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56 Dystopian Writing Prompts

Escape to a dark, disheartened world with these 56 dystopian writing prompts .

Mass poverty, cruelty and fear cover a dystopian world. From the shelter-like homes to the dark, broken streets. Life is hard. When writing a story set in a dystopian world you need to describe the harsh reality of this world in great detail. Make the reader fear this world. Think about the leaders who have control. This control might be significant, where harsh rules are made to keep the peace. Alternatively, there could be a rebellion, where leaders have no control and civilians are running havoc. See our master list of world-building questions to help develop a believable dystopian world.

A dystopian world is a world in shatters and ruins. How did it become this way? What rules and regimes do civilians follow, if any? What type of crime is most prominent in this world? These questions will help you create a realistic and powerful dystopian world for your readers.

Looking for some name ideas for your new world? Check out this world name generator . You might also find this list of Earth day writing prompts and this list of over 110 sci-fi writing prompts .

Dystopian writing prompts

To help you create a powerful story about a society in crisis, here are our 56 dystopian writing prompts:

• In the year 2,121, sea levels have risen at an extreme rate. 98% of the Earth is now underwater. The remaining 2% is made of small islands scattered across the Earth. With resources at a scarcity, the islands must work together if they are to survive.
• A virus has wiped out 95% of humanity in the future. The only survivors are machines and a group of secret underground warriors who rebelled against technology for centuries.
• In the future, a virus has caused some humans to mutate into ravenous troll-like beasts. While the remaining humans have to learn to survive in the world with these beasts.
• The life expectancy of people has dropped drastically in the future. At the age of 18, humans start to deteriorate and slowly pass away. The ruler is an arrogant 14-year-old kid.
• Scientists have combined robotics with human tissue to increase the life expectancy of humans. Apart from the vital organs, such as lungs and heart, as well as parts of the brain, humans are mostly robotic. Eventually, humans start losing control of their bodies to machines. 
• From the moment a human is born to the day they die, humans are connected to the internet. Everything they need to know about life is on a screen to which they are connected. One day, a technology outbreak completely wipes the internet. Humans are switched off. What happens next?
• Scientists have found the secret to endless happiness. They create a new pill that needs to be taken once a day to remain happy. But is this new pill all as it seems?
• To promote equality in the future, humans have to dress the same and talk the same. Any inappropriate English and slang words are banned. All around the world, everyone must speak English. If these rules are broken, the rule breaker will be sentenced to prison or even death.
• With the brand new Cloner 3000, cloning is just a button press away. Clone your cat, your dog and even yourself if you dare. What are the potential dangers of cloning yourself too many times? 
• Law and order is destroyed in the future. People are free to do whatever they want without any consequences. Until a group of vigilante heroes decide to recreate the law.
• There are two types of people, the rich and the poor. The rich have an extreme amount of money and power. And the poor are living on the streets and undergrounds, struggling to get by. A poor orphan girl is adopted by a rich family and discovers a deadly secret about how the rich become rich. 
• The excessive use of technology and social media has meant that 95% of the world suffers from extreme social phobia. The slightest human interaction results in mass panic attacks. One brave human decides to create a group where people can meet face to face regularly to help them overcome this fear.
• Crime has become such a huge issue in the future, that every home in the world has become a prison cell. Prison guards patrol the streets and provide prisoners with the essentials. One guard feeling guilty that his family is locked behind bars, tries freeing them, and soon things get out of control. 
• Oxygen is the new currency in the future. Instead of money people buy, earn and sell little canisters of oxygen. Continue this dystopian story…
• Desperate to create the perfect world, the government provides every person with a free virtual reality headset. Once worn, the person is transported to a tranquil utopia. Meanwhile, the government secretly has other plans in the real world. 
• A virus has turned every tree, plant and flower on earth into flesh-eating monsters. The only way to survive is to kill all plant life on Earth, but how will the planet survive?
• A new mobile app in the future tells people when to eat, sleep, drink and essentially live. Without the app, humans would be lost, confused and clueless. A group of cyber hackers, hack this app to gain control of all humans. 
• Being the main cause of social disorders and suicides, the internet is banned in the year 2,098. With the ban of the internet, people slowly resort to the old ways of living before the internet ever existed. Until a group of individuals find a way to bring back the net. 
• Bored of old-style video gaming, humans resort to sticking chips inside prisoners. Once a prisoner is chipped, they can be controlled like a video game character. 
• Desperate to be beautiful and young, rich people resort to stealing the actual skin and facial features of ordinary people. These extreme surgeries soon start to have a weird effect on humans.
• The Earth has been destroyed by a huge asteroid. A few humans that survived by living underground finally emerge to start a new life on Earth. 
• With the Earth’s population at an all-time high, it’s time for every human to prove their worth. After the age of 16, humans must take a test every year. If they fail the test, they are killed immediately. One young adult scores incredibly high on the test making them the ‘chosen one’. 
• Due to the lack of resources on Earth, all luxury items have been banned. People survive on basic rations of bread, rice and beans each month. No vanity items, such as jewellery or make-up are allowed. One day a group of civilians discover that luxury items do exist, but only the leaders can use them. 
• For the sake of human evolution, scientists have turned the small town of Whitefish into a huge science experiment. No one is allowed to enter or leave the city unless they are told so. Every now and then, a new stimulus is introduced, so that scientists can record the human reactions for a research paper. 
• Write a story about the aftermath of World War 5. Who was at war and who lost it? What devastation did the war create on Earth?
• In the far future, robots are responsible for creating human life. They carefully program each human when they are born to do certain tasks in life. One human realizes that they don’t need to follow the orders programmed in them and fights for freedom.
• After a huge asteroid hits Earth, the last two survivors have to find a way to recreate life. It’s a modern, dystopian Adam and Eve story.
• World leaders ban religion and talk of God in the future. A man discovers a secret church up in the mountains where people secretly believe in God. 
• Due to animal cruelty, people are no longer allowed to have animals as pets in the future. All pets live out in the wild without any human masters. One homeless teenager finds a hurt dog in the wild and takes care of it. Eventually, authorities find out about this forbidden friendship.
• A bored scientist dedicates his whole life to recreating popular monsters like vampires, werewolves and Frankenstein’s monster in real life. He finally masters the procedure and offers it to rich people at a price.
• Tired of the rat race and busy city-living, people move to the country to live a peaceful and calm life. Eventually, cities like New York City become a playground for criminals and runaways.
• When the human population on land reaches an all-time high. One man goes on a quest to create the ultimate underwater city for humans. Continue this story.
• In the year 2,121, 100% of the population becomes vegan. Eating any sort of animal product is considered cannibalism. Farm animals realize that humans will no longer eat them, so decide to plan their revenge.
• Cyber-pets become a huge thing in the future. Technology advances so much that people would rather buy robotic pets inside of real ones. This results in more stray animals on the streets. With no human love, the pets turn into savages attacking both humans and the cyber-pets.
• Humans have left Earth for a better life on Mars. One day, thousands of years later, a space astronaut from Mars lands on Earth to find…
• In the future, the majority of jobs have been taken over by robots. The only way to earn money is to take part in a series of games and challenges created by the rich for their entertainment.
• Everyone on Earth has experienced some sort of mutation in the future. This mutation has made humans powerful and troll-like. As the only pure human (with no mutations), your character’s daughter is kidnapped by a group of mutants who want to use her blood to make humans human-like again. 
• Imagine you are the last human survivor on Earth. What would you do alone on Earth?
• Describe a future where all humans are either deaf or blind.
• You and your family live underground away from all the technology. Write a series of diary entries about life underground.
• Sugar is banned completely in the future. Even fruits that taste sugary are no longer available. You are the leader of a secret underground group that creates your own homemade sugar. However since humans haven’t tasted sugar in a long time, the results become very dangerous.
• Since Earth has been destroyed, every family lives in their own spaceship homes floating around the galaxy. Every now and then you need to protect your home from space invaders, pirates and of course black holes.
• Write a story about one boy, his dog and a group of robots living on Earth as the only survivors. 
• Lying dormant deep at the core of the Earth, dragons finally awake. After a series of powerful earthquakes, they burst through the ground one by one. 
• With surveillance cameras watching everyone. A new TV show called, ‘Did They Really Do That’ airs across the nation showing the most embarrassing moments of civilians living in your area. You then go on a mission to destroy all surveillance and destroy the TV show.
• One man’s dream to swim with the dolphins is taken to extremes, as he genetically modifies a group of humans, so that they can swim underwater. Unknowingly these humans turn into monstrous mermaid-like creatures.
• Huge floating islands are created all over Earth to cope with the increase in the human population. These floating islands become new countries on the map with their own rules and way of life. 
• In the year 3,021 world peace is finally achieved. Everyone lives in perfect harmony. But how was this world peace achieved? One curious civilian makes a shocking discovery.
• Write a news article about the latest riot happening in your town in the year 2,899. Why did this riot happen? Who was involved? Where did it happen? What exactly happened before and during the riot?
• You are a lab assistant for a company that creates genetic make-up for humans. The make-up keeps humans looking young for their entire lifespan of 180 years. One day you discover something shocking…
• Cats and dogs have evolved into human-shaped beings. They now rule Earth and treat humans like pets. 
• Due to natural extinction and the threat of disease, all animals are gone in the future. You and your family have created a secret underground zoo , which holds the last remaining animals on Earth.
• Write a story from the perspective of a servant robot who wants to be the mayor of the city. 
• Scientists have learned to extract emotions from humans and contain them in jars. At a price, you can remove negative emotions like anger, sadness and fear. You can also sell and buy positive emotions like happiness. To obtain a new emotion, you simply inhale the emotion directly from the jar. In a special clinic, over 10,000 jars of emotions are contained, until one day…
• The Earth is a massive video game for advanced aliens living on a distant planet. They randomly spawn monsters whenever they feel like, and can control any human they like. One day the aliens are so bored that they create a big scary boss monster for a town of people to fight.
• In an effort to create a better world, all humans must take a personality test. If your personality does not meet the criteria set by the government, then you are sent to work camps. People at the work camps live a horrible life of abuse, torture and endless hard work for 18 hours a day. Imagine that your main character fails the personality test, and is sent to one of these camps.

For more gritty ideas, check out our guide on what is dieselpunk plus story ideas .

What do you think of these dystopian writing prompts? Which one is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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100 dystopian writing prompts

November 23, 2023 by Richard Leave a Comment

Imagine chilling futures where emotions are suppressed, memories are hacked, nature is walled-off, and totalitarian regimes control everything from relationships to the weather. Welcome to our 100 dystopian writing prompts. 

Let your creativity run wild envisaging sinister agencies, social manipulation, banned contraband, restricted freedoms, underground resistance, and daring escapes.

Buckle up for a thrilling ride into menacing speculative worlds where you’ll encounter thought police, memory black markets, mandated cryogenic freezing, sinister surveillance, climate totalitarians, and other dystopian threats.

In this comprehensive prompt collection, you’ll find 100 disturbing, tantalizing scenarios captured through cliffhanger “write about…” cues guaranteed to spark new realms of suspense, conflict and tension.

From emotion-suppressing drugs to memory-recording devices gone wrong, mandated matchmaking by genetic compatibility to expiring at a certain age, these prompts zoom in on rebellious individuals fighting corrupt power structures for a second chance at passion, self-determination and a future they define.

Let these dystopian sparks ignite stories of defiant resistance, dangerous flaw-exposing exposés, tense psychological operations, off-the-grid escapes into the wild, and other bold tactics to undermine oppression. Can truth and justice prevail? That’s for you to decide…

Now, enter these speculative dystopian worlds and let your imagination run wild! Where will these 100 dystopian writing prompts take you?

