining characteristics,
such as totalitarian control, loss of individuality, and moral dilemmas. This
review surveys 12 research articles, emphasizing their contribution to the
understanding of dystopia and its features.
Sean Seeger and Daniel Davison-Vecchione, in their work Dystopian Literature
and the Sociological Imagination, underscore the role of dystopian narratives in
critiquing sociopolitical structures. They argue that dystopias function as
thought experiments, revealing the vulnerabilities of modern societies under
oppressive regimes. By applying sociological theories, the authors identify
dystopian fiction as a genre that interrogates the dynamics of power, inequality,
and control. Similarly, Namrata Purkar, in Dystopian Writing as a Part of
Science Fiction, highlights the intersection between dystopian and science
fiction genres. She suggests that dystopian literature extrapolates scientific
advancements to illustrate societal collapse, emphasizing how technology, when
unchecked, can contribute to oppressive conditions. These analyses establish
dystopia as a genre rooted in critical exploration of societal flaws.
The theme of dehumanization is central to many discussions of dystopian
literature. Keshia McClantoc and Paul Mahaffey, in Welcome to the Arena:
Deconstructing the Female Character in Dystopian Literature, critique the
portrayal of women in dystopian narratives. They assert that female characters
often embody resistance to patriarchal systems, serving as symbols of resilience
against oppressive structures. This perspective sheds light on how gender
intersects with broader dystopian themes, such as surveillance and control. This
aligns with Douglas C. Youvan’s analysis in Exploring Common Themes in
Dystopian Fiction, which identifies recurring motifs such as rebellion,
surveillance, and alienation. Youvan’s work further categorizes these themes as
essential to dystopian literature, showcasing the genre’s potential to resonate
with contemporary societal concerns.
When examining George Orwell’s 1984, researchers provide nuanced
interpretations of its central themes. Ivan Dunder and Marko Pavlovski, in their
study Behind the Dystopian Sentiment: A Sentiment Analysis of George
Orwell’s 1984, employ computational methods to analyze the novel’s emotional
landscape. Their sentiment analysis reveals that Orwell’s portrayal of fear and
despair functions as a stark critique of totalitarianism. The pervasive sense of
dread in 1984 underscores the psychological control wielded by oppressive
regimes, making it a cornerstone of dystopian literature.
Piers H.G. Stephens, in Nature and Human Liberty: The Golden Country in
George Orwell’s 1984 and an Alternative Conception of Human Freedom,
contrasts the bleak setting of 1984 with the idyllic Golden Country. The Golden
Country, representing a fleeting sense of freedom and natural harmony, offers a
vision of what humanity could achieve beyond the confines of tyranny. This
juxtaposition highlights one of the defining characteristics of dystopian
literature: the struggle between hope and despair.
A Foucauldian perspective is offered by James Tyner in Self and Space,
Resistance and Discipline: A Foucauldian Reading of George Orwell’s 1984.
Tyner explores how spatial control and discipline in 1984 reflect Michel
Foucault’s theories on power and resistance. The regimented spaces within the
novel symbolize the Party’s control over both physical and psychological
dimensions, emphasizing the oppressive structures that define dystopias.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Nusr Al-Subaihi and Hanita Hanim Ismail’s article
Orwell’s 1984 and the Concept of Powerlessness delves into the psychological
dimensions of the novel, focusing on how the Party’s manipulation of truth
erodes individual autonomy. The Party’s ability to rewrite history and redefine
reality underscores the loss of agency, a recurring theme in dystopian literature.
Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun offers a contemporary take on dystopian
themes, particularly the ethical implications of artificial intelligence. Jakob
Stenseke, in The Morality of Artificial Friends in Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun,
examines the moral dilemmas surrounding Klara’s role as an Artificial Friend.
Stenseke highlights the ethical complexities of creating beings designed to serve
human needs, questioning the boundaries between humanity and technology.
The exploration of Klara’s perspective also challenges traditional notions of
consciousness and empathy, central to the novel’s dystopian undertones.
Nicola Simonetti’s article, Mastering Otherness with a Look: On the Politics of
the Gaze and Technological Possibility in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun,
analyzes the novel’s portrayal of surveillance and the commodification of
human relationships. Simonetti draws parallels to Orwellian surveillance,
suggesting that Klara’s observations of human behavior underscore the intrusive
nature of technological advancements. These insights align with traditional
dystopian themes while providing a fresh perspective on the role of artificial
intelligence.
