Comparing Dystopian Distress in Brave New World, Player Piano, and The

Dystopian Distress in Brave New World, Player Piano, and The Giver  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Novels of the same subject matter may have decidedly unique ways of expressing the authors' ideas. Yet, dystopian narratives such as "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley, "Player Piano" by Kurt Vonnegut, and "The Giver" by Lois Lowry share many similarities in how the novels end. Throughout the genre of dystopian literature, each story has common ambiguous patterns that leave the reader unsure as to specific details at the conclusion. Oftentimes, this effect is achieved by leaving gaps in information, or presenting two different possibilities by which the tale could close. Even more enigmatic is a complete lack of conclusion all together; that is, the book concludes so abruptly that the reader is left to infer from her own thoughts and opinions what really happened to the main characters and the rest of society. One pattern commonly expressed in the end of dystopian novels is a situation in which foreshadowing throughout the novel gives tantalizing hints of what might be; usually, conclusion clues seem to imply a continual downfall of society. These stories portray a supposed utopian society in which one character, usually the protagonist, rebels against his commnuity and what it stands for, often times to bring about a specific change. One man or woman dares to be different. Three such examples that incorporate strong hints of premonitory information are "Brave New World", "Player Piano", and "Anthem". The novels often begin by introducing aspects of the corrupt society. For instance, in Aldous Huxley's account of a futuristic society, the world is made up of cloned castes of individuals, their entire futures determined at the point of their labora... ...three step patterns leading to societal downfall or gradual improvement, many dystopian novels achieve an ambiguous effect by their close. Each piece of literature leaves out one vital details that could determine exactly what happened, leaving the reader to infer what occurred based on his own thoughts and opinions. Oddly enough, this ironic way of ending continues with the overall themes of the books, showing that as one must make his own decision regarding interpretation of the novel's conclusion, all of the world's people must be left to choose their own fate. Works Cited Atwood, Margaret. "The Handmaid's Tale". Boston: Houghton, 1986. Huxley, Aldous. "Brave New World". New York: Harper & Row, 1969. Lowry, Lois. "The Giver". New York: Laurel-Leaf, 1993. Rand, Ayn. "Anthem". New York: Signet, 1946. Vonnegut JR, Kurt. "Player Piano". New York: Dell, 1983.