We live in an era where there is change everywhere. Changes in politics and social structures. Changes in technology. And with all of this change, the themes in dystopian books have become increasingly reflective of the world today.
Dystopian novels often take potentially negative themes in today’s society and create a world where these threats have become a reality and are impacting citizens.
An author featured in the Forum of World Literature, Wang Xioalan, describes dystopian society as reflect-
ing the common anxieties people have about what our society might become, especially if scientific advances
are improperly applied and create threats to human civilizations.
The common themes in these novels are humans being negatively impacted by severe environmental pollution, destructive nuclear war and technology abuse. Most novels also include a totalitarian govern-
ment, where the society is controlled by one leader or dictator.
Eileen Baranyk, a world history teacher, explained that a totalitarian government has total control over the citizens of the country. They have complete control over what people might consider a personal decision that they make themselves.
That being said, many dystopian novels also include a protagonist who wants to rebel against society and imagines a better future for citizens.
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A popular BookTok example of this is “The Selection,” a novel by Kiera Cass. The novel takes place in a society where citizens are divided into eight castes, and each caste gets poorer and less respected by society. There is also a corrupt monarchy that acts like a totalitarian government and seeks to keep the rich and the poor divided. This slightly alludes to our society because of the rich and poor divide in America. However, this divide is demonstrated to an extreme in the novel.
Another example of a dystopian society can be seen in the novel “Shatter Me,” written by Tahereh Mafi. In this novel, society is dealing with climate change and pollution that has caused the world to overheat. The air is so polluted that no birds are able to fly and the winters can reach up to 92 degrees Fahrenheit. The citizens have voted for a totalitarian government that promised them a world that was peaceful and less polluted.
Instead, there is an abuse of power and the people are oppressed – the poor get poorer and the rich get richer. This is yet another sign of a dystopian society that we can see in the world today. Citizens vote for candidates based on their promises. However, that can lead to an abuse of power that gets out of control.
Parallels between books and the real world
According to “The Origins of Totalitarianism” by Hannah Arendt, a German-American historian and philosopher, totalitarianism emerges when the government finds ways to exploit social divisions and cover up deep-rooted problems, providing false hope. These solutions may work for a short while, but afterward, the problem will resurface. By that point, citizens may have already given over control of their lives to the government.
In “Shatter Me,” the people elect a new government called the Reestablishment that claims to fix life for people. It claims to reverse climate change and pollution and provide cheaper food, but instead it controls the citizens and doesn’t provide enough housing, and the people struggle to get basic food and necessities.
We can see this process unfold in history when the Nazi party came into power in Germany. According to the United States Holocaust Museum Memorial, the Nazi party came into power in Germany during the economic depression, when the German people had distrust in the German Parliament. Adolf Hitler was able to tap into the feelings of anger and helplessness of the people and quickly gain their support.
Mafi’s book and history warn us about how the government is able to capitalize on the feelings of the citizens, and because of divisions and distrust within the society, the wrong people are able to come into power.
Arendt also argues that censorship plays a role in totalitarianism, as people lose access to the facts that may help them shape their opinion or allow them to agree and disagree with the government. The lack of information also doesn’t allow the citizens to know up- to-date information about their leadership.
Student discusses how themes in dystopian novels reflect society today
A classic example of a dystopian society that experiences censorship is seen in the novel “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury. In this novel, the government has ordered firemen to burn all the books and the homes of people suspected to have books. This leads to an uninformed society that doesn’t have the pertinent infor-mation to make judgements for themselves.
The books and real world examples all demonstrate a force of oppression. A lack of information can lead to major impacts on human rights, as it can be difficult to even recognize injustices.
According to CIVICUS, a non-profit organization working to strengthen civil society and civic freedoms, the United States was recently added to a watchlist of countries whose civil freedoms are at risk.
According to the Office for Intellectual Freedom, which is part of the American Library Association, demands to censor library books surged 65% from 2022 to 2023. There were 4,240 book titles that were chal-
lenged at schools and libraries. LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC representation made up 47% of the titles challenged in the censorship attempts.
Lessons from books
Books can teach us about ways to fight back from becoming a dystopian society. Often times these novels portray characters helping society. Their aid frequently leads to a shift in government from totalitarian or monarchy to a democracy.
In “Legend,” by Marie Lu, the protagonists June and Day fight against the corrupt government. We learn that some change can be made alone, but knowledge and people’s support are required to make significant change. Since June grew up in a wealthy society, she knew how the inside of the government works.
In many dystopian novels, the first step the protagonist takes is to get the information that has been taken away from them to then find a way to spread that information to other citizens. In “Fahrenheit 451,” the protagonist, Guy Montag, gets access to censored information and learns the truth about his government, which allows him to rebel.
How the rising wealth gap in the U.S. mirrors dystopian warnings of the future
Although some might say that the United States doesn’t represent the typical dystopian landscape of starving people, threadbare clothing and minimal education, we can still see elements of dystopia present in our country, especially with growing wealth inequality.
According to Pew Research Center, the wealth gap between upper, middle and lower income groups has increased. In a 2020 report, researchers stated that the share of wealth held by lower and middle-income households was falling considerably, while upper-income households saw growth in the share of wealth.
In 2025, a Pew Research Center report showed that economic inequality is a concern around the world, with more than 8 in 10 adults stating that the rich have too much say in politics.
If we continue to ignore the signs of dystopia that we are seeing today, like wealth inequality, then they will eventually be a bigger problem as we can see in these novels.
How staying informed can safeguard against dystopian realities
The themes in dystopian novels have become increasingly visible in the world today. Elements such as totalitarianism, hyperpartisanship and censorship are all signs that can have a big impact in the future if we don’t fight to prevent it.
It’s important to know what’s happening in the world so you can make informed decisions. It’s important to stay informed by reading history books and consulting credible news sources. Being engaged in the communi-ty will also give you a better understanding on how our own community is changing.
Without the population being informed, the government can keep some things in the dark or even erase them completely. By educating ourselves through history, credible sources and active community involvement, we can prevent the spread of totalitarianism, censorship, and hyperpartisanship, ensuring a more transparent and fair future for all.