Brave New World is set in a future version of a. London b. New York c. Paris
The real historical person who is a religious figure in Brave New World‘s World State is a. Winston Churchill b. Henry Ford c. H. G. Wells
Brave New World began as a parody of a. science fiction b. pulp fiction c. utopian fiction
Discussion/essay questions
It is often said that dystopian books “predict the future.” People have claimed this about Brave New World, as well as other dystopian novels like Nineteen Eighty–Four and The Handmaid’s Tale. Why do you think this is? Have you read any older dystopian books that feel very important now? Have you read any newer dystopian books that you think will become important in the future?
Transcript
Brave New World is a 1932 novel by English writer Aldous Huxley. The novel is set in a version of London, England in a future dystopian society called the World State. In the World State, the businessman Henry Ford has become a religious figure. The World State tries to keep its citizens happy with technology and drugs. It uses cloning technology to produce children. These children are genetically selected for a specific class and role within society. Huxley’s work was influenced by the genre of utopian fiction, which was very popular at the time. Many utopian novels described futures where technology had solved all human problems. Huxley thought this was an impossible and even dangerous idea. Brave New World began specifically as a parody of the utopian novels of H. G. Wells. Early reviews of Brave New World were often negative. Readers at the time thought it was disturbing and pessimistic. Over time, it became a classic of dystopian fiction, especially as technology grew and changed.
The country that The Handmaid’s Tale is set in is a. Canada b. the United States c. Gilead
In the story, the role of Handmaids is to a. clean and cook b. have children c. raise children
The year that book sales rose by 200 percent was a. 1985 b. 2017 c. 2019
Discussion/essay questions
What do you think the purpose of dystopian fiction is?
Transcript
The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian novel written by Canadian author Margaret Atwood. It was first published in 1985. The story is set in a fictional country called Gilead, which was once the United States. Gilead is run by a religious government that forces fertile women, known as Handmaids, to have children for powerful men. The protagonist, Offred, is one of these women. The Handmaid’s Tale got a TV adaptation in 2017, the same year that sales of the book rose by 200 percent. It has become an important symbol in reproductive rights movements, especially in North America. In 2019, Atwood published a sequel called The Testaments.
Do you think there is ever a good reason to ban a book? Why or why not?
Transcript
The Giver is a dystopian novel written by American author Lois Lowry. It was published in 1993. The story follows a boy named Jonas who is growing up in a futuristic community. The community is supposed to be a utopia, without war, hunger, or pain. However, it maintains peace by restricting choice and knowledge, and killing anyone who doesn’t fit in. When Jonas is 12 years old, he learns the truth about the community from a man called the Giver, who holds all the memories of the past. The Giver is often taught in schools to older children and teenagers. However, it is also one of the most commonly banned books in the United States.
