The Dystopian Generations of Orwell’s 1984 and Dashner’s The Maze Runner
Dystopian novels have defined culture for generations by warning of a doomed future. Dystopian literature portrays a world in which control is maintained on the corporate, governmental, technological, and a form of ideology. Two novels from separate generations, George Orwell’s 1984 and James Dashner’s The Maze Runner share warnings of an unsettling future by presenting similar characteristics of society, societal control, and the role of the protagonist.
Terri Chung’s “Dystopian Literature Primer” defines the characteristics of a dystopian novel with a society that has a control of propaganda; restrictions on information, thought and freedom; a worshipped figurehead; …show more content…
Once completed, the committee gathers and determines what the right job for each newcomer. However, once given this job the member must perform this job every day for the time that the Gladers are there. They are given these jobs to keep order and peace amongst the people for the Glade (Dashner 97). The technology in The Maze Runner is far more advanced than in 1984. Due to that fact, the Creators, in The Maze Runner, have a robot called Griever that is programmed to sting the Gladers and poison them and eventually kills the Gladers. Dashner explains the use of the technology, “All we bloody know is if the Grievers sting you with their nasty needles, you inject the Grief Serum or you die” (149). When the characters arrive to the Glade, they have no memory of who they really are. Thomas want to recover his memory and makes this his main goal. Thomas is confused and often wonders what has happened for the other members of the Glade to be in this same position. Thomas questions if the Glade is a place of criminals, like a jail, and wonders what he did to be in the Glade with the others (Dashner 16). The organization of the group impresses Thomas and he imagines how crazy of a place the Glade would be if the people were lazy and …show more content…
Would governments have complete control, limit rights and freedoms while keeping tabs on every move of every citizen? Both novels portray characters who are oppressed by a force within the government, Big Brother in 1984 and The Creators in The Maze Runner, and the characters must overcome these oppressive forces. From distant generations to the future generations, these novels and their successors will continue to warn the masses of the dangers of a controlling government
Dystopian novels have defined culture for generations by warning of a doomed future. Dystopian literature portrays a world in which control is maintained on the corporate, governmental, technological, and a form of ideology. Two novels from separate generations, George Orwell’s 1984 and James Dashner’s The Maze Runner share warnings of an unsettling future by presenting similar characteristics of society, societal control, and the role of the protagonist.
Terri Chung’s “Dystopian Literature Primer” defines the characteristics of a dystopian novel with a society that has a control of propaganda; restrictions on information, thought and freedom; a worshipped figurehead; …show more content…
Once completed, the committee gathers and determines what the right job for each newcomer. However, once given this job the member must perform this job every day for the time that the Gladers are there. They are given these jobs to keep order and peace amongst the people for the Glade (Dashner 97). The technology in The Maze Runner is far more advanced than in 1984. Due to that fact, the Creators, in The Maze Runner, have a robot called Griever that is programmed to sting the Gladers and poison them and eventually kills the Gladers. Dashner explains the use of the technology, “All we bloody know is if the Grievers sting you with their nasty needles, you inject the Grief Serum or you die” (149). When the characters arrive to the Glade, they have no memory of who they really are. Thomas want to recover his memory and makes this his main goal. Thomas is confused and often wonders what has happened for the other members of the Glade to be in this same position. Thomas questions if the Glade is a place of criminals, like a jail, and wonders what he did to be in the Glade with the others (Dashner 16). The organization of the group impresses Thomas and he imagines how crazy of a place the Glade would be if the people were lazy and …show more content…
Would governments have complete control, limit rights and freedoms while keeping tabs on every move of every citizen? Both novels portray characters who are oppressed by a force within the government, Big Brother in 1984 and The Creators in The Maze Runner, and the characters must overcome these oppressive forces. From distant generations to the future generations, these novels and their successors will continue to warn the masses of the dangers of a controlling government