MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

Although the genre is not a new phenomenon, dystopian literature is currently achieving unprecedented recognition in popular literature as a staple of young adult literature. Like early dystopian fiction, these newer manifestations of the genre are characterized by the corrupt, declining, technology-driven societies run by totalitarian governments. The plots track a protagonist becoming aware of the corruption which permeates the society in which (s)he lives. As a result of this awareness, the protagonist seeks to right the injustices which have been wrought upon his or her community; (s)he is working for the greater good of all who live in the society. Accordingly, the dystopian genre is frequently scrutinized in light of the ways in which the protagonist works for the common good.

It is a mistake, however, to categorize these young adult novels in the same category as prior dystopian works. Although a brief examination of the plots of these novels suggests that the young adult novels highlight a protagonist working for the common good, the romantic subplots of these variations of dystopian literature undermine this supposition. While romantic subplots exist in earlier dystopian literature such as Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World *, and *Nineteen Eighty-Four, at the end of these stories, the protagonists are left with unfulfilled romantic pursuits that parallel their unfulfilled efforts to recognize their ideal society. In contrast, the romantic subplots of modern young adult literature conclude in more permanent relationships although the society which they sought to create does not necessarily come to fruition. The emphasis on the fulfillment of the personal relationships of the individual protagonists despite the fulfillment of the goals of the common good, highlights a marked shift in the genre of dystopian literature from an emphasis on the common good to the individual.