Abstract The paper explains the dystopian nature of Margaret Atwood's novel, "The Handmaid's Tale." The paper discusses the protagonist and title character from her perspective. The paper also compares the resistance movement of the novel to Orwell.
From the Paper "The protagonist and title character of Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" says that what she wants most is to know and to know whatever there is to know what's going on. Offred, a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead where there is often no balm, is immersed in a dystopian universe that Lois Feuer sees as very similar from and yet unique with respect to George Orwell's world."
Tags: Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale, dystopian
This paper discusses three works of dystopian literature: George Orwell's "1984", Neal Stephenson's "Snow Crash" and Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse 5".
Abstract This paper explains that dystopian literature, which depicts an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful repressive lives, seem to have powerful lessons for humanity that are strikingly apropos for today's world climate. The author points out that, in "1984", one of Orwell's main themes and commentaries on humanity is centered on language and how power rests with those people who control the language. The paper relates that the main theme of Neal Stephenson's "Snow Crash" is evil and greed; whereas, real stupidity is the core of Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse 5".
From the Paper "One also has to note the massive inflation that has caused much of the trouble in "Snow Crash". The use of other currencies less affected by the massive inflation of the dollar in the novel certainly brings to mind the recent conversion of many European countries' currency to the Euro. These examples of greed as well as other major themes of violence, drug use, drug pushing, and conspiracy seems to be evidence of the inherent evil in humanity even these accusations are softened somewhat by Stephenson's tongue-in-cheek style."
Abstract This report demonstrates the practice of scenario planning on the problem situation "How might managerial opportunities in the IS/IT industry develop and what is a robust strategy for exploiting this situation"? First, the reasons and rationale for completing this report are described in some detail. Then a brief description of the scenario planning process and how it is used in the situation is discussed. The main driving forces behind the scenarios are detailed along with supporting evidence where necessary. The paper's four scenarios deal with the types of jobs that have been created as a result of the rapid advances in technology - in particular, the technological advances in the IS/IT industry. From a number of sources available is it clear that improvements in communications technology have resulted in the increased use of handheld/wireless technologies.
From the Paper "Teleworking has been the product of the evolution of the information economy, and in the future it is likely to spur the creation of jobs that offer an alternative to office-based work. Security jobs will always be in demand due to the constant threats posed by organizations on a daily basis. Internal auditing has also change dramatically in recent years with the introduction of new technology. Internal auditing now deals with a range of issues that include examining an organization's information systems and making recommendations on areas where improvements can be made. These trends will be expanded on in the report"
Abstract The paper describes the technique of scenario sketching which examines important ?What if...?? questions in the running of an organization. It shows that unlike any other technique, which postulates a single future, scenario sketching technique looks at several alternative versions of the future, any one of which may or may not come about. The paper explains the nine steps involved in scenario sketching.
From the Paper "Never the less, the most known and seen limitation of scenario sketching technique is that since the technique allows ideas to be evaluated, it sometimes creates hostility and distortions that may occur in an open meeting. This does not mean that the technique does not function it is just a limitation that has been seen in some organization. In conclusion, scenarios are short internally consistent narratives of possible futures; they are not predictions."
Abstract This paper explains that, essentially, Descartes' dream scenario proposes that the reliability of our senses is fallible; the so called "brain in a vat" scenario is really just a contemporary illustration of Descartes' dream scenario. The author points out that these thought experiments can lead to a tremendous amount of intellectual power because people are suddenly afforded the realization that they might very well have the choice to accept or reject the very world around them. The paper relates that the ultimate goal of Descartes in this experiment in thought is an attempt to remove any beliefs that cannot be proven.
From the Paper "These ideas force us to acknowledge the fallibility of our senses. Not only is this extremely difficult on a personal level as one sitting and trying to remove the belief that all of the things around us, which we likely have coveted and acquired through some effort and therefore are probably quite attached to them, as well as our own position within these things, but the greater implications of this idea are quite devastating intellectually. Our scientific system of empirical thought is based on observation. This includes the entire classification of the objects and creatures around us as well as the physical principles that rule their behaviors and place in this world."
