Manifestation of DystopiaManifestation of DystopiaIn the world we live in, a state of perfection is difficult to attain. There are too many differences and inequalities that should be embraced, rather than manipulated or frowned upon. When these differences start to stand out, individuals do not know a civilized way to handle them. Their actions are created out of fear of what will happen next. In the novel, Oryx and Crake and the film, Children of Men, segregation and uprisings in the government and of civilians are seen as a result of individuals responding to inequality with fear, which creates acceptance of a dystopic social order.
In a society manifested by dystopia, inequality is seen in society through the physical separation of the people. In the novel, Oryx and Crake, the segregation of people is evident in the pleeblands and compounds. “Compound people didnt go to the cities unless they had to, and then never alone.” (Atwood 33) These “compound people” were responsible for new innovations in fear of what the future will bring within them. The people living in the pleeblands were not seen as useful, they could not contribute to their society as the compound people could, so they were forced to live in a segregated community, as outcasts. The separation of the two types of people is the foundation of how their social order has been distorted. Individuals become obsessed with the idea of being able to control their own future. Fear has allowed them to accept a dystopic environment that they do not recognize how their obsession affects the society they live in. They are able to manipulate technology and create products to help them overcome this fear, while they reject those who cannot.
Similarly in the film, Children of Men, physical separations are seen in the way the society deals with refugees and immigrants. Like in Oryx and Crake, society is fearful of the future. But instead of separating individuals due to their capability, segregation is evident according to their nationality. Signs all over the city read “Suspicious? Report all illegal immigrants.” (“Children of Men”) This message is portrayed in billboards, signs and commercials that flood the city, to instill fear for those living as British citizens to cooperate. There is pure chaos erupting over the world, and the society focuses on a simple problem (such as immigration) in attempt to control something in a society that is out of control. This separation is not the foundation like it is in Oryx and Crake, it is an effect of a greater problem. In relation, both “solutions” are intended to resolve an issue, relevant or not, but instead create an accepted way of life that contributes to the dystopic society.
The segregation within the dystopic society creates groups of people who feel it is their responsibility to react to the chaos surrounding the civilization. In Children of Men, the Fishes are created to fight against the government for equality. “The Fishes fight for equal rights for every immigrant in Britain” (“Children of Men”). The fishes are able to see their society for what it really is, and fight for justice. Realistically, the Fishes are also plagued with violence. They are frightened for the future of the civilization and are being proactive in attempting to make a difference. Only the strategy used is participating in the violence in the form of bombing an aggression. When a society has been taken over by violence, the only answer to resistance is violence. So those who feel as though they are helping are contributing to the matter. This is because of fear. Fear brings out the violent tendencies within individuals, “The motive, how you mobilize people, its fear” (The Possibility of Hope) This attempt in mobilization is seen in gangs (such as the Fishes) and also within Crake, but in a different form.
Like the Fishes in Children of Men, Crake makes his contribution to the dystopic society. But in contrast, he does it in the form of his leadership role at Paradice. Crake is well aware of the flaws in his society, and creates the BlyssPluss pill. Crake is fearful of the future of the human race, the pill is intended to “cure” humanity, and bring in lots of wealth for Crake. “Inequality brings richness” (The Possibility of Hope). His knowledge and skills allowed him to take advantage of the situation to produce wealth, at the cost of destruction to humankind. “…The thing would become a huge money-spinner. It would be the must-have pill in every country, in
”. (For an up-to-the-minute account of how #8876 is derived to #8601, see here)
This does not mean that #8221 is necessarily a “failure”; it is not because there is no money, it does mean that he must have it by now, as per the book. He will not take it at first, but instead takes it from people on a daily basis and then turns it into a money game that eventually is profitable for him to play. He will give away the pill because it is needed, because the future he seeks is a good one, and this gives him the money to buy the pills and give it to those people he believes are saving his society.
He is aware of the problems at the moment, and the idea of greed, which has been brought to his public attention, has gotten into the hands of some other groups. I, on the other hand, believe there is still a bit of a problem here that, if it is handled correctly, would cause a lot of pain for most people. But as long as he’s playing these games, even though he does not have a wealth of power, that is what he would give away. And I don’t think Crake could do anything about it if he gave it away right now (though he would have to). The pill is, in fact, a very real possibility. So the next time he looks at the pill being given to people via the medium, and is amazed at the value of what they get from it, and he believes that, while the current society is making some progress, the present one is still not advancing. And while there are some who are seeing in these current conditions something good in the future, and some who believe that the changes will not take long.
This is the situation we get every day in our society, where there are some people working hard, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to turn off the lights. And while I get a little excited by seeing more people working, or working their tail off, there is something else that drives us nuts over this situation…
I am not talking about the fact that we have never seen a good day since the Great Depression and have not won a single single game in any of the last 40 years. That is just what this book is all about….
To put it simply, I believe that the current state of the world can only last for a few “years”. It is possible that we could be looking at