Further exploring the interplay between humanity and technology, Ansah
Yameen and Shahbaz Khalid, in Examining the Dynamic Interplay between
Humanity and Machines in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun, highlight the
tension between dependence on technology and the preservation of human
values. They argue that Ishiguro critiques the growing reliance on artificial
entities as substitutes for genuine human connection. This theme is expanded
upon by Dalia Mohamed Mostafa Mabrouk in her work Is the Digital Age
Disrupting Our Emotional Feelings? With Reference to Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara
and the Sun. Mabrouk asserts that the novel examines the emotional detachment
fostered by the digital age, illustrating the dangers of losing authentic emotional
experiences in favor of technological convenience.
Together, these scholarly sources provide a comprehensive understanding of
dystopian literature. They highlight its central features: the critique of
oppressive systems, exploration of human resilience, and ethical dilemmas
posed by technological advancements. Works like 1984 and Klara and the Sun
showcase the enduring relevance of dystopian literature, emphasizing its ability
to challenge readers to confront the moral and societal implications of their
actions. By combining traditional themes with contemporary concerns, these
texts affirm the genre’s significance in addressing the complexities of modern
life.
Methodology
I have collected a variety of sources to analyze dystopian literature, focusing on
1984 by George Orwell and Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. The primary
sources include 12 scholarly articles provided by my instructor, which offer
critical insights into the genre. Additionally, I used video materials such as
Brave New World vs Nineteen Eighty-Four featuring Adam Gopnik on the
channel called after “Intelligence Squared” and BoTCast Ep 3 feat. Supriya
Joshi: Books About Dystopian Futures on the channel “Books on Toast” on
YouTube to broaden my perspective. My research method involved searching
academic databases and reputable online platforms to find relevant materials.
The thematic analysis approach helped identify key features like surveillance,
oppression, and ethical dilemmas.
Analysis
I have selected four extracts related to dystopia from 1984 and Klara and the
Sun, and I will analyze them in this section.
Extract 1
In this extract, we see a chilling manifestation of a dystopian society where truth
and reality are entirely controlled by the Party. The first line—“The Party told
you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears”—reveals a fundamental
characteristic of dystopia: the manipulation of truth. In this world, individuals
are forced to disregard their own perceptions and accept the false reality
constructed by the government. This reflects the dystopian trait of mind control,
where the individual’s capacity for independent thought is suppressed, and even
the senses are rendered unreliable.
The Party’s slogan, “Ignorance is Strength,” is particularly sinister. It suggests
that the less an individual knows, the more powerful they are within the system.
This idea is contradictory and illogical, yet it works effectively in a totalitarian
society where ignorance and conformity are essential to maintaining control.
The contradiction within this slogan is precisely what makes it so powerful in
this dystopian context: by internalizing this idea, citizens are stripped of the
ability to question their circumstances, and the government ensures
unquestioning loyalty and obedience.
The final lines, “But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was
finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother,” signify
Winston’s complete submission to the Party’s control. This illustrates the
ultimate horror of dystopia—the erasure of personal identity and the ability to
rebel. Winston, who once harbored hatred for Big Brother and the Party, now
accepts them as his truth. The victory here is not a personal triumph but the
complete obliteration of personal resistance. The Party has succeeded in not
only controlling Winston’s actions but also his very thoughts and emotions.
This extract encapsulates key elements of dystopia, such as the manipulation of
truth, the erosion of personal identity, and the subjugation of individual
freedom. The idea that “Ignorance is Strength” challenges the basic principles
of logic and freedom, making it a potent symbol of the Party’s control.
While this kind of totalitarian control may seem extreme, it offers a cautionary
warning about the dangers of absolute power. In contemporary society, we can
draw parallels to issues like government surveillance, censorship, and the
suppression of dissenting voices. The extract serves as a reminder of the
fragility of truth in the face of systemic manipulation.
Do I agree with this idea? In a real-world context, I believe the concept of
enforced ignorance is harmful and dangerous. It strips individuals of their
ability to make informed decisions and creates a passive society that is more
susceptible to manipulation. In contrast to Winston's eventual acceptance of this
world, I would argue that the struggle for truth and knowledge is essential to the
preservation of individual freedom and autonomy. Ignorance can never be a
source of strength—only a tool for oppression.
Extract 2
This extract depicts Winston’s final moment of complete submission to the
Party’s control. The reference to the “enormous face” symbolizes the
omnipotence of Big Brother, whose presence dominates the lives of every
citizen in the dystopian society. The “dark mustache” adds an image of power
and authority, highlighting Big Brother’s controlling figure in the world that
Winston has come to accept. Winston’s years of resistance, symbolized by the
“forty years” it took him to understand the Party’s power, suggest the depth of
his internal struggle.
The phrase “O cruel, needless misunderstanding!” speaks to Winston’s
realization that his rebellion was ultimately pointless. This represents the
emotional toll of living in a dystopia, where every attempt at resistance is futile.
