Utopian dream of dystopia in Brave New Word and Nineteen Eighty-four

master's thesis

• Author: Anita Harašić
• Mentor: Iva Polak (mentor)
• Committee member: Vanja Polić Jurković (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Ivana Bašić (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2023-02-27, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract

This thesis talks about the origins of the literary genre of utopia and the way it developed throughout history. If follows the timeline that transforms utopia into dystopia as well as the importance of perspective. The concept of utopia and dystopia is then exemplified with two novels, Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four. Through the three selected topics of power, family, and technology, the thesis discusses how they are used and the conditions to serve the state in both novels. The discussion shows while family and power in both novels are treated in the same way, technology in Brave New World appears to be serving its citizens, but in the end, it is still used to control them, which again corresponds to the only available technology in Nineteen Eighty-Four. The paper discusses the necessary destruction of the family nucleus in order to maintain power over its inhabitants and how raising and nurturing become conditioning.

• Keywords: Utopia; Dystopia; family; technology; power; Nineteen Eighty-Four; Brave New World
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:705672
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation; Course: Literature and Culture; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2023-02-23 08:08:18