• A device is invented that allows the government to control people’s thoughts and actions. Write about someone trying to escape this fate.
• Strict laws are passed limiting how many children families can have. Tell the story of a family faced with an impossible decision.
• A catastrophic event wipes out most of humanity. Write about a small group of survivors banding together.
• All books and writings from history are burned. Write about an effort to preserve or recreate knowledge.
• A virus spreads causing infertility. Follow individuals desperate to have children in this dire world.
• The population is segregated into zones based on genetic engineering marks. Write from the perspective of someone yearning for the outside world.
• Water becomes extremely scarce. Write about the lengths one teen goes to in order to save their community.
• A company develops AI androids used for manual labor. Tell the story of an android developing forbidden aspirations for freedom.
• Citizens’ use of language is restricted and simplified. Write about a group secretly communicating in metaphors and code.
• Memories and dreams are recorded as digital data. Write about a hacker who accesses people’s intimate memories illegally.
• The government mandates that certain emotions must be suppressed. Write from the perspective of someone struggling with this.
• Time travel is invented but strictly forbidden. Write about someone risking it all to change past atrocities.
• The population is herded into city centers while the wildlands are off limits. Write from the view of someone escaping to experience natural life.
• A virus spreads that removes facial features. Write about the fear and identity issues that arise in afflicted society.
• The government replaces school with endless VR propaganda simulators. Write about an underground effort to preserve free thinking.
• A strict rating system quantifies each citizen’s worth. Write about someone striving to boost their rating or hide their true selves.
• The population is forced to take pills that alter perceptions of reality. Write about someone slowly realizing the deception.
• Strict beauty standards are set by genetic modification. Write about someone pursuing dangerous underground procedures for a boost in status.
• The elderly are exiled once past working age. Write about someone hiding an elderly relative.
• A curfew is set banning unauthorized night activity. Write about a group of youths planning secret late night events.
• Population growth is restricted through mandated cryogenic freezing at certain ages. Write about someone fighting the system or going on the run as their freeze date approaches.
• A pandemic requires protective gear covering the body and face, removing unique identifiers. Write about someone desperate to see a loved one’s uncovered face before they are frozen.
• The government tracks every move of citizens through mandatory chips. Write about a man who tries to live off the grid, undetected.
• A tiered citizenship system is based on serving in civil or military duties for years at a time. Write from perspective of a low-tier citizen dreaming of elevation in status.
• Failure to take your mandated medications results in banishment to lawless outlands. Write about someone hiding mental clarity without chemicals.
• The natural landscape outside congested urban centers is off limits behind walled boundaries. Write from the perspective of someone who escapes to experience freedom in nature.
• A company owns the patent to a synthesized formula needed for human health and jacks up the prices, causing suffering. Write about activists trying to recreate it.
• The government controls the weather and all climate conditions. Write about a group that wages weather terrorism demanding natural variability.
• Corporations run sovereign city-states. Write about a skilled worker trying to break their never-ending contract.
• A virus makes most animals extinct. Write about underground efforts to save remaining species.
• The government mandates matchmaking based on genetic compatibility. Write from view of someone struggling when they fall for the “wrong” match.
• The ability to reproduce has become allocated to only certain designees. Write about a black market for illegal conceptions.
• A pandemic requires everyone to live in isolated pods. Write about someone fighting sensory deprivation to stay sane.
• Lifespans are significantly cut short at a certain age through mandated termination procedures. Write from view of someone approaching their expiry trying to fight it.
• Write about the invention and consequences of a device that can record and play back memories.
• Only ultra high-IQ individuals are allowed in leadership roles. Write about identity struggles for a character judged unintelligent by mandated measurements.
• Write about teams competing in a post-apocalyptic city for scarce resources needed to survive decaying conditions.
• Write from the perspective of a hacker who works to take down an authoritarian technocracy from the inside.
• Write about someone forced to become an “information specialist” manipulating news and data feeds to serve ulterior motives.
• Write about a pandemic leading to development of advanced robotic caregiver technology that goes awry.
• Write about a protest against emotion-suppressing drugs led predominantly by teenagers seeking freedom and passion.
• Write about a survivor banding groups together to restore culture in a controlled dystopia that has erased past artifacts and identity.
• Write about black market dealers who smuggle banned physical books to those yearning for lost knowledge and history.
• Write about a student who discovers long-suppressed writings revealing troubling truths about their society’s history.
• Write a conversation between an elder and a young person who yearns to experience fundamental rights and choices stripped from society, like childbearing.
• Write about a small group that escapes into the wilderness and attempts to build an equitable utopia outside dystopian constraints.
• Write about someone fighting the system through graffiti symbolizing hope and metaphorical messaging to incite revolution.
• Write a debate between a rebel faction leader and authoritarian regime loyalist on freedoms vs order.
• Write a prison narrative about inmates alternating virtual reality experiences to mitigate their sentences through psychological manipulation.
• Write a tale of genius inventor who creates wondrous technology in secret that could undermine authoritarian control or elevate freedom if revealed.
• Strict sleep quotas are enforced via brain implants that monitor REM cycles to maximize productivity. Write from the perspective of someone suffering from sleep deprivation who secretly changes their schedule.
• In order to improve worker compliance, the government has developed a chemical to make citizens enjoy menial labor tasks. Write about a janitor who loves their job a disturbing amount.
• A powerful caste system has formed among humans after rampant genetic experimentation. Write from the perspective of an oppressed “inferior” caste dreaming of a better life.
• Most animals have gone extinct except for those pets approved by the Environmental Ministry. Illegal pet ownership is severely punished, but a thriving black market exists.
• In a bid to reduce crime, the government now requires parents to screen embryos for a variety of physical and psychological illnesses. However, many families now feel pressured to produce the “perfect child”.
• Due to food shortages, restaurants and grocery stores have been outlawed. All meals are now supplied by the Nutritional Distribution Bureau’s ready-made, cost-effective food products. However, a speakeasy dedicated to actual cooking has opened.
• In an effort to increase efficiency and national unity, a universal language with strictly monitored vocabulary and grammar standards is imposed. Those who fail language tests are penalized by social restrictions.
• The Life Extension Agency provides age rejuvenation treatments, but primarily to the social and financial elite. The poor struggle with shortened life expectancies, leading some to join radical insurgent groups.
• An innovative new Direct Neural Interface allows people’s brains to connect directly to a vast online network. However, hacking into someone’s mind is now disturbingly easy.
• In order to prepare youth for the harsh, dangerous streets, local Fight Clubs are organized to systematically toughen up teens and channel aggression effectively.
• Due to rampant unemployment, the government now drafts citizens into mandatory civil or military service positions for 10-15 years. Failure to accept an assignment results in imprisonment.
• In a bid to improve public safety, petite auditory assistants called “Shoulder Angels” are issued to all citizens to provide helpful guidance. However, their advice is not always ethical, wise or in one’s best interest.
• In order to improve citizen health and longevity, the ingestion of all non-synthetic foods and beverages is highly restricted. However an underground movement of “Whole Food Rebels” persists.
• Due to widespread infertility, prospective parents are only allowed children via cloning, therefore insuring a continuous labor force. However, a generation of identical offspring creates disturbing identity issues.
• In order to eliminate homelessness and unemployment, all citizens must work as general labor at massive collective Farms that supply the nation with food and textile materials. The division of labor is demanding but fair.
• Rigid rules dictate what colors, textures and styles of clothes that citizens may wear depending on their age, profession and social status. Fashion diversity is forbidden, with black market clothing trends continuously emerging.
• Due to rampant hacking, personal data devices have been outlawed and removed. However an illegal group of elite hackers known as “The Archives” still uncovers and leaks confidential information.
• Write about a future in which a volcanic eruption blots out the sun for years, killing crops and plunging society into chaos, violence and despair.
• Write about an agency that pushes invasive brain implants that allow video recording of memories and forced data sharing against people’s will.
• Write about a future where dreams can be bought and sold on a black market operated through tapping into people’s minds as they sleep to steal visions.
• Write about a divided territory where selected wealthy elite live safely in utopian cities while the remaining majority survive dystopian wastelands of pollution and scarcity.
• Write about those battling a law requiring registration with Social Harmony Agency that tracks emotions and punishes discord deemed damaging to psychological unity.
• Write about resisters fighting against authoritarian rules forbidding casual relationships, friendships or non-approved personal connections in order to boost productivity.
• Write about an uprising against an enforced caste system that assigns professions, living quarters, resources access and more based on DNA-based hierarchies.
• Write about rebels secretly trying to instill history, art and free thinking in younger generations raised in a neutered, whitewashed and overly structured world.
• Write about someone from an agency assigned to manipulate records to maintain historical propaganda narratives confronting their buried conscience.
• Write about teachers secretly providing banned materials, intellectual freedom and emotional nurturing despite rigid restrictions on permitted lessons and development.
• Write about twin siblings torn apart by diverging citizenship tiers granted to each one, leaving the other in oppressive conditions they try escaping.
• Write about time travelers tasked with altering past mistakes and unintentionally fracturing reality through over-corrections of history.
• Write about nature rebels trying to preserve plant life needed for clandestine botanical experiments to undo genetic disasters humans have caused through manipulation.
• Write about librarians archiving confiscated artifacts, art and documents on the black market struggling to preserve cultural history for future generations.
• Write about a hacker leaking scandalous secrets of upper-crust elite, revealing their criminal hypocrisy and oppression behind friendly public facade.
• Write about investigators tracing early warning signs of current totalitarian injustice back many generations to disturbing past historical events.
• Write about rebels secretly planning targeted infrastructure sabotage or disruptive hacks of controlling surveillance systems to enable societal chaos that disrupts tyranny.
• Write about scientists furtively trying to revive extinct species in a controlled environment before authorities crush their unauthorized genetic efforts.
• Write about youth experiencing forbidden cultural artifacts like non-digitized photographs, physical vinyl records or ancient paper books for the first time, feeling awakened.
• Write about a team planning a high stakes escape mission to lead refugees from border detention camps to safe international territory.
• Write about hackers digitally falsifying citizen records to manipulate assignment of soul-crushing undesirable labor mandates.
• Write about activists utilizing hidden shortwave radio signals, coded language newspaper ads and other old-fashioned techniques to secretly coordinate resistance.
• Write about rebel scientists planning risky psychological experiments challenging theories that current authoritarian rule is an inevitable consequence of innate human society dynamics.
• Write about smugglers obtaining prohibited goods like sugar, caffeine or alcohol from foreign black markets to cater to restricted domestic population demands.
• Write about resisters launching independent radio broadcasts challenging state-sanctioned news propaganda to circulate suppressed truths.
• Write about rebel journalists using old-fashioned typewriters, printers and paper materials to publish and distribute banned insider exposés anonymously.
• Write about a team capturing footage of dystopia oppression via hidden shoulder cameras to make viral videos awakening outside world to atrocities.
• Write about citizens banding together under pretense of harmless community sport team as disguise to enable secret seditious coordination.
• Write about defectors and infiltrators leaking confidential information regarding government-sponsored experiments trying to control or manipulate citizens’ minds.
• Write about a duo discovering shocking classified files revealing orchestrated crisis events used as pretext to justify implementing incremental totalitarian measures.
• Write about activists utilizing public wall art, performance protests, symbolic clothing and defiant slang phrases to express seditious messages under the radar.
• Write about rebel families harboring unauthorized pregnancies in concealed rooms or underground spaces, despite harsh penalties if newborns are discovered.
• Write about defiant hackers digitally attacking key infrastructure in Vendetta-like psychological operations to expose regime corruption, undermine authority and awaken masses.

