Freaky Futures

As most of my year group is away on a residential trip to The Somme, we are doing some work on Dystopia, the opposite of Utopia. It is used in many films, books and works of art and has the general theme of a bleak, miserable future. I have read several books set in a future like that such as The Hunger Games series, Maze Runner series, Flood Child and the Divergent series. I have loved them all. It seems to be a popular theme in teenage fiction and many of those types of books have become best sellers.

Why are these books so popular? Generally, stories set in a dystopian future (like the one some people think we are hurtling towards) show that people can live through terrible situations and still come out the other side. Some people think that they are a reassurance to people that humanity will always find a way.

However, there is another explanation that is specific to teenagers. Moira Young, an author of teenage books, said 

"There are a number of opinions, but the main drift seems to be that books set in either chaotic or strictly controlled societies mirror a teenager's life; at school, at home, with their peers and in the wider world. Let's call it the "my own private dystopia" theory.

I'm going to offer a much simpler explanation. Teenagers like to read dystopian fiction because it's exciting. It all comes down to the story. The story comes first, and the setting – extraordinary though it may be – is of secondary importance."

I think it could be that we subconsciously like reading about people who successfully live their lives under very restrictive control. Most teenagers, myself included, feel frustrated about the lack of control we have over our lives, and I think we might be attracted to books where characters live in an even more controlling environment. Do you like books with a dystopian theme? Why do you think they are so popular? Share your thoughts in the comments.