The “self-willed exile from the loving breast” reflects Winston’s feeling of
being isolated from the Party’s paternalistic rule, which claims to protect and
care for its citizens. In this moment, Winston feels that the Party’s control has
provided him with the kind of care and love that he lacked throughout his life.
The image of “two gin-scented tears” represents Winston’s emotional surrender.
His tears are not those of resistance or grief, but of acceptance. The final line,
“He had won the victory over himself,” signifies Winston’s cognitive and
emotional submission. His individual will has been erased, and he now finds
peace in the realization that there is no longer a need for rebellion. The Party
has succeeded in conquering not only Winston’s physical body but also his mind
and spirit.
This extract highlights the overwhelming power of a dystopian government that
can break the spirit of its citizens. Winston’s emotional surrender is disturbing
because it reveals the extent to which a totalitarian regime can control and shape
the individual. The idea of “winning the victory over himself” represents the
loss of personal autonomy and the destruction of individual thought.
In a dystopian context, this moment is the culmination of the Party’s ultimate
control: the complete submission of the human mind. This is one of the most
terrifying aspects of dystopian regimes—the ability to not only control external
behavior but also to shape internal beliefs and desires. Winston’s tears
symbolize a loss of humanity, as he has sacrificed his personal desires and
beliefs for the security of total submission.
However, I believe that the complete suppression of personal will and
resistance, as Winston experiences, is a horrific outcome. True freedom is
rooted in the ability to question, to resist, and to form one’s own beliefs.
Winston’s acceptance of Big Brother is a tragedy, as it highlights the dangers of
unchecked government power. The loss of personal agency is one of the most
dehumanizing aspects of dystopia, and it serves as a powerful reminder of the
importance of safeguarding individual freedoms in any society.
Both extracts from 1984 illustrate the horrors of a dystopian society where truth
is manipulated, and individual thought is eradicated. In these moments,
Winston’s internal surrender to the Party represents the ultimate loss of human
autonomy. Through these analyses, we see how Orwell’s novel warns against
the dangers of totalitarianism, emphasizing the importance of truth, freedom,
and individual resistance in the face of oppressive regimes.
Extract 3
This extract vividly captures a dystopian sense of unease through Klara’s
observation of the bull. Her perception that its presence in the Sun’s pattern is a
“great error” reflects the disruption of a natural or moral order, a recurring motif
in dystopian literature. The Sun, often depicted in the novel as a symbol of life,
hope, and vitality, contrasts starkly with the bull, which is associated with “mud
and darkness.” This juxtaposition symbolizes a clash between the natural and
the unnatural, underscoring the tension between harmony and chaos in the
world Klara inhabits.
The bull can also be interpreted as a metaphor for artificiality or technological
advancements that intrude upon the natural world. Klara’s instinctive belief that
it “belonged somewhere deep in the ground” suggests that such creations, like
artificial beings, may not have a rightful place in the organic balance of life.
This reflects broader dystopian concerns about humanity’s overreach in
manipulating nature and the unintended consequences of such interference.
The ominous tone of the passage, with its reference to “awful consequences,”
further emphasizes the foreboding atmosphere of the novel’s dystopian setting.
It highlights Klara’s role as an observer who perceives disturbances in the world
more acutely than the humans around her. This aligns with the broader critique
of a society that is blind to the moral and ecological implications of its actions,
placing profit and progress above balance and ethics.
From Klara’s perspective, this moment reinforces her devotion to the Sun and
its life-giving energy, contrasting with humanity’s flawed decisions that
jeopardize this equilibrium. The bull’s presence acts as a symbol of humanity’s
hubris, where artificial or unnatural forces are allowed to disrupt the sacred
patterns of existence.
In conclusion, this extract encapsulates key dystopian themes, including the
fragility of balance, the ethical dilemmas of technological intrusion, and the
existential consequences of humanity’s actions. Klara’s instinctive reaction
serves as a poignant commentary on the novel’s central concerns, inviting
readers to question the costs of progress and the boundaries between the natural
and the artificial.
Extract 4
This extract explores the central dystopian theme of artificial intelligence
attempting to replicate human essence. Klara’s statement about Josie’s “heart”
being like a “house with many rooms” reflects both the complexity of human
emotions and the mechanistic approach of AFs to understand and emulate them.
The metaphor emphasizes the layered and intricate nature of human identity,
suggesting that even with time and devotion, an AF might only achieve a
surface-level approximation of true humanity.
From a dystopian perspective, the extract critiques a society willing to replace
human relationships with artificial alternatives. Klara’s optimism, while
touching, highlights the ethical and existential concerns of such a system: can
artificial beings ever truly embody human emotions, or does their very existence
signal the erosion of authentic human connections? This is particularly poignant
in the novel’s broader context, where Klara’s role often seems to prioritize
function over emotional depth, reflecting the commodification of
companionship.
