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The origins of dystopian literature
These works laid the foundation for today’s dystopian literature frenzy.
Published on July 26, 2023
The Time Machine
H. G. WellsH.G. Wells’ iconic work of science fiction broke the mold in more ways than one back in 1895. On the fun side, it’s one of the first uses of time travel. (You’re welcome, “Doctor Who” fans.) But it’s also one of the first dystopian stories due to its exploration of social Darwinism.
The Iron Heel
Jack LondonMost people picture the great outdoors and wolves when they think of Jack London, who’s well-known for “The Call of the Wild” and “White Fang.” But he also authored “The Iron Heel” in 1908, about the rise of class strife in the US as organized labor strikes and socialism swept the nation. This novel influenced George Orwell’s “1984.”
The Machine Stops
E.M. ForsterIt’s frightening just how much E.M. Forster predicted about our current society back in 1909 when he first published this short story. In it, humans become so reliant on, and complacent with, a machine that functions much like today’s Internet that they forsake their humanity altogether.
We
Yevgeny ZamyatinThe dystopian crux of “We” (originally published in English in 1924) can be summed up in this quote: “Those two, in paradise, were given a choice: happiness without freedom, or freedom without happiness. There was no third alternative.” All hail the totalitarian One State.
Brave New World
Aldous HuxleyPeople often say it can be hard to see what’s so dystopian about “Brave New World,” and that’s probably because it’s such a sharp, cutting satire of utopian literature of yore. (Huxley’s novel was originally published in 1932.) It encourages sincere examinations of the modern world and our collective and individual visions for an ideal future.
1984
George OrwellOriginally published in 1949, George Orwell’s work is, arguably, the pinnacle of all dystopian novels. It’s a work that was influenced by many of the previous books on this list and that has influenced every major dystopian after. It became popular again thanks to proliferation of the Orwellian phrase “alternative facts” and the realization that the collection of big data means Big Brother is definitely watching you.
Fahrenheit 451: A Novel
Ray BradburyGuy Montag is a fireman. But he doesn’t put fires out — he starts them. In Bradbury’s imagined future, books are anathema, and any citizen found in possession of such contraband has their homes and possessions consumed by flames. (A future where books are banned is our worst nightmare.)
The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret AtwoodFeminist dystopias are having a big moment thanks to the Hulu adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” (see our list “Fourth-Wave Feminist Dystopias” for more). A new sequel is coming out called “The Testaments,” so if you haven’t read this slim, affecting classic yet, you should.
The Giver Movie Tie-in Edition: A Newbery Award Winner
Lois LowryThough “The Giver” was published in 1993, Lois Lowry’s young adult dystopia became an instant classic, and we would be remiss not to mention the power and dominance of the YA dystopian craze. The slow unraveling of the story’s glossy utopian guise is masterfully done.