Abstract The paper relates that the law enforcement community has begun implementing scenario-based strategic planning and tactical training and explains that it has undoubtedly improved the safety of officers, subjects, and victims at crime scenes by conditioning officers to respond reflexively. The paper also discusses the potential shortcomings that must be considered in tactical training situations. The paper concludes that ultimately, scenario-based training in critical incident planning is a valuable tool, but it must complement rather than replace direct administrative control and oversight by experienced emergency management tacticians.
Outline:
Introduction
The Role of Scenario-Based Planning in Critical Incident Management
Benefits and Potential Difficulties
From the Paper "The attacks of September 11th 2001 highlighted the need for critical incident management very dramatically even before emergency services reviews officially disclosed that basic communications breakdowns, specifically, were responsible for most of the 343 uniformed firefighters who died at the World Trade Center. In its immediate aftermath, conflicts between the NYPD and the NYFD over authority and direction over recovery efforts at Ground Zero illustrated that strategic management and joint agency administrative planning and preparation are equally important to operational and tactical elements of critical incident management. Four years later, Hurricane Katrina illustrated that critical incident management is also critical for responses to natural disasters at the federal level, particularly since homeland security is considered the primary threat to the United States."
Abstract This paper explains that the roots of the belief in a glorious kingdom, which is part natural and part supernatural, are found in the hopes of the Jews for a temporal Messiah and in the Jewish apocalyptic. The author explains that, for thousands of years, legendary leaders such as King Solomon, the Egyptian pharaohs and Napoleon Bonaparte, have fought over Megiddo, called Armageddon in the New Testament, located in modern day Israel, and where the Bible says the end of the world will occur. The paper describes the grey goo scenario, first posed by Eric Drexler in his book on nanotechnology, "Engines of Creation", in which he describes how small nano-scale robots built to replicate themselves using any organic material, self-replicating nanobots, which eventually cover the world with grey sludge competing for the remainder of the planet's resources with microscopic earth munching robot swarms.
From the Paper "The Christian faith is one such religion that is based on the day of judgement. There are dozens of references in the Old Testament and the New Testament of the Bible that concern the end of the world. It is called by many phrases such as the "Day of the Lord," "the Day of the Son," "The Last Day," "The Day of the Son of Man," or the "Second Coming". For Christians this means that Christ will return to gather the just and annihilate the evil, and to found a glorious kingdom on earth filled with the highest spiritual and material blessings. All the saints will participate in this event and Christ is said to reign for one thousand years."
This well-researched paper examines various works of literature and analyzes the authors' writing styles and motivations when depicting either utopian or dystopian societies.
Abstract The writer of this in-depth paper focuses on assorted dystopian themed novels and the impact these works of writing have on the reader. This paper analyzes novels such as "Brave New World," "Fahrenheit 451" and "1984" all written about dystopian societies while comparing them to more upbeat novels depicting perfect utopian societies. Ray Bradbury's novel "Brave New World" describes the individuality that is stripped from its people who are forced to live brainwashed and segregated without them even knowing of it; the people of this futuristic world see it as utopia whereas the reader can clearly see it's in fact dystopia. George Orwell's "1984" presents a world to the reader where there is no chance for a utopia whereas the citizens see this world as a utopia due to telescreens, propaganda and brainwashing that leads to a society of no desires or thoughts. The writer also details the plots and characters of both dystopian and utopian themed novels as well as the motivating factors which inspired the authors' creativity.
From the Paper "George Orwell presents a world to the reader where there is no chance for a utopia whereas the citizens see this world as a utopia due to telescreens, propaganda's and brainwashing that leads to a society of no desires or thoughts. Citizens are not allowed to have personal thoughts or feelings due to the telescreens that destroys the individual mind. Telescreens is a designs that is a two way interacting television set that the Party uses to keep people from thinking. The telescreens are monitored by a force called the Thought Police. "Thought police plugged in on any individual wire, in the assumption that every sound you made was over heard." We see how this is forced greatly on the people when Winston has to hide himself from telescreens just to write down some of his thoughts. Huge posters with big eyes reminds the people that Big Brother is watching them."