Furthermore, the extract subtly questions the moral implications of a society
that relies on artificial replacements to cope with loss or loneliness. By reducing
emotional understanding to a learnable process, it risks dehumanizing both the
individuals who are replaced and the AI tasked with emulating them. Klara’s
perspective, though well-intentioned, underscores the disquieting potential of
such a dystopian future: a world where the line between humanity and
artificiality blurs to the point of indistinction.
Ultimately, this passage reflects the tension between hope and despair inherent
in dystopian narratives. While Klara’s devotion might seem noble, it also
symbolizes a troubling societal shift toward dependence on artificial solutions
for inherently human struggles. This raises critical questions about the value and
irreplaceability of human emotions in a technologically advanced world.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this essay has explored the key characteristics of dystopian
literature through the lens of two significant works: 1984 by George Orwell and
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. By analyzing key extracts from both
novels, it is evident that dystopian narratives often explore the consequences of
a society’s overreach, the dehumanization caused by technological
advancements, and the erosion of natural order. Through these works, we
observe how individuals, whether human or artificial, navigate a world that is
increasingly controlled, manipulated, and detached from authentic human
experience.
The analysis also reveals that dystopian literature serves as a powerful reflection
of contemporary concerns, warning against the dangers of unchecked
technological power, societal control, and loss of individuality. The contrasting
depictions of dystopian realities in 1984 and Klara and the Sun offer unique
perspectives on the human condition and our relationship with technology.
Future analyses of dystopian literature could focus on the ethical implications of
artificial intelligence, the role of surveillance in modern societies, and the
psychological impact of living in a controlled, artificial world. By exploring
these features, scholars can continue to shed light on the pressing issues shaping
our present and future realities.
Extracts
1. "It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in
any public place or within range of a telescreen. The smallest thing could
give you away. A nervous tic, an unconscious look of anxiety, a habit of
muttering to yourself—anything that carried with it the suggestion of
abnormality, of having something to hide." (From 1984, page 58)
 2. “He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn
what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark mustache. O cruel,
needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving
breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it
was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had
won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.” (From 1984, page
271)
3. “At that moment it felt to me some great error had been made that the
creature should be allowed to stand in the Sun’s pattern at all, that this
bull belonged somewhere deep in the ground far within the mud and
darkness, and its presence on the grass could only have awful
consequences”. (From Klara and the Sun, page 87)
4. “The heart you speak of,” I said. “It might indeed be the hardest part of
Josie to learn. It might be like a house with many rooms. Even so, a
devoted AF, given time, could walk through each of those rooms,
studying them carefully in turn, until they became like her own home”.
(From Klara and the Sun, page 182)
References:
1. George Orwell. 1984. United Kingdom. Signet Classic, 2001. – 284 P.
2. Kazuo Ishiguro. Klara and the Sun. New York: Alfred A. Knoff, 2021. –
254 P.
3. Seeger, S., & Davison-Vecchione, D. Dystopian Literature and the
Sociological Imagination.
4. Purkar, N. (2013). Dystopian Writing as a Part of Science Fiction. The
Criterion Journal.
5. McClantoc, K., & Mahaffey, P. (2015). Welcome to the Arena:
Deconstructing the Female Character in Dystopian Literature. McNair
Journal.
6. Youvan, D. C. (2024). Exploring Common Themes in Dystopian Fiction.
Preprint.
7. Dunder, I., & Pavlovski, M. (2019). Behind the Dystopian Sentiment: A
Sentiment Analysis of George Orwell’s 1984. Conference Paper.
8. Stephens, P. H. G. (2004). Nature and Human Liberty: The Golden
Country in George Orwell’s 1984 and an Alternative Conception of
Human Freedom. Organization Environment.
9. Tyner, J. (2004). Self and Space, Resistance and Discipline: A
Foucauldian Reading of George Orwell’s 1984. Social & Cultural
Geography.
10.Nusr Al-Subaihi, M., & Hanim Ismail, H. (2020). Orwell’s 1984 and the
Concept of Powerlessness. International Journal of English, Literature
and Social Sciences.
11.Stenseke, J. (2022). The Morality of Artificial Friends in Ishiguro’s Klara
and the Sun. Journal of Science Fiction and Philosophy.
12.Simonetti, N. (2023). Mastering Otherness with a Look: On the Politics
of the Gaze and Technological Possibility in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and
the Sun. Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction.
13.Yameen, A., & Khalid, S. (2023). Examining the Dynamic Interplay
between Humanity and Machines in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun.
Global Language Review.
14.Mabrouk, D. M. M. (2022). Is the Digital Age Disrupting Our Emotional
Feelings? With Reference to Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun. World
Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews.