Genre- dystopian

Has it’s origin in the French revolution, after the oppressive monarchy was overthrown.
Took off in late 19th and early 20th century, with the impacts of technological advancement,
World war 1 and the rise of fascism which prompted despairing visions of the future

Contemporary dystopian- often set in the aftermath of an environmental apocalypse,

reflecting current anxieties surround climate change

o The setting is often futuristic, nightmarish or undesirable society characterised by

oppressive control
o Protagonist is often lonely or disappointed character who becomes aware of the
horrors of their society
o Antagonist is usually the society itself
o Narrative tends to follow the conflict between the protagonists attempts to resist or
rebel against the system
o In more traditional dystopian texts, the protagonist fights back and loses
o Produces texts that are warnings, cautionary tales about what may happen if we
continue on a particular path

Genre and audience:

The dystopian genre is evolving to suit a new audience and contexts.
 Questioning existing social/political systems
 Places a high value on freedom and independence
 Attempts to escape, resist or change/destroy the dystopian society

YA writers create protagonists with whom teenagers can identify with- search for identity,
to find their personality and sense of self

Traditionally the dystopian genre focussed on older, male protagonist. Shifting social
attitudes towards gender roles, have also contributed to the proliferation of female
protagonists eg. Hunger games & divergent. The struggles of the female protagonists in a
violent, authoritarian world parallel the concern of you woman today