Blackburn 1

Kayla Blackburn
Professor Malcolm Campbell
English 1103
24 September 2016
My Dystopian Utopia
Introduction/Overview
For my Extended Inquiry Project, I will be analyzing the popularity of young adult
dystopian literature in the modern society. Though consisting largely of violence and rebellion
and oftentimes looked down upon by older generations, it is this genre that has proven to be
relatable among teenagers during the transition from childhood to adulthood, namely in the high
school wars of popularity and class, and reflect the negative aspects of society to inspire social
change among young adults, according to an article from The Artifice. I will clarify the
relationship between the history of dystopian literature to reach its prominence in my generation
today and evaluate its impact on the world.
The demoralizing literature of dystopia among young adults disguises didactic teaching

Comment [DT1]: Give a definitive definition of what

dystopian literature is. Such as giving the defition of
dystopian.

and controversy of ethical issues beneath intriguing, action-packed, romance filled plots, with
common themes of war, death, despair, and oppression, proving its value in our culture,
according to a thesis by an honors student at Western Michigan University. Having utilized
Google Scholar as my primary vessel of information, I found reliable sources in several
academic articles, such as a Virginia Tech scholars published work, as well as prominent
newspaper articles from The Huffington Post and a TedEd Talk entitled An Anti-Hero of Ones
Own on anti-heroes, or protagonists within dystopian literature novels. These articles prove the

Comment [DT2]: This portion of the sentence seems

awkward

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widespread interest in this topic, as well as support its varying viewpoints, providing for a
complex and researchable concept. As I began my search process with simple the idea of delving
into dystopian literature, my research helped me narrow my focus to primarily emphasize this
genres recent, trendy popularity among teenagers, specifically. Having finally decided on a
topic, I spoke on the phone with my mom about it, who believed wholeheartedly that this was the
correct topic for me (and I must admit, I agree).
While dystopian literature, namely that for young adults, is widely adored and, in my
opinion, addictive, there are some rebuttals: many millennial readers are becoming bored with
the similarly post-apocalyptic plot lines in each story. According to an opinionated though

Comment [DT3]: Maybe find a stronger transition.

reasonable Flavorwire article, this results in a portion of people finding the ideas of these novels
to be meaningless. Others disagree with dystopian literatures popularity, as it not only has the
power to incite potentially dangerous (but in my opinion, necessary) rebellion, as it did in
Bangkok (see this news report http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/hunger-games-waveprotests-inspired-4660458) but also depicts negative and possible alternatives to the ways in
which we, as humans, live. Also, according to an article from The Guardian,\ a significant adult
audience finds the end of the dystopian novels to be hopeless and believe the interest in such
dark, dismal writing spawns from the modern standard to appear perfect on social media while
still needing to satisfy a darker human desire, pinpointing not one, but two of our cultures
most pressing flaws. The same article alludes to the notion that perhaps such writing is
disrespectful to the elders whom have created the society we inhabit and, consequently, satirize
today, resulting in a clash of interests among varying demographics about dystopian literature.

Comment [DT4]: Overall well written and puts your topic

well presented. It did seem to me to have a lot of extra
words. It might improve flow if sentences were
streamlined/reorganized.

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Initial Inquiry Question(s)

Why is dystopian literature popular among young adults? What history has led to this
popularity? What impact is this literature and its corresponding media having among teenagers
around the world?

My Interest in this Topic

I am interested in researching the popularity of dystopian literature, as well as its history
and impact, because I sincerely enjoy reading this type of novel, especially the series entitled
Divergent by Veronica Roth and The Maze Runner by James Dashner, and I would even go as
far as considering it to be my favorite genre. I find these intricate stories to be intriguing,
relatable, empowering, and intellectual. I especially adore what I refer to as my gateway to
dystopian literature, The Hunger Games trilogy, and when I have attended the midnight premiere
for each movie, I have dressed in Katniss attire, including the signature braid and my very own
(treasured) Mockingjay pin, followed by days of discussion between myself and my fellow
dystopian literature-loving friends. However, I not only enjoy modern dystopian literature; 1984
by George Orwell and The Giver by Lois Lowry are two of my favorites, as well, inspiring my
interest in the evolution and history of this genre.
I actually dont know much about this topic, other than the basic, common elements of
character, plot, and theme, which is mainly why it grabbed my attention when I happened to
think of it while brainstorming under the topic of Trends for my Interest Inventory. I know that
this is a prevailing type of writing today, as I have rarely met a person who has never heard of
the more popular best-selling book-turned-movie series and have a passionate group of
bookworms for friends, but I am not entirely sure why; to me, it is somewhat scary but that my

Comment [DT5]: Good idea to include past novels.

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generation enjoys reading such dark, twisted, and potentially disastrous books, but also inspiring
that people and students my age are interested in reading about such complicated, powerful
moral issues that can be enacted and applied in our own lives, and I do notice and know some
connections between the books and the world we live in (but I would like to know more). I dont
know the history of this genre, or why it is so popular for teenagers as opposed to adults (or at
least geared toward the younger generation, as I actually know many adults who read YA
dystopian literature, too). Also, I do not know this topics entire impact on society or the full
correlation between the state of the world and the type of reading that is ever so prevalent among
Americas youth. I hope to learn all of this and more and potentially discover new qualities about
myself that might help explain my own interest in this topic.

Next Steps
I have found two books on the Atkins Librarys website, titled The Dystopian Impulse in
Modern Literature:Fiction as Social Criticism and Dystopian Fiction East and West: Universe of
Terror and Trial. I plan (excitedly, admittedly) to read them for content and explore further into
the depths of the development of dystopian literature. I also plan to research more opinionated
and factual editorials via Google Scholar and various popular newspapers, such as The New York
Times, in order to be able to more accurately compare the differences of opinion on this literature
trend with more emphasis on the controversy surrounding the era. I intend to search for
dystopian literature and the various branches of my inquiry project, like the background, impact,
and popularity, on Wikipedia and utilizing the reputable sources listed at the bottom of each
informational page. Perhaps researching some of the most influential authors and reading their
biographies or personal commentaries on their work might provide some interesting insight into

Comment [DT6]: Maybe separate into two sentences.

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my work. I hope to find other videos or podcasts than the sole one mentioned above, as well as
valid book reviews or critiques, in order to better gauge the larger populations view of dystopian
literature. I am also looking forward to gaining experience in the library by requesting help from
a reference librarian and further using the Atkins Library database, which I think will
significantly influence the profoundness of both my understanding of this concept and the
research I use for this project. I will likely end up researching some of the most impactful
dystopian literature novels, too, in order to prepare for fall break where I can settle in and read a
novel. I am excited to continue compiling my research for what I believe to be a very educational
and experiential assignment.