I hope you enjoyed our 100 dystopian writing prompts, and I hope they inspire you to write something great. If you write something you want to share, please leave it in the comments. Also, please remember we have many other writing prompts on our site you might find helpful.

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About Richard

Richard Everywriter (pen name) has worked for literary magazines and literary websites for the last 25 years. He holds degrees in Writing, Journalism, Technology and Education. Richard has headed many writing workshops and courses, and he has taught writing and literature for the last 20 years.  

In writing and publishing he has worked with independent, small, medium and large publishers for years connecting publishers to authors. He has also worked as a journalist and editor in both magazine, newspaper and trade publications as well as in the medical publishing industry.   Follow him on Twitter, and check out our Submissions page .

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10 Great Opening Lines in Dystopian Literature

Dystopian worlds are decidedly unlike our own – totalitarian, dehumanizing, frightening, often futuristic. The job of their creators, then, is to imagine a hellish world and put it on paper, in writing that somehow makes its existence terrifyingly plausible. A great opening line serves as the initial, horrifying bridge between our world and an author’s dystopia – the line most vital to a dystopia’s hold, growth, and impact on the reader’s mind. Here are the some of the best opening lines in dystopian literature.

10. 1984 , George Orwell

“It was a bright day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”

Orwell’s seminal opening to 1984 captures everything – the oppressive, bizarre, unwelcoming, and distorted quality of “Big Brother’s” dystopian future world. Even a seemingly innocuous, sunny day in April can’t escape the reach and rigidity of the to-be-feared impending future order. Not one, but all of the clocks strike thirteen at the same time, intimating the extent to which some force, omnipotent and unknown, controls every facet of society – even time’s passage.

On “Airstrip One” – the former Great Britain – the thirteenth hour is not to be understood in military time; it is to signal a novel arrangement – at the very least, a break from the 12-hour cycles in which time was once kept in Great Britain. Without a way to compare time, how do readers measure the past? How long is a dystopian day, month, or year? Incapable of grasping time’s altered pace , readers arrive in Orwell’s dystopia utterly disoriented, confronted with the totalitarian beat of a changed world.

9.  The Trial , Franz Kafka

“Someone must have slandered Josef K., for one morning, without having done anything truly wrong, he was arrested.”

In The Trial , Kafka’s opening line explores a dystopia of powerlessness, oppression, and arbitrary evil. Josef K. knows neither who has conspired against him nor why. But it’s no matter. Already, Kafka has invested in Josef a fatal helplessness, simultaneously introducing a faceless, capable, and unstoppable force – one powerful enough to have Josef arrested for no justifiable reason. Flat, devoid of affect, and ending inexorably in Josef K.’s arrest, the opening sentence reads with the cadence of a death sentence – a result from which there seems little hope for due process, redemption, or moral justice. Moreover, in Kafka’s dystopia, neither names nor time matter: someone partially unnamed and unknown is arrested.

Depersonalized, Josef K. and his half-erased identity hint at the possibility that such an arrest could happen to anyone. Likewise, time has become as vague and unpredictable as the menace itself. The arrest happened “one morning,” not on any specific date; time becomes the simple marker of when the arbitrary strikes. The ordinary and detached tone with which Kafka recounts the event forewarns readers that, in his dystopian world, nobody is safe, and that blind injustice will prevail.

8.  Choke , Chuck Palahniuk

“If you’re going to read this, don’t bother. After a couple pages, you won’t want to be here. So forget it. Go away. Get out while you’re still in one piece. Save yourself.”

Choke ’s opening comes off as over-wrought, to be sure. But the idea of a character enslaved within a novel’s dystopian pages, so despising of his world that he doesn’t want others to experience it, proves startling. That it’s intended specifically for the reader also renders it all the more frightening. In other dystopian works, the horrors of the imagined world seem a little unreal – somehow too distant to consider seriously.

But Choke proclaims that its dystopia’s entrance stands a mere couple sentences away – that reading on, thereby entering Palahniuk’s dystopian hell, may lead to real physical injury or death for the reader. If nothing else, the opening strives to bring a brutal dystopia to life.

7.  A Clockwork Orange , Anthony Burgess

“’What’s it going to be then, eh?’      That was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie and Dim, Dim being really dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar making up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening, a flip dark chill winter bastard though dry.”

So far removed are readers from Burgess’s sinister world that even its language – a dark, primitive, twisted dialect of English – seems foreign and dangerous. The “eh” at the end of the first sentence reads like a snarl, an animal’s sound produced only to suck warmth from what is, in fact, a waiter’s interrogative: what do Alex and his three buddies, Pete, Georgie, and Dim, want to drink? In fact, the “eh” seems to encapsulate Burgess’ entire dystopian vision  – a world of cold, seemingly unnecessary brutality and aggression.

Alex, the narrator, even refers to his buddies as droogs – a word more resembling drone, drug, or mindless brute than friend. Nevertheless, the four “droogs” sit together, drinking and discussing what to do later, in a night described in a combination of terms as hauntingly violent and barbaric as any: “flip dark chill winter bastard though dry.” The apocalyptic forecast, though, isn’t enough to deter Alex and his “droogs” from going out and wreaking havoc on the frozen, unforgiving night; in all likelihood, this hellish evening is the norm in Burgess’s dystopian world.

6. The Joke , Milan Kundera

“So here I was, home again after all those years. Standing in the main square (which I had crossed countless times as a child, as a boy, as a young man), I felt no emotion whatsoever;”

While some versions of dystopia are distorted, changed versions of the real world, Kundera’s proves the opposite. It’s one in which dystopia exactly resembles the narrator’s home, but in which the soul is dead to its significance. What torture must this narrator have experienced “after all those years” for his heart not to stir upon returning to the place of his youth? What distances must this narrator have travelled, physically and emotionally?

The Joke ’s opening line is one of profound coldness and eternal distance. For Kundera, dystopia, then, is the experience of an unfeeling heart upon seeing the familiar, desensitized by what must be immeasurable, prolonged horror – a life sucked dry of all its humanity.

5. The Metamorphosis , Franz Kafka

“When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.”

Kafka’s famous opening in The Metamorphosis may prove the single most horrifying in all of dystopian literature. Kafka gives Gregor a name and a humanity before coldly explaining his transformation.

As such, what wakes up is not simply a “monstrous vermin,” but a man utterly entrapped; a man who had no part in his transformation, who merely finds himself changed one morning into a repulsive bug, one humans want to crush – a entirely passive, agency-less metamorphosis. Moreover, Gregor finds no relief from waking from his nightmares. In fact, waking seems to prolong them forever – a dystopia in which Gregor never escapes his nightmares , whether asleep or awake.

4. A Handmaid’s Tale , Margaret Atwood

“We slept in what had once been the gymnasium.”

Atwood’s opening implies at once a great distance from the past, and a still tenuous attachment to it. The narrator’s dystopian world holds reminders of a prior life – it’s not a gymnasium but the gymnasium, intimating its personal resonance with the narrator. And yet, life as it was no longer exists. Were it still a gymnasium, the opening line might ring of an adventure. But the gym is not used as a gym anymore; it appears to be a refugee camp.

The opening also conveys mass displacement. The narrator and whomever else he or she includes when saying “we,” no longer sleep in their homes. Given the unpleasantry of sleeping in a gymnasium, one can presume Atwood’s narrator was compelled to leave home, implying grave danger and foreign, nefarious forces at play. A world menacing, inextricably changed, and dotted with marks of a better, former life makes for a dystopia all the more tragic; the past seems to cling to the narrator’s mind, but unknown horrors stand in the way of any return.

3. The Giver , Lois Lowry

“It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be frightened.”

Lowry’s enigmatic opening portends a rising, impending threat. Winter, and the gloomy, dangerous mysteries it withholds are fast approaching. The darkest part of Lowry’s opening is that Jonas knows what’s coming – something huge and horrible, of course – yet stands helpless in it wake.

That the threat arrives annually only further indicates its power; each year, it wreaks havoc on Jonas’s world but remains invincible , only to return once again. There seems to be no hope of overcoming the darkness or escaping its grasp; enduring it, if possible, is the only option. Doom will soon arrive in Lowry’s dystopian world ; Jonas is as sure of it as he is powerless.

2. Neuromancer , William Gibson

“The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.”

Not clouds, not rain – but a vast, gray, consuming nothingness. That Gibson’s dystopian sky is the color of television static implies disconnection from the world as we know it. TVs showing static are broken, or on the incorrect input or setting; regardless, static implies that something has gone wrong. Gibson’s world is thus off-kilter, with a sky ominous and unwelcomingly endless.

What’s more, the act of tuning seems active, implying that someone, or something, might be in control; that whomever, or whatever is in control, is deliberately ridding Gibson’s world of, at the very least, the colors of life – purposely failing to tune the TV to the “living” channels.” Vested with immeasurable power and depravity, the controllers of Gibson’s dystopia, then, from the first sentence, appear omnipotent, evil, and unrelenting.

1. Fahrenheit 451 , Ray Bradbury

“It was a pleasure to burn.”

Ray Bradbury’s shocking, sadistic, and even vaguely sexual opening line touches on something more vital than the atmosphere, appearance, or mere description of a dystopia; it gets at what it’s like to experience pleasure in an altered world, how it feels to exist. Pleasure is the basest, most carnal sensation one can experience – if even this is changed into a maddened, sinister sensation, to what extent has this world been perverted?

The opening leaves much more to be answered, as well. Is the narrator burning? Is someone or something else burning? Readers soon learn that the opening refers to books being burned by dystopian firemen – 451 degrees fahrenheit being the temperature at which books burn. Nevertheless, six words in, readers are violently thrust into the narrator’s warped mind, one rewired to enjoy a distorted world where pain becomes pleasure .

What about Stephen King’s “The Ginslinger”?:

“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed”

It’s worth noting that Alex’ language in A Clockwork Orange isn’t just a random, confusing mix of words – it’s actually based on a blend of Russian and English (especially Cockney and Elizabethan English). This removes the events of the story even further away from our comfort zones, especially given that, at the time the book was written, Russian was the language of the enemies of the west: the Soviet Union. This additional socio-political element implies a great deal more about Alex, his background, and his nature.

As always, great commentary.

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BEST DYSTOPIAN WRITING PROMPTS

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Save the date, set your story in a world where conversation about one particular topic is banned — but there are ways to get around the rule., imagine a world where exploration is forbidden, and write a story about a character who defies this rule to satisfy their innate curiosity., write a story imagining 'what if' one historic invention had never happened. how would our world be different now, set your story in a world where time travel has been perfected, and people can use it to hop between alternate timelines — but at a cost., set your story in a society where everyone is constantly aware of unwanted surveillance..

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Write a story that starts with, "the clock ticked past 61.".

• Write about the end of the world… of Atlantis.

A mobile app tells you the amount of time that you have left to live. One morning, this time on everyone's phones syncs to the same number.

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It's one hour before the end of the world. what do you do with that time.

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No one left on Earth knows what the color blue looks like… until one day, the great fog parts and the sky appears for the first time in a millennia.

In the form of diary entries, write a story from the perspective of the last remaining person in the world., in the end, it wasn't humankind that destroyed the world. it was (fill in the blank)., set your story in a town that’s teetering on the edge of something dark, literally or metaphorically., your character, by chance or habit, peers through a telescope. they see something unusual — what is it, win $250 in our short story competition 🏆.

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The best dystopian writing prompts

We're living through strange times — but they could always get stranger. Dystopian literature allows us to project ourselves into the distant (or not too distant) future, and imagine what we might find. Perhaps a post-apocalyptic landscape ravaged by war, a nightmarish government who are in absolute control of its citizens, or a human race that has merged with technology. The possibilities are endless, and we're here to provide some more inspiration.

