Thesis
Comparative study of Dystopia and Deviance
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This is an A+ ranked thesis for my graduation. The idea revolves around the different types of significant dystopia and the essence of deviance.
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ABSTRACTDystopia is real. The more the world remains negligent about the consequences of its actions,
the less time it has to contemplate and make wise decisions. Dystopia projected in the books
of Lois Lowry has many similarities and differences which is the subject matter of B.A.
dissertation and thus, can be compared to each other. Common themes and motifs with the
rise of deviance in characters as portrayed in The Giver and Gathering Blue are the
objectives of this paper. Theories of deviance from different disciplines and meticulous
observation of the elements of different dystopia make this paper a very effective tool to
study dystopian projections. The impact of the author has been significant on the minds of
younger generations. The question of freedom and its suppression is faced by everyone once
in a while. The motivation these dystopian novels provide to young minds to stand against
wrongful oppression highlighting the importance of emotions is praised worldwide. A
thorough reading of the text would indicate that the author has subtly urged her readers to
react with conscience and give hope to make the world a better place.
The first chapter of the thesis comprises the introduction of the term dystopia and its
origin in real life. It also takes into account the dystopia in the select novels and why the
author chooses to write it.
, The second chapter contains the analysis of the select novels viz. The Giver and
Gathering Blue project dystopia and its effects on the people. It is named totalitarian dystopia
and goes on with the explanation of different stylistics adopted by the author to instil fear and
facades in the mind of people living in the fictional world.
In the third chapter of the dissertation, deviance and conformity are explained under
the purview of dystopian fiction. The last part is the conclusion of the dissertation which
connects all the loose ends and also provides the future scope for further research.
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Dystopia and utopia are the two sides of a coin. Humankind has tossed its coin of fate when the
first decision was made by ancestors to step out of the cave and bring forth the change. Their
decision is carried out by generations. Humans have transformed the world to their needs and
comfort. They have populated nearly the whole world but the quality of life people left to live is
at stake.
Dystopia and utopia depend on human actions. Dystopia is a world where humankind has
developed a problem which they could not solve and the result degrades the quality of life
drastically. In comparison, a utopia is a perfect world where no problems are left to solve for
humankind and people live in peace and harmony. These two concepts form major fiction genres
in literature. Dystopian literature can be considered as a part of popular literature which affects
the masses and presents a critique of the present situation. Speculative fiction also includes
dystopian literature which is a response to utopian literature. Dystopia generally includes
totalitarian governments, environmental disasters, technological dominance, an outbreak of war
or diseases; and lack of freedom. Dystopia raises real-world issues and makes the world aware of
possible threats in the near future to come. Thus, dystopian fiction is generally set in a futuristic
society.
The present thesis deals with the depiction of dystopia in the select novels of Lois Lowry.
Lowry is an American author who writes for children and young audiences. Adolescence brings
emotions and questions about almost everything in minds of the young adults. This is the stage
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where one develops the notion of good and evil, right and wrong, and things worth fighting for.
Young adults are the future of every country and their belief in morals will be the most
fundamental building blocks for future generations. Lowry addresses the reality of the
development of anxiety and fear in children. She connects it with her fictional dystopia. In her
novels, the most moving part is that the protagonist is also an adolescent teen who chooses to
change the dystopian world rather than continue living the way of life he/she is assigned.
Lowry's work deals with the futuristic society which is first set in utopia and with time uncovers
the real dystopian world. She deals with very complex issues like death, illness, and misuse of
power and authority in her works aimed at teen readers. Lowry has received many awards as the
author of children fiction. The awareness and state of mind she wanted the children to develop
by reading her books is quite remarkable. The present thesis compared the dystopia projected in
her novels and shows the similarities and differences in the lives of people living in those
dystopic worlds.
1.1 LITERATURE REVIEW
Many critics have acknowledged Lowry’s contribution to the genre of dystopian literature for
children. They have studied her works from many different perspectives and deducted significant
findings from her works. Some of the important studies carried out on Lowry’s novels are as
follows:
Kezang Nima in “Contextualising Freewill in Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver” finds that
the novel is significant to raise awareness in the society about free will, especially among
children. She explained the concepts used in the novel to suppress freedom and emotions. “Free
will and freedom are fundamental attributes for human beings to sustain and survive in this
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