Abstract This paper explains that humanity's ability to control its environment and the creatures within it gave it the chance to create civilization and culture; however, man's technological advances may be the cause of its downfall or apocalypse. To find support for this premise, the author reviews Philip K. Dick's novel, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?". The paper argues that AI (Artificial Intelligence), robotics, nanotechnology and nanomedicine may be the next step towards progress; however, the author concludes that the future is still blurry.
From the Paper "People have already started to create self-replicating programs used to wreak havoc on our computer networks called computer viruses. A computer virus is a program that can replicate itself from file to file, alter programs, and even steal information. The "Pakastani Brain" virus, discovered in 1986 is believed to be the first computer virus. Although computer viruses are fabricated, they do possess many of the criteria we use to classify living organisms: self-reproduction, information storage for reproduction, metabolism, functional interaction with its environment."
Abstract A clear reflection of the mindset of individuals suffering from alienation would be the dystopian novels of the mid-twentieth century. This paper examines how Aldous Huxley and George Orwell are concrete examples of dystopian novel writers and how the books "Brave New World" and "1984" present fictional totalitarian societies in which modern technology and the techniques of human engineering operate to destroy human freedom. It also discusses how the visual arts of the mid-twentieth century echoed the age's preoccupation with isolation, loneliness and anxiety using as an example the abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock.
From the Paper "In the mid-twentieth century, humankind was confronted with the destructive applications of modern technology. The realities of trench warfare, the concentration camps, and Hiroshima made it difficult to maintain that human beings were rational by nature, that technology would work to advance human happiness, and that the universe was governed by a benevolent God. (Fiero 70) As the modern individual became estranged from "God and reason" (Fiero 70), he became the victim of a condition of "anxious withdrawal" (Fiero 70) which is termed alienation. This alienation or state of perpetual anxiety and loneliness in the face of the dehumanizing aspects of technology resonates in the literature and art of the aforementioned period."
Abstract This paper examines George Orwell's "1984" in an attempt to discover the author's basic insight that leads to the worldview presented in the work. The first section reviews Orwell's own reasons for writing and his comments on the political nature of his work. It briefly considers Orwell's social and personal context in which "1984" was written. The next section identifies the satire against socialism. The third section explores the specific dangers he warns society against and the views he is promoting, not only as they related to the world in late 1940s when the work was written, but also as they relate to the contemporary world. This section also discusses the heightened fear caused by the closeness of his dystopian vision to reality. The fourth section pursues the ideal world that Orwell wanted to proscribe for us as his creative vision for the book.
From the Paper "His personal health during the writing of the book was falling. Some critics believe that this lead him to write a pessimistic work, with no avenue open for hope. Fredric Warburg [3] said, ?I cannot but think that this book could have been written by a man who himself, however temporarily, had lost hope, and for physical reasons which are sufficiently apparent.? I do not consider this to be a significant factor in his writing of the book, and do not consider pessimism to be the main thrust of his creative impulse, which is discussed from a different perspective in this paper. The hopelessness may be viewed as a device used to make the effects of totalitarianism more vivid. Some critics have also linked some description in 1984 to Orwell's experiences at his childhood school and other times. "
Abstract This paper studies Ayn Rand's dystopian novel "Anthem". The book is written as the journal of Equality 7 2521, a man struggling with his individuality, his will and his concepts of good and evil. The paper details the book's plot line, which is based on Equality's long and arduous -- though ultimately triumphant -- journey of self discovery. The paper shows how Equality overcame guilt, deprivation, punishment, banishment and betrayal and in the process formulated his own definitions of truth, freedom and love.
From the Paper "Ayn Rand's Anthem is a dystopian story written in the form of a journal kept by Equality 7 2521, a man born to an oppressive, backwards collective state set in a bleak unnamed place and time. This society, whose most recent technological advance is candlelight encourages conformity and drudgery and suppresses individuality and progress. Here, friendship and love, curiosity and creativity, and any display of self will or preference is punishable in the Palace of Corrective Detention. The punishment for swiping candles, alone, is ten years detention. In this world, there is no encouragement or even concept of self. "There is no transgression blacker than to do or think alone." Individuals refer to themselves as "we" and to other individuals as "they." In fact, the word "I," is not known to most, and to speak this word is the worst possible transgression. "There is no crime punished by death in this world, save this one crime of speaking the Unspeakable Word.'"