To get you started, here are our top ten dystopian writing prompts:

• Write a story about a character who is certain the world is going to end today.
• In the end, it wasn't humankind that destroyed the world. It was (fill in the blank).
• You are a clone designed to mimic your human's every movement and habit so that you can seamlessly take over after the apocalypse starts, but there's just one problem: your human is the weirdest human being ever.
• A mobile app tells you the amount of time that you have left to live. One morning, this time on everyone's phones syncs to the same number.
• No one left on Earth knows what the color blue looks like… until one day, the great fog parts, and the sky appears for the first time in millennia.

If you're looking for some more help writing your dystopian story, check out this free resource:

• The Ultimate Worldbuilding Guide (free resource) — To write a dystopian story, you need to understand the world you're creating, inside and out. What kind of resources are available? How has society changed? Is there crime, or poverty, or has the world left its issues behind — or at least the government claims it has? Our worldbuilding template will ask the questions you need to find this information.

Want more help learning how to write a dystopian short story? Check out How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published — a free, ten-day course guiding you through the process of short story writing by Laura Mae Isaacman, a full-time editor who runs a book editing company in Brooklyn.

Ready to start writing? Check out Reedsy’s weekly short story contest , for the chance of winning $250 , plus potential publication in our literary magazine, Prompted ! You can also check out our list of writing contests or our directory of literary magazines for more opportunities to submit your story.

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13 Dystopian Writing Prompts

While most suited to older students or writers looking for a dark yet thought provoking topic, dystopian stories can be a rich area to explore.

Often involving troubling subject matter such as authoritarian government control of the population or devastating climate damage, these stories can be great tools to look at what could happen in the future if people are not mindful of the direction society is taking.

So today we have a variety of darkly dystopian prompts to get your creative (and thoughtful) writing juices flowing…

How to use these prompts?

Try picking one at random from the list below, and take up the challenge of writing a 5000 word short story on the topic, letting your imagination run with it.

Alternatively, read through the list of prompts and find the one that speaks to you. Some creative ideas just resonate more strongly with us than others.

Take one story idea, and share it amongst a group of writers to see how varied the different resulting stories become.

Set yourself (or your students) the challenge of writing one short story a day, or a week if that is more manageable. Use the list of writing ideas as the theme of the challenge, and allow each one to act as a starting point for each subsequent story.

The prompts:

• The whine of the scanner drones outside the high-rise apartment block was barely able to be heard, but everyone knew they were always near scanning the city for unauthorized activity…
• The last of the wealthy ruling class had left the sprawling mega cities, headed to their secure mountain retreats. The cities were crumbling into chaos faster now, far more quickly than anyone thought could have happened…
• The augmented reality headset had been on him since birth, unable to be removed, and gradually expanding as he grew and aged. Like the rest of society, he’d never seen the world without it’s altered view, and at this point he was glad of this, it seemed terrifying to think that in the past people could see the world in their own unique way, without a filter…
• She was afraid, but could not show it. Her Social Rating score was the lowest it had ever been, after that emotional outburst last year. If she couldn’t increase it in the next few weeks, she knew there would be a knock at her door next month. Nobody knew where the lowest 20% Social Ranked citizens were taken…
• The constant background noise of sirens and yelling and crying babies from this housing complex faded away to silence as the VR took him into The World. Everything was perfect here. Every face was smiling, everyone around him was going about their day, all walking to and fro down the perfect beautiful walkways of this virtual World. But despite their smiles, their eyes were cold and unfeeling…
• The instructions arrived at his workstation from the Government, as they did everyday. No knew what it was that they were working on, but all of society was assured it was in their best interest…
• As she slipped into sleep, the flickering of the lights began, as was expected. The same images that had been used for many years flickered through her unconscious mind, unsettling. Each morning when she woke she was happier that the making of decisions had been removed from their lives…
• After clocking out from their work day, the credits arrived on their device. The long queue for oxygen canisters quickly wound around the block…
• The news stream kept repeating the same three messages, around the clock. Any opinion that differed from these was seen as dangerous…
• The solar farms were closed now, as the years of Government owned coal plants expansion had left the skies so thick with pollution that the sun could no longer reach the solar arrays…
• As she selected which film to watch, she carefully considered how it would be interpreted by the State. All media consumption was monitored of course, and care was needed to select only entertainment that would not draw attention to one’s self…
• As he waited at the city limit border, he practiced what he would say to the guards about why he should be allowed to leave the city. He yearned for the fresh air of the forests and open spaces of nature, but could not mention any of that for fear of arousing suspicion…
• The security system in all homes was there to keep us safe. Over time it had started to demand more answers from us about our plans for our day, and why we were leaving the house…

Let your creativity be free!

I hope you enjoy your story writing, and would love to hear which prompts you’ve enjoyed using most of all to kickstart your short story (or epic masterpiece!)

We are creating more free resources for you every week, so please bookmark and Pin, and check back soon for more creative inspiration.

Thanks, Matt & Hayley

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Novel writing ,

How to write a dystopian story: our guide.

By Amy de la Force

Writing dystopian stories can be one of the most valuable things you can do.

Dystopian fiction is famous for its big, bold themes and the ground-breaking ways in which they’re conveyed.

So, if you’re looking for a fiction project, and you want a meaty challenge, look no further than writing the next great dystopian story .  

In this article, we’ll cover how to write a dystopian story, as well as:  

• What is a dystopian story? 
• Key elements of a good dystopian story 
• Dystopian story examples 
• Our tips and tricks for how to write dystopian fiction 
• Frequently asked questions 

Read on to learn how to write a dystopian story.  

What Is A Dystopian Story? 

Dystopian stories are a subgenre of speculative fiction focused on the destruction of society. This can be due to totalitarian rule, international or civil war, apocalyptic events (and their post-apocalyptic effects), or injustice and suffering.  

Often associated with Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and George Orwell’s 1984 , dystopian fiction as a literary genre began with Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin and his book My — published in the US as We in 1924. Works like Zamyatin’s follow in the footsteps of fellow Russian Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s explorations of evil and freedom, setting the scene for what we know as dystopian stories today.  

Dystopian novels cover topics like climate disaster, tyranny, nuclear war, anarchy, pandemic disease, extra-terrestrials, artificial intelligence (AI), and even zombies.

If a story is set in a dystopian future, it may also take on elements of science fiction e.g. technology and its implications.  

So, what makes a good dystopian story?  

Key Elements Of A Dystopian Story 

This is where we get into the paradox of dystopian stories: that despite their weighty subjects, they can make for grippingly good reads. Let’s dive in.  

Worst-Case Scenarios 

The key to great dystopian stories is that they don’t tread lightly. Instead, they take our fears and anxieties and turn them up to eleven.

Worried about climate change? Here’s a thinly-veiled conceit that ends in disaster thanks to humanity’s morally apathetic, egocentric leaders (the film Don’t Look Up ).

What about technological progress and the future of AI? Have some time-travelling cyborg assassins ( The Terminator series).

These are film-based examples, as we’ll cover books below, but the point is that a powerful dystopian story doesn’t shy away from its premise — it pulls the problem apart like an onion to get readers thinking about complexities from differing angles and points of view.  

And if we know anything about differing points of view, it’s what they can lead to.  

Dramatic Conflict  

But first, let’s take a step back. As I’ve covered in this guide to central conflict , a story’s conflict is the result of a protagonist’s want vs. obstacle. Due to the nature of dystopian fiction, you can bet any obstacle is going to be huge, with life or death stakes. This makes such conflicts strong, which is a major part of successful storytelling.

Now, if we think back to our definition of dystopian stories, in stories with themes about power structures, which create external conflict, anti-establishment characters will layer their own internal conflicts on top of that. This is where characterising different points of view can ground philosophical stances in reality, with clear choices for characters that readers can identify with.  

Inventive World-building 

It’s not all about concept, conflict and characters, though. Dystopian stories go big to convey big messages, so when you’ve got an apocalyptic scenario, it needs to be reflected in your dystopian world. As a result, world-building is where premise and conflict come together for effect; it’s also useful for characterisation.

Got a dystopian story based on a totalitarian government? How is that reflected in the way civil servants look, dress and live? What do they eat? Where do they sleep? How is this different to the general public — are they poor, or homeless by contrast?  

Well-crated dystopian settings help stories feel authentic in fictional worlds.  

As a writer, you can use this world-building to also build on a story’s themes.  

Thematic Resonance 

The way dystopian themes resonate can take on significance during periods of relevant upheaval. In 2017, George Orwell’s 1984 became a sudden bestseller after Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration; a big deal for a book published in 1949.

The broadest dystopian themes revolve around destruction, the abuse of power, and survival, and, depending on what’s top of mind in the cultural consciousness, such stories can galvanise people’s real-world opinions, which can impact future decisions and behaviour (as we saw in the US 2020 election).  

Humanity As Good Or Evil (Or Both) 

One of the fascinating things about dystopian fiction is who the author chooses to be on the side of good, or evil (or neither, in true ‘grey’ character style).

Is the protagonist a hero, an anti-hero or a closet villain? What about the supporting cast? Who is making the right choices, or the wrong choices, and why?

Human beings are complex, fuelled by emotion but capable of rational thought, and dystopian stories are an excellent vehicle for making the pitfalls of that duality scarily clear.  

Yet dystopian novels can be uplifting, too. Of those that don’t end in tragedy as a cautionary tale against their themes, many strive to show the power of the human spirit and its enduring potential. Characters in these tales often labour through long, painful journeys to reach their goals, but that struggle is what makes their eventual success so fulfilling. We can’t help but find triumphing over adversity inspirational, and these dystopian books tend to stay with us long after we’ve finished reading. 

Dystopian Story Examples 

So, now that we know what makes a good dystopian story, let’s take a look at some dystopian books that do it well.  

The Hunger Games Series By Suzanne Collins 

The biggest entry to reignite interest in dystopian stories, The Hunger Games trilogy (and subsequent films) kick-started a movement in young adult (YA) fiction that paved the way for dystopian novels like Divergent and The Maze Runner .  

Teenage protagonist Katniss Everdeen lives in Panem’s impoverished District 12, where she hunts to provide for her family. When her little sister is selected for the annual reality TV battle royale known as The Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her place alongside other teens who will fight to the death in the Capitol — including a fellow District 12 boy who once saved her life. Being YA , there’s also a love triangle, and happily, the seeds of rebellion.  

Remember what I said about worst-case scenarios, dramatic conflict and inventive world-building? This book’s got all three in spades, with a focus on youth leading the way in a hopeless situation.  

1984 By George Orwell 

Speaking of reality TV, the only ‘Big Brother’ we’re here to talk about is the original, chilling government version. Orwell’s dystopian story, written after the end of World War II, is a modern classic and a warning against totalitarianism.  

Winston Smith lives under the watchful eye of the Party and its leader Big Brother, rewriting history in the Ministry of Truth. In defiance, Winston starts a diary, a capital offence given what he does for a living — the risk compounded by telescreens that watch and listen 24 hours a day. He also starts dating a female colleague, which is forbidden as only loyalty to the Party must exist.  

What makes 1984 such potent dystopian fiction isn’t that the Party oppresses all the way down to love and sex, or that Winston is eventually found out, or that he’s tortured and reconditioned… it’s the ominous ending.  

The Handmaid’s Tale By Margaret Atwood 

After that last example, you may be wondering how much darker things can get. Answer? A lot. Welcome to Gilead.  

