Technological, corporate, post-apocalyptic, environmental, religious, or even extinction are all baseline idea for dystopias that are used and explored in various ways. And it is the nearly limitless possibilities of these explorations that interest me in dystopias.
Explorations and Manipulations of Realities
As addresses in previous posts, dystopias often take current realities and push them to extremes to create terrible worlds. The artistry of this process is unique when compared to historical fiction, urban fantasy, and even traditional fantasy. Having to think about how things would evolve from current day to the circumstances of the story, how humanity and organisms adapt into dystopian worlds, and what happens when they don't are all things that have to be considered. Choosing a modern issues, say climate change, as a starting point, helps authors branch out into all the "what ifs" of that issue. Ready Player One (2011) [1] is one example of the overlap of corporate, technological, and environmental extremes into one, cohesive dystopia.
How much do I like dystopia?
Well, enough to make my own. "Long Story Short" is one of my current works in progress, and just so happens to be a dystopia. It is a science-fiction, post-apocalypse dystopian novel that uses a set of four main characters that navigate to survive in a world ravaged by "waves of hyper-radiation." The story features superpowers, zombies, corporate corruption, prejudice, and much more. The stories core, the history of the setting and world of "LSS," results from neglect of a fictional environmental issue exacerbated by use of highly destructive nuclear weapons. This environmental issue is the build up of a highly unpredictable type of radiation, cleverly named "hyper-radiation."It's effects seem relatively random, with each "wave" of HR bringing new and seemingly random effects to the environment.
Links to (rough drafts of) the first two chapters of LSS can be found here! It introduces the four main characters and a bit of the world they live in.
How Else Does LSS Reflect The World in It's Dystopia?
Without going into too much detail, LSS also looks at social issues. But instead of racism, sexism, and classicism, it looks into the struggle and conflict between those with powers, those without, and those doomed to turn into zombies (yes, the zombies are back.) There is massively polarized Sanctions in the place of what was once the USA (and branching into Canadian and Mexican regions). East Sanction is mostly home to non-mutants, doomed to turn to zombies, who try to live the best they can before their impending doom. Whether rooted in jealousy or fear of the unknown, East has several laws and rules against mutants, those with "super-powers." The other sanctions each have their own way of rule, lifestyle and interaction with other sections.
Additionally, LSS explores the loss of technology as we know it, and the use of new, HR powered machines and technology. Meaning, the people of LSS are still at odds with its environment.
So, Overall?
"Long Story Short," as I am attempting to write it, reworks modern problems into a new world, creating parallels to current environments and commenting on things from environmental concerns, social issues, government or political issues, etc, while providing an action oriented sci-fi stories enjoyable to more casual readers. Of our theories discussed this semester, I would say New Materialism has the strongest presence
What Will My Creative Project Show?
My creative project, planning to be a series of images, summaries, and environment/world descriptions is going to briefly summarize the conflicts the main character face over the events of the story, as well as explain how certain organizations within the world of LSS work. It will probably contain a heavy amount of spoilers. I want my creative projects to show off the Thing Power and its effects on humanity while also exploring the world-building of my own story.
Resources:
[1] - Cline, Ernest. Ready Player One. 2011.
[2] - Art by me
[3] - Art by me
[4] - Done by me