With Trump entering his second and final term, keeping yourself politically educated while understanding current events is more important than ever. It is crucial to keep yourself educated on all policies and executive orders being put into action and ensure you understand your rights to their fullest extent. When possible, make sure to speak up about injustices and be sure to fact check all news outlets for bias.
Dystopian novels are typically seen as controversial entertainment, although books in this genre typically have a thought-provoking lesson. While each novel is entertaining, they are loosely based on real-life events teaching important ideals.
“The best way to keep a prisoner from escaping is to make sure he never knows he is in prison.”
Fyodor Dostoevsky in Crime and Punishment
1984 by George OrwellÂ
Written during WWII, 1984 is a chilling political satire focused on an overly controlling government. Orwell depicts a totalitarian regime under harsh surveillance with strict censorship laws after a war with Eurasia. The Oceanian government, otherwise known as “The Party,” does everything in its power to censor information deemed unfit. If an Oceanian citizen is believed to be committing a thoughtcrime, they are to be immediately detained and removed from all records. Without Oceanian knowledge, the history of Oceania is being distorted right before their eyes. Winston—a Ministry of Truth worker—has witnessed the truth being changed firsthand and fights to get Oceania from The Party’s control without being suspected of thoughtcrime.Â
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray BradburyÂ
Fahrenheit 451 follows Guy Montag, a firefighter who, instead of putting out fires, starts fires by burning books. Walking home from a late night shift, Montag meets a curious young girl named Clarisse McClellan who questions their way of living. In their world, life is speed-tracked, with no time to stop and have meaningful conversations. Clarisse shares her beliefs with Montag, sharing little moments in life that no one stops to think about. Quick to criticize his line of work, Montag begins to question: Is the duty of a firefighter as ethical as he once believed? To keep all people happy, the government banned all books; video instructions taking their place when manuals are needed. Montag goes on a journey desperately trying to bring light to the good that comes from reading.Â
Animal Farm by George OrwellÂ
Animal Farm is a short novel about a farm of animals deciding to overthrow the farmer. Farmer Jones is a tyrannical leader who leaves the pigs in horrible conditions with bad food. When the pigs on his farm decide to rebel against the farmer, the pigs face their dilemma. They begin to realize without Farmer Jones, they will need a new leader to keep chaos under control. Napoleon and Snowball, two pigs, fight for control of the farm. As time passes, the pigs start to resemble their previous human owner, warning of repeating cycles and the corrupted use of power.Â
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret AtwoodÂ
The Handmaid’s Tale depicts the state of Gilead, previously known as the United States, under totalitarian control. Handmaids are forced to bear children for those unable to have their own kids, in an attempt to fix low reproduction rates. Offred, a Handmaid, is tasked with having sex with her commander once a month in an effort to bear his child and continue his line. In Gilead, women do not have the right to their bodies. Everything they are made to do is believed to be for the greater good. Women in Gilead cannot be left unsupervised and cannot leave their homes unless necessary. As Offred tells her story as a Handmaid, we learn about the oppressive society she lives in.Â
Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsÂ
The country of Panem faces a drastic overpopulation issue. In desperate attempts to fix this, the Capitol randomly selects two members, known as tributes, of each of the 12 districts to fight in the Hunger Games during the Reaping. These tributes must fight to the death in hopes of surviving until the end as the elites of Panem watch. Upset with the results of the Reaping, Katniss offers to put herself in the Hunger Games in place of a loved one. Katniss, representing District 12, must be flashy enough to get sponsors from the elites while also remaining sharp and on top of her game to ensure she wins. However, as she continues into the games, she learns the truth about the corruption within the Capitol, setting ablaze the fire of revolution in the people’s hearts.Â
These novels set the scene for a world where the truth is not questioned enough; highlighting the dangers of unchecked powers and the importance of staying informed on current topics.