June, who’s now known as Offred (a patronym for the man she’s assigned to), lives in the Republic of Gilead, previously the US, which is now controlled by right-wing extremists as a totalitarian, theocratic state. Offred is a Handmaid to her Commander Fred, and assigned to bear his children in monthly sex rituals witnessed by Fred’s wife, as infertility is the norm thanks to chemical warfare. With no freedom, and the Eyes (the secret police) everywhere, Offred has no real options — or so she thinks.  

According to Atwood: “When I wrote The Handmaid’s Tale , nothing went into it that had not happened in real life somewhere at some time.” That’s a big statement, and a testament not only to her research, but also her commitment to authenticity. Next time you’re watching the TV show, keep that in mind.  

Brave New World By Aldous Huxley 

And the darkness keeps on coming, though it’s cloaked in Huxley’s wit and irony. Despite being a decade short of its 100th anniversary, Brave New World is a brave iconic take on dystopian writing, with lots still left to offer readers.  

Bernard Marx lives 600 years ‘after Ford’ in the dystopian future World State, where people, like cars, are mass-produced with individualism conditioned out. Yet Bernard’s not the real hero of this story — John ‘the savage’ is, who Bernard meets on a trip to the wild Savage Reservation, and brings home. But when Bernard is eventually banished, how will babe in the woods John cope with civilisation?  

This dystopian novel is high-concept, so there’s a lot to unpack (e.g. social norms like promiscuity and Valium-like ‘soma’), and John’s ending is achingly poignant. With a theme like truth over happiness, it’s not hard to see why.  

Lord Of The Flies By William Golding 

We started this section with characters aged 12-18 in The Hunger Games — now we turn to characters aged 6-12 in Golding’s story about the surprisingly few steps between civilisation and a dystopian society.  

Ralph and a group of British schoolboys crash-land on a deserted island during a nuclear war; the group voting Ralph as their chief, with Piggy advising him. But hunter Jack wants to lead too, recruiting other boys with his barbarous violence; soon, most of the boys have joined Jack. Things turn ugly when Piggy’s glasses, used to make fire and smoke signals, are stolen and boys are killed. Ralph escapes and lives, saved by a British naval officer, but it’s too late for Piggy.  

Despite the idyllic tropical island, this dystopian story’s main theme is that humanity is essentially evil (yes, even kids). Another post–World War II novel, it’s also an allegory for war and leadership.  

Fight Club By Chuck Palahniuk 

For our last example, say hello to Palahniuk’s short story turned novel (and two comic book sequels), which disappointingly, isn’t on popular dystopian fiction lists. The book presents modern life and consumerism as a dystopian regime that needs blowing up, and certainly tries to — succeeding in the 1999 film adaptation. Yes, it’s satire and a damning social critique, but it’s also anarchic at heart and that’s a fundamental source of its conflict, with the twisty alter ego conflict layered on top. I’d say more, but you know the first rule of Fight Club…  

Now, onto what we’re here for (and what we can talk about) — how to write a dystopian story.  

How To Write A Dystopian Story 

Given the calibre of examples covered, writing a dystopian story might feel like an insurmountable task — but in practice, the steps aren’t dissimilar to ordinary fiction.

So, how do you do it?

For ease of use, I’ve broken it down into 5 key steps. 

Here’s how to write a dystopian story:  

Choose Your Problem 

This is where you choose the issue (or theme, then brainstorm from there) that you want to explore. For many dystopian authors, and those in other speculative fiction subgenres with a dystopian society, the first nugget of an idea often arises from real life.

Atwood’s idea for The Handmaid’s Tale came to her after a conversation during the 1980s about women outside the home, and what would force them back. Tomi Adeyemi’s award-winning YA fantasy series Children of Blood and Bone was inspired by racism and extreme police brutality.

Both are powerful examples of taking a real-world issue and expanding it into a successful dystopian premise, which brings us to our next step.  

Make It A Premise 

You’ve chosen your problem, and now you want to flesh it out into a full concept. Excellent! This is where more brainstorming helps. So does an example.  

Say you’re looking at the government and wondering how they get things so wrong (a little meta, but let’s go with it). Make a list of what they’re mismanaging right now, and pick what you see as the biggest issue. Electricity and gas? Inflation and the cost of living? Or something else? Now, what’s the absolute worst thing that could happen from this problem? Got it? Great. Then multiply it by ten.

If it’s electricity and gas, maybe your premise is that they no longer exist; or maybe they only exist for certain people. Tease out the how and why. What happened for some people to lose these utilities, or keep them? What does this difference look like — do the have-nots use fire to cook and heat instead, and what does this mean for the environment? These knock-on effects will make your premise all the more real.  

Choose Your Protagonist 

For some writers, you’ll arrive at your premise with a character in hand. For the rest of us, you need to think about what you want from your dystopian story, and what kind of protagonist works best.

Do you want your main character to win, or is your aim an exercise in caution (see 1984 )? The answer will determine what traits and skills should be inherent to your character, or learned throughout the story.

And while we’re here, don’t forget your supporting characters. With the weight of the dystopian world on your protagonist’s shoulders, they’ll need help and support, not to mention people that challenge them, along the way.  

Check Your Conflict 

Now that you’ve selected your problem, expanded it into a compelling premise, and have a protagonist in mind, it’s a good time to confirm that your conflict is strong enough to carry your story.

Dystopian novels tend to fall into the category of external conflicts : character vs. society, technology, nature, the supernatural etc. With a strong central conflict, your main character is forced to reveal themselves through action and the decisions they continue to make as the plot advances. Remember: your character’s want + its obstacle = conflict.   

Build Your World 

If you’re like me, you’ll have been making notes as you go, but for those new to world-building , it’s completely fine to start once you’ve gotten your head around the steps above.

Bringing your story to life involves building on earlier questions to craft your dystopian world and its people i.e. nature and geography, and people and governance (as well as various cultures).

This not only means the physical landscape, climate and seasons, resources, and plants and animals, but also a population’s races, genders, sexualities and classes, plus language and religion, norms, values and economic systems.  

Tips For Writing Dystopian Fiction 

Okay, you know how to write a dystopian story in theory — but you want a few more tips and tricks. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.  

Here are five tips for writing dystopian fiction: 

• Pick an Issue You’re Passionate About: Circling back to our 5 steps for how to write a dystopian story, if you’re stuck on choosing your problem, what issues happening around the world get you angry? What matters to you? Scour news and current affairs for meaningful inspiration. Having own-voice experiences can be beneficial here, too.  
• Bring the Catastrophe: Alternatively, if translating your problem into a premise is the sticking point, you may be thinking too small. Now is not the time to round down — don’t just go big, go gargantuan! Think of the most extreme outcome and explore that.  
• Nail Your Main Character’s Backstory: If you’ve followed the first five steps but are stumbling over your protagonist, maybe a character profile will help. You can use everything you’ve noted about your dystopian setting to flesh out your protagonist’s background, role and goals, characteristics, and personal conflicts to layer accordingly.  
• Research, Research, Research: While much of your research will go into world-building, you’ll still need to fact-find for your premise. If your story is based on large-scale war, authentic specifics are crucial, whether that’s reading up on World War II or going down the science fiction path of something like H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds .  
• Read the Dystopian Greats: Speaking of which, if you want inspiration, read dystopian stories like the examples listed in this guide, but also read other dystopian writing widely. This will help you learn the ropes (and tropes ), as well as any pitfalls you’d like to avoid in your work.  

Frequently Asked Questions 

How Do You Start A Dystopian Fiction Story? 

You start a dystopian fiction story like you would any other: with a hook and inciting incident. For dystopian stories, that hook is your unique premise and what it means for your dystopian world. You also need to introduce your protagonist and how they fit (or don’t fit) into the world, which the inciting incident makes clear. The best dystopian fiction stories do this in the first few chapters, then further the plot while deep-diving into character, the world and the central conflict.  

What Are 3 Common Themes In A Dystopian Story? 

The 3 most common themes in a dystopian story are destruction, the abuse of power, and survival. Destruction can be technological, nuclear or environmental, even apocalyptic, with mass poverty and violence as outcomes. Abuse of power, often governmental, can include censorship, extreme oppression, and loss of personal or cultural identity. Survival then becomes the goal, whether it’s physiological as in air, food, water and shelter, or psychological like mental health.  

What Are The 5 Elements Of Dystopia?  

The 5 key elements of great dystopian stories include: worst-case scenarios, dramatic conflict, inventive world-building, thematic resonance, and depicting human beings as good or evil. For a dystopian premise to be successful, it requires a significant potential for harm, a strong external conflict, a fully realised, authentic-feeling world, big themes with broad appeal, and an answer to the question of whether humanity is the problem or the solution.  

What Is The Opposite Of Dystopian? 

At the opposite end of the dystopian spectrum is utopian fiction, which depicts an ideal or utopian society. English philosopher Sir Thomas More’s Utopia (1516) coined the term with his perfect island society that cut itself off from the world . Utopian fiction is around 500 years older than the dystopian genre, and in it, authors invert problems to show what could be, rather than what is; ecological sustainability might be explored by depicting a human society in harmony with its natural environment, for example.  

Writing Dystopian Fiction Stories 

There’s a lot to love about dystopian fiction. Yes, it can be dark. It can be harrowing. But from darkness comes enlightenment, and thankfully, we can experience these dystopian stories from the safety of our homes.

Dystopian novels guide us and teach us where to do better in the hope of a better future. Sometimes they’re bitter pills to swallow, but nothing truly worth it is easy. That’s where doing the work comes in.  

If this line of thinking appeals, now that you know how to write a dystopian story, it may just be your time to begin.  

About the author

Amy de la Force is a YA and NA fantasy and paranormal writer, an alumna of Curtis Brown Creative's selective novel writing program, and a Society of Authors member. She's also an ex-Apple creative and queen of random hobbies — think Shaolin kung fu and medieval sword fighting! An Aussie ex-pat, Amy now lives in London with her husband and cheeky child. For more on Amy, see her website and Twitter.

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104 Dystopia Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Dystopian literature has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many authors exploring dark and disturbing visions of the future. If you're looking for inspiration for your next dystopia essay, look no further! Here are 104 dystopia essay topic ideas and examples to get you started:

