Dystopian Society

• A Dystopia is a version, of an often futuristic

society, which has developed into a negative
version of a Utopia (perfect society). A Dystopia
What is a is often characterized by an authoritarian or
totalitarian form of government. It features
dystopian different kinds of repressive social control
systems, a lack or total absence of individual
society? freedoms and expressions and a state of
constant warfare or violence.
 • Propaganda is used to control the citizens of society.
• Information, independent thought, and freedom are
restricted.
• A figurehead or concept is worshipped by the citizens of
Characteristics the society.
• Citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance.
of a dystopian • Citizens have a fear of the outside world.

society • Citizens live in a dehumanized state.

• The natural world is banished and distrusted.
• Citizens conform to uniform expectations. Individuality
and dissent are bad.
• The society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world.
 • Corporate control: One or more large corporations
control society through products, advertising, and/or
the media.

Types of • Bureaucratic control: Society is controlled by a

dystopian mindless bureaucracy through a tangle of red tape,

relentless regulations, and incompetent government
officials.

control
• Technological control: Society is controlled by
technology—through computers, robots, and/or
scientific means. • Philosophical/religious control:
Society is controlled by philosophical or religious
ideology often enforced through a dictatorship or
theocratic government
 • often feels trapped and is struggling to
escape.

• questions the existing social and political

systems.
The dystopian
protagonist • believes or feels that something is
terribly wrong with the society in which
he or she lives.

• helps the audience recognize the

negative aspects of the dystopian world
through his or her perspective
Dystopian Society Project
 • You will create an original dystopian society. You will
need to be creative and thoughtful in coming up with a
fictional place that was intended to be perfect but has
Create Your gone wrong. You must create a citizen of this society that
will be the protagonist of your project. Meaning, this
Own Dystopian citizen should realize that the society is wrong and
should try to shine a light on the problem.
Society • For this project you may work in pairs or groups of three.
Project Requirements and Directions:

1 ) Descriptive Essay: The descriptive essay will

be a thorough essay that describes your
society. The descriptive essay should contain
ALL of the following: setting, government,
education, health care, citizens, workforce, and
infractions. You may use subheadings in your
essay to help guide your writing.
 • Describe the setting of your
story. What does the place
look like where your citizens
Setting live? What year is it? Think
about the homes, cars, and
buildings.
 • Describe the government
of your society. What kind
Goverment of government exists?
Who is in charge?
 • Describe the schools in your
dystopia. What do students
learn? Who teaches/who is
Education allowed to teach? How are
teachers trained? What do
the students wear? How do
the students behave?
 • What happens when
someone is sick? Who pays
Healthcare for medical services, if they
are needed? What happens
to the elderly?
 • Describe the average citizen
in your dystopia. What do
they wear? Describe their
appearances; what do they
do for a living? Do they have
Citizens children? How do they
behave on a daily basis?
What is the socio-economical
level? How do they respond
to the government?
 • How does your society
support itself? What types of
jobs are available, and how
do you get certain jobs? Who
Workforce decides who gets what jobs?
What types of businesses are
available, and how old do
you have to be to work?
 • What happens to citizens
Infractions who do not obey the
government?
 A map (colored/illustrated) of your
2) Map community/country/town/ etc. This can be
hand-made or made on the computer.
 A Bill of Rights (at least 10 rules/laws the
people in your society must live by). This must
3) Bill of Rights be created to look like a document that would
fit into your society as poster for display.
 This should be one page, typed, from the
perspective of your protagonist, who wants to
over throw the government. The diary entry
4) Diary Entry should express the protagonist’s thoughts and
feelings regarding the government, and his/her
plan to free the citizens from the dystopia.
 Your presentation should be 10 minutes
in length. You may choose to use
PowerPoint, Google Slides, Prezi, or a
poster as your visual aid for your
presentations.

5) Presentation
Do not copy and paste your paper to the
presentation!