Dystopias
Over the course of the next week, you will become an expert on one type of dystopia. Our class will be
divided into seven groups, each assigned to one of the sections listed below. For each section, there are four
activities that must be covered. No more than two people may work on each section together. You may
organize your project however you please (e.g., PowerPoint, essay, poster, etc.); however, bear in mind that
you will be presenting your findings to the class. Your presentation must include some visual aid, and if
you’ve already incorporated that into your project, you’ll have one less thing to worry about. You should
also provide something for the rest of the class to keep (e.g., outline, handout, copy of artwork, notes, etc.).
Each activity must be presented in five minutes or less (4 activities x 5 minutes = 20 minutes/section), so be
thoughtful and concise!
Circle the section you have been assigned to research.
- Technology and Dystopia
-The Murderer
-The Veldt
- Government and Dystopia
-1984
-The Hunger Games
- Individualism and Dystopia
-The Flying Machine
-Divergent
-Relationships and Dystopia
-1984
-The Lottery
-Peace, Violence, and Dystopia
-The Lottery
-The Hunger Games
-Individualism and Dystopia
-The Murderer
-1984
-Divisions and Dystopia
-Divergent
-1984
Examine the section you’ve be assigned carefully. Internet resources may be used for assistance, but all information
presented and used in the final assignment must be in your own words.
Activity One: Literary Analysis
Student(s) Responsible: __________________________________ & ______________________________________
Summarize the chapter or selection that we have not read as a class. Your summaries should include major plot
points, characters, and the dystopian element of the story.
Analyze the two selections and discuss their differences and similarities. Discuss how your group’s theme relates to
each of the pieces and speculate what messages or warnings each author is presenting. Make sure to go beyond
simple summary in your analysis.
Identify two important quotes from each selection. Include the exact quote and page number(s), describe the context
(what is happening, the location, who is speaking, etc.), and finally, explain its significance (what makes the passage
important or worth closer examination). In your analysis, include the effect of literary devices and techniques. These
might include simile, metaphor, irony, characterization, etc.
Activity Two – Historical Connection
Student(s) Responsible: ____________________________________ & ____________________________________
Investigate the biographies of your group’s two authors. Include important dates in each person’s life, as well as
possible historical influences on their writing. Be sure to include reasonable speculation in regards to how the
author’s life experience relates to the criticism presented in his/her story’s dystopia.
Activity Three – Setting Creation
Student(s) Responsible: ______________________________________ & _____________________________________
Setting is important to the development of a story. It not only includes the physical surroundings, but also the ideas,
customs, values, and beliefs of a particular time and place. All of these aspects combined contribute to the atmosphere
and the mood.
Create a diorama/drawing/etc. that depicts the setting in one of your literature selections. This should include details
that demonstrate an understanding of the mood and atmosphere, as well.
Before designing your project, ask yourself these questions to focus your ideas:
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Where and when do the major events of the selections take place?
What are the details that make this setting unique?
How does the setting affect the main characters, the plot, and the events of the story?
Activity Four – Current Events
Student(s) Responsible: ____________________________________ & ____________________________________
Dystopias are often imaginative projections or predictions of what a society could become if certain practices or
attitudes are not change.
Find a current events article which addresses or exemplifies the author’s critique of society. For instance, if one of the
authors is writing about the future of technology, you might include an article that discusses the rise in cellphone
usage among teens. You should include a copy of the article, and a one-page write-up which briefly summarizes the
article and includes the following analysis:
 In what ways is the author of the dystopian piece correct or incorrect in his/her predictions of the future?
 Was the issue only relevant during the lifetime of the author, or does the issue continue to apply in the
twenty-first century?
 How do you see the issue in the current events article affecting our future (For the better? For the worse?)?