• Discuss the role of technology in creating and perpetuating dystopian societies, using examples from works such as George Orwell's "1984" and Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World."
• Analyze the theme of government control in dystopian literature, comparing and contrasting different forms of authoritarian rule in works like Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" and Suzanne Collins's "The Hunger Games."
• Explore the concept of surveillance in dystopian societies, examining how constant monitoring and lack of privacy impact individuals' freedoms and behavior.
• Investigate the role of propaganda in shaping public opinion and controlling the masses in dystopian worlds, drawing examples from novels like Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" and Anthony Burgess's "A Clockwork Orange."
• Examine the portrayal of gender roles in dystopian literature, looking at how societies enforce strict gender norms and expectations on their citizens.
• Evaluate the impact of environmental degradation on dystopian societies, considering how pollution, climate change, and resource scarcity contribute to the downfall of civilizations.
• Compare and contrast different types of dystopian societies, such as totalitarian regimes, post-apocalyptic wastelands, and high-tech surveillance states.
• Discuss the consequences of genetic engineering and biotechnology in dystopian futures, exploring themes of genetic manipulation, bioethics, and the commodification of life.
• Analyze the role of violence and oppression in maintaining social order in dystopian worlds, examining how fear, coercion, and punishment are used to control dissent.
• Explore the theme of rebellion and resistance in dystopian literature, looking at how individuals and groups challenge oppressive regimes and fight for freedom.
• Investigate the portrayal of class inequality and social stratification in dystopian societies, considering how economic disparities lead to exploitation and injustice.
• Examine the role of education and indoctrination in shaping citizens' beliefs and values in dystopian worlds, looking at how propaganda, censorship, and mind control are used to manipulate the masses.
• Discuss the impact of war and conflict on dystopian societies, exploring how militarism, imperialism, and nationalism contribute to the downfall of civilizations.
• Analyze the role of memory and history in dystopian literature, considering how governments manipulate the past to control the present and future.
• Explore the theme of isolation and loneliness in dystopian societies, looking at how individuals struggle to connect with others in dehumanizing and alienating environments.
• Examine the portrayal of technology and artificial intelligence in dystopian futures, considering how advanced technologies like robots, drones, and virtual reality shape human interactions and behaviors.
• Compare and contrast different utopian and dystopian visions of the future, examining how idealistic dreams of progress and harmony can turn into nightmares of oppression and despair.
• Discuss the role of language and communication in dystopian societies, looking at how propaganda, newspeak, and doublethink are used to manipulate and control citizens' thoughts and beliefs.
• Analyze the theme of memory and identity in dystopian literature, considering how individuals struggle to maintain their sense of self and humanity in dehumanizing and oppressive environments.
• Explore the portrayal of religion and spirituality in dystopian societies, looking at how faith, belief, and ritual shape individuals' responses to suffering and despair.
• Examine the impact of consumerism and materialism on dystopian worlds, considering how capitalist values of greed, consumption, and commodification lead to social decay and moral corruption.
• Discuss the theme of love and relationships in dystopian literature, exploring how individuals navigate intimacy, trust, and connection in dehumanizing and repressive societies.
• Analyze the role of art and creativity in dystopian futures, looking at how artists, writers, and musicians challenge authority, inspire rebellion, and preserve humanity in the face of oppression.
• Compare and contrast different forms of resistance and revolution in dystopian societies, examining how individuals and groups use nonviolent protest, civil disobedience, and armed struggle to challenge oppressive regimes.
• Explore the theme of memory and trauma in dystopian literature, considering how individuals cope with loss, grief, and suffering in dehumanizing and violent environments.
• Examine the portrayal of family and community in dystopian societies, looking at how relationships, bonds, and loyalties are tested and transformed by social upheaval and political repression.
• Discuss the impact of globalization and neoliberalism on dystopian worlds, considering how economic deregulation, corporate power, and cultural homogenization lead to social disintegration and environmental degradation.
• Analyze the role of race and ethnicity in dystopian futures

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Literary Genres — Dystopia

Essays on Dystopia

Hook examples for dystopian essays, anecdotal hook.

Imagine waking up in a world where your every move is monitored, your thoughts policed, and your individuality stripped away. This nightmare is a central theme in dystopian literature, and it's a reflection of our deepest fears and concerns.

Question Hook

What if the society you lived in dictated your destiny, stifled your dreams, and erased your identity? Dystopian novels force us to confront unsettling questions about the future and the path we're currently treading.

Quotation Hook

"War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength." These chilling words from George Orwell's "1984" encapsulate the paradoxical realities that make dystopian worlds so captivating and thought-provoking.

Historical Parallel Hook

As we delve into dystopian literature, we find eerie parallels to some of humanity's darkest moments. The cautionary tales within these novels serve as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding our freedoms and values.

Character Perspective Hook

Step into the shoes of a dystopian protagonist, where conformity is enforced, dissent is punished, and survival is a daily struggle. Exploring the world through the eyes of these characters offers us a glimpse into the fragility of our own societal structures.

Social Commentary Hook

Dystopian literature isn't just a vehicle for storytelling; it's a powerful tool for social commentary. These novels hold up a mirror to our world, reflecting our anxieties, inequalities, and the consequences of unchecked power.

Utopia vs. Dystopia Hook

While we yearn for utopian ideals of a perfect society, dystopian literature challenges us to examine the dark side of our aspirations. It begs the question: What price are we willing to pay for our vision of a better world?

Relevance in Modern Society Hook

Dystopian literature has never been more relevant than in today's world of surveillance, political polarization, and technological advancements. These narratives offer us cautionary tales for navigating the complexities of our contemporary society.

Identity in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451

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The Dystopian Society in "The Giver" by Lois Lowry

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73 Essay Hook Examples

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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An essay hook is the first one or two sentences of your essay that are used to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into your discussion.

It is called a hook because it “grabs” the reader and doesn’t let them go! It should have something in there that makes the reader feel curious and intrigued, compelling them to continue reading.

Techniques for Good Essay Hooks

Here are a few techniques that you can use to write a good essay hook:

• Use a Quotation : Sometimes, a relevant quotation from a well-known author or expert can help establish the context or theme of your essay. Next time you’re conducting research for an essay, keep an eye out for a really compelling quote that you could use as your hook for that essay.
• Start with a Statement that is Surprising or Unusual: A surprising or unusually statement will draw a reader in, making them want to know more about that topic. It’s good if the statement contradicts common knowledge or reveals an insight about your topic that isn’t immediately obvious. These can be particularly good for argumentative essays where you’re putting forward a controversial or compelling argument as your thesis statement .
• Tell a Brief Anecdote : A short, interesting story related to your topic can personaize the story, making it more than just a dry essay, and turning it into a compelling narrative that’s worth reading.
• Use Statistics or Facts: Interesting, surprising, or shocking facts or statistics work similarly to surprising statements: they make us want to know more about a topic. Statistics and facts in your introductions are particularly useful for analytical, expository , and argumentative essays.
• Start with a Question: Questions that make the reader think deeply about an issue, or pose a question that the reader themselves has considered, can be really effecitve. But remember, questions tend to be better for informal and personal essays, and are generally not allowed in formal argumentative essays. If you’re not sure if you’re allowed to use questions in your essays, check with your teacher first.

Below, I’ll present some examples of hooks that you could use as inspiration when writing your own essay hook.

Essay Hook Examples

These examples might help stimulate your thinking. However, keep in mind that your essay hook needs to be unique to your essay, so use these as inspiration but write your own essay hook that’s perfect for your own essay.

1. For an Essay About Yourself

An essay about yourself can be personal, use “I” statements, and include memories or thoughts that are deeply personal to you.

• Question: “Have you ever met someone who could turn even the most mundane events into a thrilling adventure? Let me introduce myself.”
• Anecdote: “The smell of freshly baked cookies always takes me back to the day when I accidentally started a baking business at the age of nine.”
• Intriguing Statement: “I’ve always believed that you haven’t truly lived until you’ve read a book upside down, danced in the rain, or taught a parrot to say ‘I love pizza.'”
• Quotation: “As Mark Twain once said, ‘The secret of getting ahead is getting started.’ That’s a philosophy I’ve embraced in every aspect of my life.”
• Humorous Statement: “I’m a self-proclaimed ‘professional chocolate tester’ – a title that’s not only delicious but also requires extreme dedication.”
• Start with your Mission Statement : “My life motto is simple but powerful: be the person who decided to go for it.
• Fact or Statistic: “According to a study, people who speak more than one language tend to be better at multitasking . As a polyglot, I certainly live up to that statistic.”
• Comparison or Metaphor: “If my life were a book, it would be a blend of an adventurous novel, a suspense thriller, and a pinch of romantic comedy.”
• Personal Revelation: “Ever since I was a child, I’ve had an uncanny ability to communicate with animals. It’s an unusual skill, but one that has shaped my life in many ways.”
• Narrative: “The day everything changed for me was an ordinary Tuesday. Little did I know, a single conversation would lead me to discover my true passion.”

2. For a Reflective Essay

A reflective essay often explores personal experiences, feelings, and thoughts. So, your hooks for reflective essays can usually be more personal, intriguing, and engaging than other types of essays. Here are some examples for inspiration:

• Question: “Have you ever felt as though a single moment could change your entire life? This essay is going to explore that moment for me.”
• Anecdote: “I was standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon, looking at the vast emptiness, and for the first time, I truly understood the word ‘perspective’.”
• Bold Statement: “There is a part of me that is still trapped in that room, on that rainy afternoon, holding the letter that would change everything.”
• Personal Revelation: “The first time I truly felt a sense of belonging wasn’t in a crowded room full of friends, but in the quiet solitude of a forest.”
• Intriguing Statement: “In my life, silence has been a teacher more profound than any words could ever be.”
• Quotation: “Einstein once said, ‘The only source of knowledge is experience.’ Now, looking back, I realize how profound that statement truly is.”
• Comparison or Metaphor: “If my life is a tapestry, then that summer was the vibrant thread that changed the entire pattern.”
• Narrative: “As the train pulled out of the station, I realized I wasn’t just leaving my hometown, I was leaving my old self behind.”
• Philosophical Statement: “In the theater of life, we are both the actor and the audience, playing our part and watching ourselves simultaneously.”
• Emotive Statement: “There is a sort of sweet sorrow in remembering, a joy tinged with a hint of sadness, like the last notes of a beautiful song.”

For an Argumentative Essay

Essay hooks for argumentative essays are often the hardest. This type of essay tends to require the most formal type of academic writing, meaning your hook shouldn’t use first person, and should be more based on fact and objectivity, often at the expense of creativity. Here are some examples.

• Quotation: “Thomas Jefferson once said, ‘Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.’ If Jefferson were alive today, he would likely feel that this meed for a well-informed citizenry is falling well short of where he would aspire.”
• Provocative Statement: “Despite what romantic films may portray, love at first sight is merely a myth perpetuated by society. This essay will prosecute the argument that love at first sight is a myth.”
• Statistical Fact: “According to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading psychological disability worldwide. Yet, mental health is still stigmatized and often overlooked. This essay will argue that depression should be seen as a health issue, and stigmatization of depression causes serious harm to society.”
• Comparison: “Much like an unchecked infection, climate change, if left ignored, can spread far beyond what it is today, causing long-term economic and social problems that may even threaten the longevity of humanity itself.”
• Contradiction : “While we live in an era of unprecedented technological advancements, millions around the world are still denied basic internet access.”
• Bold Declaration: “Animal testing is not only ethically unacceptable, but it also undermines the progress of medical research.”
• Challenging Belief: “Despite popular belief, the automation of jobs is not a threat but an opportunity for society to evolve.”
• Quotation: “George Orwell wrote in ‘1984’, ‘Big Brother is Watching You.’ In our modern society, with the advancement of technology, this is becoming more of a reality than fiction.”
• Intriguing Statement: “Despite countless diet fads and fitness trends, obesity rates continue to rise. This argumentative essay will argue that this is because medical practitioners’ approaches to health and weight loss are fundamentally flawed.”
• Statistical Fact: “Research reveals that over 90% of the world’s plastic waste is not recycled. This alarming figure calls for a drastic change in social attitudes towards consumption and waste management.”
• Challenging Assumption: “Society often assumes that progress and growth are intrinsically good, but this is not always the case in the realm of economic development.”
• Contradiction: “Western society upholds the value of freedom, yet every day, members of society cede personal liberties in the name of convenience and security.”
• Analogy: “Like an overplayed song, when a news story is repeated too often, it loses its impact. In the era of digital media, society is becoming desensitized to critical issues.”
• Relevant Anecdote: “In a village in India, the arrival of a single computer transformed the lives of the residents. This small anecdote underscores the importance of digital inclusion in today’s world.”
• Call to Rethink: “In a world where success is often equated with financial wealth, it is time for society to reconsidered what truly constitutes a successful life.”