An analysis of the common themes present in Robert Louis Stevenson's Victorian-era novel "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and Aldous Huxley's 20th century dystopian novel "Brave New World."
Abstract The paper examines how both Robert Louis Stevenson in "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and Aldous Huxley in "Brave New World" develop and explore the themes of desire, pleasure, self-restraint, gratification and "humanness." The paper discusses their respective stories about human misuses, either individually or within a dystopian totalitarian society of scientific technology. The paper demonstrates how both authors imply within their novels how human existence, by its very nature, involves frustrated desire, pleasure and displeasure and the necessity, however uncomfortable and frustrating, for self-restraint in order not to hurt oneself and others.
From the Paper "Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) features, at the beginning of the story, a well-respected doctor, Dr. Jekyll, who scientifically concocts a potion that allows him to change himself, since he would like to experience feeling less human restraint than he does as the responsible and respectable Dr. Jekyll, into a hideous monster of a man, the destructive, unpredictable, and murderous Mr. Hyde. Stevenson's novel, set in Victorian England, during a time of then-unprecedented technological and scientific progress (a fact that may well have helped Stevenson to create the idea for this novel), underscores human anxieties of the sort that still exist today about the possibilities of new scientific progress (e.g., cloning; genetic engineering), in his creation of the fictional Mr. Hyde."
Abstract The paper addresses the effects of the Internet on the elements of community, identity and social contact. The paper uses a variety of studies and empirical data and applies utopian, dystopian and supplementary views to this examination. The paper concludes that the Internet can be perceived as positively influencing the dramatically changing nature of social interaction in contemporary society.
From the Paper "The Internet refers to a diverse collection of technologies that consists of programs such as the World Wide Web, E-mail, and Instant Messaging (Livingston 2005, p. 10). Unlike traditional media, such as television and newspapers, the Internet allows for synchronous communication, in which users are engaged in a two-way flow. In examining the effect of the Internet on social interaction the utopian, dystopian and supplementary views all offer different interpretations. Whilst the utopian view sees the Internet as positively transforming the method of interaction in society, the dystopian view argues that the Internet has in fact had negative effects on social interaction. Whilst the utopian and dystopian views both privilege the Internet by seeing it as drastically changing how people interact offline, the supplementary argument gives the Internet less of a central role in its effects on social interaction in contemporary society."
Abstract This paper examines the importance of dreams and memories in two dystopian fictions - "Nineteen Eighty Four" by George Orwell and "The Handmaids Tale" by Margaret Atwood. It explains how the use of memories and dreams is a very useful tool which both authors have used in order to reflect the society and the characters within it. The writer discusses how throughout both novels the memories appear to be more vivid and detailed than the dreams, and how this helps the reader to understand events which have occurred to the protagonist. The writer further suggests how the memories represent the past and how it can affect the future, as well as how active the character is in the present. The writer points out that dreams also help Winston and Offred to face memories which are repressed during the day; they are as significant as memories if fewer in quantity. The writer concludes that both dreams and memories allow the reader a greater insight into the minds of the protagonists.
From the Paper "Throughout '1984' and the 'Handmaids Tale' the need to escape from everyday life is and overwhelming urge, due to the harshly restricted and regimental lives which both protagonists live. Both societies are examples of totalitarian regimes in which the present situation is very different to the one in which they grew up in. In the 'Handmaid's Tale' it appears that the period is that of present day, her memories and dreams therefore range over the period of about thirty years. Starting from the 1970's when she was a child with her mother up to the 21st century in the Red centre. In '1984' Winston's memories cover the same periods of time however the period in which the society is set is not as clear as in the 'Handmaids Tale'."
Tags:dystopian, fiction, totalitarian, regimes, regimental, lives, society
