Firstly, the rise in popularity of dystopian novels is because it acts as a reflection and projection of our fears and concerns.
For example, when nuclear holocaust was a threat in the 60s 70s and 80s, dystopian novels and films focused on post-nuclear war backgrounds or alien invasions. Now, current popular series, focus on dystopias with government or corporation control, surveillance and manipulation, and the elite working to keep the lower classes in check. Others show futures full of human manipulation and invasive technologies. The Hunger Games Series was apparently written in response to Collins' channel-surfing experiences, where she switched from reality TV- to coverage of the war in Iraq.
Secondly, Dystopian Fiction can also externalize the turmoil that’s already taking place in adolescent minds, hearts, and bodies. It creates a "high-stakes" scenario, providing conflict and adventure. It provides an escape from the watched over, controlled world teens live in currently by providing stories of youth having great adventures and attempting to exert control on their life. Young people in dystopian fictions are heroes who actually do find some glimmer of hope while asking big questions like: What is Freedom? What is Love? What is Human?
Lastly, the characters in Dystopian Fiction don’t have an extra ordinary superpowesr- they’re just regular, everyday people like you and me. This makes the characters relatable to young readers. We are constantly exposed to a violent culture through television, rising school aggression and computer games and live in a world where we are constantly monitored. Young adults must attempt to avoid being controlled by parents, teachers and the pressure of peer conformity. In order to survive, teens feel they must follow the rules and avoid sticking out- even if that means they have to be fake. Dystopian fiction promotes nonconformity. All these stories are really saying it's okay to be different, and it's okay to be special and maybe that’s the real reason why teens are so drawn to the dystopian genre.
Dystopia popularity
WHY?
Why is the dystopian genre so appealing and popular- especially to young adults?
One of the more recent series to explode in the young adult scene is The Huger Games, by Suzanne Collins. In this series, the protagonist Katniss Everdeen lives in the post-apocalyptic country of Panem, where North America used to be. The Capitol lives off of the labours of the twelve districts that make up the rest of Panem, and once a year they choose a male and female between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district to fight to the death. There used to be thirteen districts but one tried to rebel so it got destroyed. Pretty intense and dark right? First published in 2008, the first book in the series sold 17.5 million copies. In 2012, the book was adapted into a movie, and the opening sales made $155 Million dollars in the US alone. So what makes this series and other dystopian novels so appealing to young adults?
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[by Isabela]