For a Compare and Contrast Essay

A compare and contrast essay examines two issues, looking at both the similarities and differences between them. A good hook for a compare and contrast essay will immediately signal to the reader the subjects that are being compared and why they’re being compared. Here are sine ideas for hooks for a compare and contrast essay:

• Quotation: “As Charles Dickens wrote in his novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’. This could equally apply to the contrasting dynamics of urban and rural living.”
• Provocative Statement: “Despite popular belief, cats and dogs have more in common than society tends to think.”
• Comparison: “Comparing being an only child to growing up with siblings is like contrasting a solo performance with an orchestral symphony.”
• Contradiction: “While many view classic literature and contemporary fiction as worlds apart, they are more akin to two sides of the same coin.”
• Bold Declaration: “Android and iPhone may compete in the same market, but their philosophies could not be more different.”
• Statistical Fact: “Statistics show that children who grow up reading books tend to perform better academically than those who do not. But, the jury is out on how reading traditional books compares to reading e-books on screens.”
• Quotation: “As Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote, ‘Sooner or later, we all sit down to a banquet of consequences.’ This statement can be used to frame a comparison between short-term and long-term thinking.”
• Provocative Statement: “Democracy and dictatorship are often seen as polar opposites, but are they are not as different as they seem.”
• Comparison: “Climate change and plastic pollution are two major environmental issues, yet they demand different approaches and solutions.”
• Contradiction: “While traditional classrooms and online learning are seen as separate modes of education, they can often blend into a cohesive learning experience.”
• Bold Declaration: “Though both based on merit, the structures of capitalism and socialism lead to vastly different societal outcomes.”
• Imagery: “The painting styles of Van Gogh and Monet can be contrasted as a stormy sea versus a tranquil pond.”
• Historical Reference: “The philosophies of the Cold War-era – capitalism and communism – provide a lens to contrast economic systems.”
• Literary Comparison: “The dystopian societies portrayed in George Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Aldous Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ serve as contrasting visions of the future.”
• Philosophical Question : “Individualism and collectivism shape societies in distinct ways, but neither one can truly exist without the other.”

See Here for my Guide on Writing a Compare and Contrast Essay

For a Psychology Essay

Writing an engaging hook for a psychology essay involves sparking the reader’s interest in the human mind, behavior, or the specific psychology topic you’re discussing. Here are some stimulating hooks for a psychology essay:

• Rhetorical Question: “How much control do we truly have over our own actions?”
• Quotation: “Sigmund Freud once said, ‘Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.’ This essay will explore whether this is universally true.”
• Provocative Statement: “Contrary to popular belief, ‘venting out’ anger might actually be fueling the fire of fury.”
• Comparison: “Just as an iceberg reveals only a fraction of its bulk above water, conscious minds may only be a small piece of who humans truly are.”
• Contradiction: “While it may seem counterintuitive, studies show that individuals who are more intelligent are also more likely to suffer from mental health issues.”
• Bold Declaration: “Despite advances in technology, understanding the human brain remains one of the final frontiers in science.”
• Statistical Fact: “According to a study by the American Psychological Association, nearly one in five adults in the U.S. lives with a mental illness. Yet, mental health continues to be a topic shrouded in stigma.”

For a Sociology Essay

Writing an engaging hook for a sociology essay involves sparking the reader’s interest in social behaviors, cultural phenomena, or the specific sociology topic you’re discussing. Here are ideas for hooks for a sociology essay:

• Quotation: “As Karl Marx once noted, ‘Social progress can be measured exactly by the social position of the fair sex.’ Sadly, society has not made much progress in gender equality.”
• Provocative Statement: “Social media, initially created to connect people, is ironically leading society into an era of unprecedented isolation.”
• Comparison: “Comparing society to a theater, where each individual plays a role, it is possible to start to see patterns and scripts embedded in daily interactions.”
• Contradiction: “While people often believe that technology is bringing society closer together, evidence suggests that it’s actually driving a wedge between people, creating ‘digital divides’.”
• Bold Declaration: “Human societies are constructed on deeply ingrained systems of inequality, often invisible to those benefiting from them.”
• Statistical Fact: “A recent study found that women still earn only 81 cents for every dollar earned by men. This stark wage gap raises questions about equality in the workforce.”

For a College Application Essay

A college essay is a personal statement where you can showcase who you are beyond your grades and resume. It’s your chance to tell your unique story. Here are ten potential hooks for a college essay:

• Anecdote: “At the age of seven, with a wooden spoon as my baton, I confidently conducted an orchestra of pots and pans in my grandmother’s kitchen.”
• Provocative Statement: “I believe that life is like a game of chess. The king might be the most important piece, but it’s the pawns that can change the entire course of the game.”
• Personal Revelation: “It wasn’t until I was lost in a foreign city, armed with nothing but a map in a language I didn’t understand, that I truly discovered my love for adventure.”
• Intriguing Question: “Have you ever wondered how it feels to be part of two completely different cultures, yet wholly belong to neither?”
• Bold Declaration: “Breaking a bone can be a painful experience. Breaking stereotypes, however, is an entirely different kind of challenge.”
• Unusual Fact: “I can recite the periodic table backwards while juggling three tennis balls. It’s a strange talent, but it’s a perfect metaphor for how I tackle challenges.”
• Quotation: “As Albert Einstein once said, ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge.’ This quote has defined my approach to learning.”
• Narrative: “It was a cold winter’s day when I first discovered the magic of turning a blank page into a world full of characters, stories, and ideas.”
• Metaphor: “Like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, my high school years have been a period of profound metamorphosis.”
• Humorous Statement: “Being the youngest of five siblings, I quickly learned that the best way to be heard was to become the family’s unofficial lawyer.”

Conclusion: The Qualities of a Good Essay Hook

As I wrap up this article, I want to share a few last tips on qualities that a good essay hook should have. Keep these tips in mind when writing your essay hook and using the above essay hook examples:

First, relevance . A good hook should be directly relevant to the topic or theme of your essay. The hook should provide a preview of what’s to come without giving too much away.

Second, Intrigue. A great hook should make the reader want to continue reading. It should create a question in the reader’s mind or present a fascinating idea that they want to know more about.

Third, uniqueness. An effective hook should be original and unique. It should stand out from the many other essays that the reader might be going through.

Fourth, clarity. Even though a hook should be captivating and original, it should also be clear and easy to understand. Avoid complex sentences and jargon that might confuse the reader.

Fifth, genre conventions. Too often, my students try to be so creative in their essay hooks that they forget genre conventions . The more formal an essay, the harder it is to write the hook. My general approach is to focus on statistics and facts, and avoid rhetorical questions , with more formal essay hooks.

Keep in mind that you should run your essay hook by your teacher by showing them your first draft before you submit your essay for grading. This will help you to make sure it follows genre conventions and is well-written.

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 15 Green Flags in a Relationship
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• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 15 Red Flags Early in a Relationship

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100 Dystopia Essay Topics & Ideas

🏆 best dystopian titles, 📌 simple & easy dystopian title ideas, 👍 good dystopia essay titles, ❓ dystopian discussion questions.

• The Brave New World Dystopia by Aldous Huxley The primary assertion in the novel is that the cost of this stability is the loss of individuality, creativity, and genuine human connection.
• ‘Se7en’ by David Fincher: A Film Steeped in Dystopia A professional model is found dead in her bed with her nose cut off, a container of sleeping pills in one hand, and a phone in the other; her death was the result of a […]
• Gender Issues in Dystopian Film “Children of Men” The significance of this source is validated by its contribution to the argument of the relevance of the dystopian genre in cinematography for unfolding social issues.
• The Dystopian Societies of “1984” and Brave New World The three features which are discussed in this respect are the division of the two societies into social strata, the use of state power and control over citizens, and the loss of people’s individualities.
• Genre: Science Fiction Dystopia The western genre is the most common movie genre used to highlight the dominance and development of both American and European cultures and economies to the rest of the world.
• “WALL-E”: Dystopian Narrative In addition, genre conventions, along with the rules of science fiction, promote the engagement of the movie with the issues of programming and consumption.
• Dystopias in “Animal Farm” and “The Handmaid’s Tale” In this regard, the aim of literary dystopias is to caution and warn society against the blind following of ideologies that lead to the breakdown of social order.
• Saunders’s “The Red Bow”: The Dystopian Reality of Totalitarianism This essay will consider the relevance of the topic introduced by Saunders and provide actual historical examples that support his hypothesis.”The Red Bow” starts with a group of men going out for a dog hunt […]
• 20th Century Dystopian Fiction and Today’s Society The author considers the fiction works of that era as an attempt to convey the destructive nature of violence and everything related to injustice.”The tone of dystopia is of despair and the feel it gives […]
• Dystopias “Brave New World” by Huxley and “1984” by Orwell The modern world is full of complications and the moments when it seems like a dystopia the darkest version of the future. In the novel, promiscuity is encouraged, and sex is a form of entertainment.
• The Concept and History of Dystopian Fiction Thus, the goal of this paper is to study the phenomenon of DF based on the examples of Orwell’s and Huxley’s fiction and determine the presence of the themes that overlap with the contemporary social, […]
• Dystopian Future in the “Blade Runner” Film The foremost aspect of how the urban landscape is being represented in Blade Runner is that the director made a deliberate point in accentuating the perceptual unfriendliness of the environment, in the foreground of which […]
• The Planet of the Apes – A Dystopian Film Via the cinematic experience the entire infrastructure of people’s culture and the state of the world at large can be seen and experienced.
• Genre Assessment: Dystopian Genre Review Based on the Film “Children of Men” The current proposal implies the creation of a review that explores the key features of dystopia as a cinema genre and based on a prominent example of such a film.
• Unhappiness of Society in Orwell’s 1984 Dystopia His character is a strong individual who will not transgress the ideals of his party and is fully committed to him.
• Welcome to Your Nightmares: The Dystopian Vision of the World It is quite peculiar that both Orwell and Huxley chose the same tool to express the tension and the absurdity of the situation that the people of the future were trapped in, creating the abridged […]
• Utopia Versus Dystopia: Discussion However, the practical realization of Communist concepts in Russia, had resulted in millions of citizens loosing their lives and in those people, who managed to survive, during the course of Communist “social purges”, becoming the […]
• Dystopian Fiction for Young Readers First of all, it must be noted that the article of the current analysis is devoted to the impact of dystopian fiction on young people.
• A Dystopian State: Astutopia The education system reinforces the essence of the dungeons, and the aim is to instill fear within the children so they can adhere to laid down teachings and doctrines.
• Popularity of Utopian/Dystopian Young Adult Literature The box is entrusted in the Mayor’s care and a tradition of passing it from one Mayor to the next is established.
• Dystopian Social Contract The Hunger Games series 1 is a science-fiction drama that delineates the situation of enslavement among the citizens of Panem to the governing class that reside in a city called Capitol.
• Subversive Literature/ Dystopia in science fiction novels In the endeavor to place a case in support of this line of argument, the paper considers the key traits of dystopian literature then showing how Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep possesses them in […]
• Utopia and Dystopia in The Future City
• An Analysis of Feminist Dystopia in The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Our Society is Becoming More Like a Dystopia Than a Democracy
• Integrating Research for Water Management: Synergy or Dystopia
• American Dystopia; American Spaces and Allen Ginsberg’s ‘Howl’
• The Brave New World’s Dystopia And Assimilation
• Gattaca and Fahrenheit 451 – Technology and Dystopia
• Dystopia: Science Fiction, Exaggeration, Or Imminent Reality
• Thoughts on Feminism and Dystopia in The Handmaid’s Tale
• Censorship in Dystopia in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451
• The Dystopia in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale
• Dystopia Caused by the Massive Boom of Technology in The Hunger Games
• The Theme of Feminist Dystopia in The Handmaid’s Tale, a Novel by Margaret Atwood
• Somewhere Between Utopia and Dystopia: Choosing From Incomparable Prospects
• The Causes of the Island’s Changes from Utopia to Dystopia in the Novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding
• Cowardly Current Dystopia In Aldous Huxley’s Novel “Brave New World”
• Searching for the Meaning of Life: Beckett’s Dystopia in “Endgame”
• Comments on: Totalitarian Government: Discovering Dystopia in Matched
• How Does Orwell Create a Dystopia in 1984
• Utopia, Dystopia or Anti-Utopia? by Choloe Houston
• Humanity And Dystopia In Anthem, By Ayn Rand
• The Contrast Between Utopia and Dystopia in the Novels 1984 and The Dispossessed
• The Role Of A Good City Thinking: Utopia, Dystopia And Heterotopia
• Concept of Dystopia in The Handmaid’s Tale, a Novel by Canadian Poet Margaret Atwood
• Similarities Between Dystopia and Harrison Bergeron
• The Portrayal of Dystopia in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World
• The Beauty Of Dystopia By Aldous Huxley
• Utopia and Dystopia in Harrison Bergeron and The Lottery
• Utopia and Dystopia in the Futuristic Novel, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
• Aldous Huxley’s Dystopia As Relating To Society Today
• Utopia and Dystopia in The Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin
• The Handmaid’s Tale: Dissecting the Feminist Dystopia
• Self-Repression and Dystopia: The Bumpy Road to Freedom in “Never Let Me Go”
• Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 Modern Dystopia Warnings
• Utopia and Dystopia in Animal Farm by George Orwell
• The Art of War: The Ancient Chinese Classic Adapted for Dystopia Circa 2032
• The Evolution of Dystopia Fiction in Some Works of Literature
• The Horror Of Dystopia Revealed By Neuromancer
• Similarities Between Utopia and Dystopia
• Contrastive Utopias: The Role of Nature and Technology in the Concepts of Utopia and Dystopia
• The Dystopia of William Gibson’s Neuromancer
• Analyzing Technology and Politics in The Blade Runner Dystopia by Judith Kerman
• The Concept of Dystopia in Harrison Bergeron, The Giver, and Uglies
• Utopia or Dystopia: The Future of Technology
• Religious Dystopia in The Handmaid’s Tale
• Dystopia As A Literary Genre In A Handmaid’s Tale
• Identity: Fighting Dystopia’s Cookie-Cutter Molds
• Dystopia in the Novels of Ray Bradbury and George Orwell
• Free Handmaid’s Tale Essays: The Handmaid’s Dystopia
• What Are Dystopian Novels?
• Which Writer Creates the Most Disturbing Dystopia Future Vision?
• Why Are Dystopian Novels So Popular?
• What Is an Example of a Dystopia?
• What’s a Dystopia Society?
• What Are the Five Characteristics of Dystopia?
• What Are the Four Types of Dystopia?
• What Are the Nine Traits of Dystopia?
• What Is Another Word for Dystopia?
• What Is Utopia vs. Dystopia?
• What’s the Opposite of Dystopia?
• What Is a Dystopia Person?
• How Do You Recognize a Dystopia?
• Why Is It Called Dystopia?
• How Do You Survive a Dystopia?
• What Happens to an Individual in a Dystopia Society?
• What Type of Government Does a Dystopia Society Have?
• What Is a Feminist Dystopia?
• Who Invented Dystopia?
• Is a Dystopia Society Possible?
• Why Dystopia Fiction Often Paints a Frightening Picture of the Future?
• Why Dystopia Literature Often Presents the Individual’s Quest for Meaning in Hostile and Oppressive Worlds?
• What Are the Issues With Human Progress in Utopia and Dystopia Fiction?
• How Does Individualism Manifest Within Utopia and Dystopia Novels?
• What Are Dystopia Societies and Progression Towards Equality?
• How Do Dystopia Novels Convey Humanity and Individualism?
• Fahrenheit 451 Titles
• The Handmaid’s Tale Research Ideas
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Research Ideas
• The Matrix Essay Topics
• Harrison Bergeron Research Ideas
• Totalitarianism Questions
• Socialism Ideas
• The Lottery Topics
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Essay Samples on Dystopia

Feminism and totalitarism in 'the handmaid's tale' dystopia novel.

Dystopia is the opposite of the ideal society, which is a utopia, that often appears in literature and artistic creation. Dystopias are typically post-apocalyptic or totalitaristic, but there are other forms of dystopias as well such as feminist, cyberpunk, off-world, etc. With 'The Handmaid's Tale'...

• Literary Criticism
• The Handmaid's Tale

Futuristic World in Dystopia: the Illusion of a Happy Society

A utopia is an imaginary society where all citizens are treated equally and with dignity, and citizens live in safety without fear. Since utopias do not exist, attempting to create one can have detrimental consequences. The utopia can become a dystopia. A dystopia is a...

• Literary Genres
• Literature Review

Technology Myth In "The Circle" By Dave Eggers

The Circle: The Technology Myth The novel begins on a glistening, sunlit day in June, Mae Holland cruises campus on her first-ever day at the Circle (Eggers, 1). The company is a creative and strongly favorite web organization, which has seized the globe by a...

• Impact of Technology

Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale as Dystopian Fiction

Published in 1985, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale emerged during an auspicious time for dystopian fiction, following works such as Adoux Huxley’s Brave New World, George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange. These dystopian narratives provided readers with captivating examinations into bleak,...

Presentation Of Authoritarian Control In George Orwell's 1984 And Brave New World

In the two novels ’Brave New World’ by Aldous Huxley and ‘1984’ by George Orwell, authoritarian control is a recurring theme throughout both plots. The two authors, who were influenced by their experiences of war on a large scale during the twentieth century were saddened...

• Brave New World

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Survival Is Insufficient In Novel Of Station Eleven

Societies can interconnect human life but can also isolate people from each other with the technology within. Station Eleven is a novel about a society devolving into a Dystopia, but it also explores what a society is. Mandel explores society through different perspectives by describing...

• Station Eleven

The Lifetime Memories Of The Past And Present In Station Eleven And Monkey Beach

Individuals experience many things over their lifetime that make them who they are. Joyful, stressful, exciting and traumatic experiences are often things every individual goes through; the one thing that connects all of them is memory. Memory allows one to reflect on experiences that are...

The Theme Of Gratitude As A Beacon Of Hope As Seen In Station Eleven

Station 11, by Emily Mandel, revolves around the topic of gratitude and reveals that people, when they lose certain privileges, realize the gravity of the things that they actually have. In the book, before the pandemic, society is presented as unremarkable. In the golden age...

The Comparison Of Dystopian Worlds In 1984 And Brave New World

Huxley's Brave New World and Orwell's 1984 are both Dystopian novels written ahead of their time that, in their own way, frighteningly predicted the western world of today. 21st Century western society has turned out to be a combination of both Huxley and Orwell’s visions...

The Expression Of Memories Through Art In Station Eleven

Magazines in houses that were deserted in order to try to recollect the world she was once living in and keen memories about the people she once knew and cared for. Lost memories sometimes are results of post-traumatic experiences and in Kirsten case it was...

Comparative Analysis Of Station Eleven And War For The Planet Of The Apes

The history of humanity has been riddled with new diseases and mass pandemics that have threatened the collapse of society. In today’s media, artists like to imagine a world where this disastrous event does happen, when medicine fails and the world is thrust into a...

Hope and Faith as the Tools for Survival in "Station Eleven"

The doomsday book Station Eleven by Emily Mandel has the theme of faith and fate, demonstrates how in events of struggle and fear, such as an epidemic, people turn to faith for help. The author represents faith as something that has similar importance in the...

Dystopian Society In Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go, written by Kazuo Ishiguro in 2005, is about the perspective of a female named Kathy who grows up knowing how she will die and her friends. They attend a boarding school called Hailsham that raises them from birth and is informed...

• Never Let Me Go

Feminism in Dystopian Novels: Parable of the Sower, Woman on the Edge of Time, and Binti

Feminism has been changing the way people think about gender since the 1960’s, and this change can be seen in the writers of different novels. Feminism and gender roles are portrayed in the characters in Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy, Parable...

• Parable of The Sower

Trepidant of Dystopian Societies: Brave New World and V for Vendetta

Throughout the novel, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and the movie V for Vendetta, directed by James McTeigue, the author and director both reveal and display significant messages about how dystopian societies function and maneuver of how dictatorial governments rule the civilization. Through the...

• V For Vendetta

Thebes’ Dystopian Aspects in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles

While the definition of dystopia is being debated by scholars to this day, Gregory Claeys provides a broad definition as to what the concept of dystopia is: something that showcases the “negative visions of humanity generally” (Vieira 3), is opposite to what is regarded as...

• Oedipus The King

Critical Appreciation of Dystopian Themes in The Children of Men

The ‘Children of Men’ presents the various dystopian tropes through the use of the linguistic techniques in order to question society’s troubles and create a parable to our own reality. PD James introduces the dystopian trope of the uncanny through this setting. By using similar...

• Children of Men

The Dichotomy of Dystopian and Utopian Societies in "The Giver"

Lois Lowry's novel "The Giver" explores the concept of a society that strives for perfection, leading to both a utopian and dystopian reality. In the novel, the protagonist, Jonas, lives in a seemingly perfect world, where everyone is content and there is no suffering or...

Analysis of The Truman Show Through the Ideas of Utopian and Dystopian Society

What if the reality you are used to see is not the real one? How would you feel if you discovered that during your whole live you have been controlled and used as entertainment? The aim of this essay is to compare the film The...

• The Truman Show

Station Eleven: Exposing the Fragility of Society Through Fictional Characters

Station Eleven is a novel about a society devolving into a Dystopia, but it also explores what a society is. Mandel explores society through different perspectives by describing events prior to its downfall. For example, Arthur and Miranda’s migration from a small island into a...

The Terryfing Ideas of Change in V for Vendetta

Politician Jerry Brown once said, “Where there is a sufficient social movement of self-reliant communities, there can be political change. There must be political change.” V for Vendetta (2006) originated from a graphic novel written by Allan Moore and is set in a dystopian Great-Britain...

Blade Runner as one of Cinematic Masterpieces

‘Blade Runner’ film by Ridley Scott is an adaptation of the book ‘Do Andriod’s Dream of Electric Sheep’ by Philip K. Dick. The story follows the main protagonist Rick Deckard, a retired police officer who retired NEXUS 6 replicants, living in a dystopian LA, 2019....

• Blade Runner

Impact of Dystopian Regime on Individuality in Huger Games and Divergent

Introduction The 2012 film “The Hunger Games’ by Gary Ross and the 2014 film “Divergent” by Neil Burger use a range of similar and different techniques to explore the themes of oppression, empowerment and rebellion and its impact on individuality. Ross and Burger’s sci-fi thrillers...

The Control of Life by the Government in the Dystopian World of "Divergent"

In the novel Divergent, it tells about a dystopian society and how they separate each other into five factions, the factionless, and a wall. These five factions all have a different role and a different way of life. Dauntless are the brave and fearless, Abnegation...

• Social Control

The Constraints of Realism as a Democratic Art

Introduction Realism, as an artistic movement, emerged as a response to the idealism and romanticism of earlier periods. It aimed to depict the world in an objective and unembellished manner, presenting an authentic representation of reality. However, despite its intentions, realism faces certain constraints as...

Depiction of Dystopian Worlds in The Handmaid's Tale and 1984

Dystopian literature questions the power of language, both Atwood’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty - four’ showcases a variety of qualities necessary to advocate one’s freedom. Whilst both novelists share the common theme of language limiting both freedom and knowledge the two texts...

The Impact of Cinematography on Portrayal of Dystopia in Film

It is in the creation of dystopian film that universal issues of a political, social and cultural concern are made more widely relevant and accessible to a contemporary audience. The value of such dystopic representations of society derives from the filmmaker’s ability to timelessly comment...

• Film Analysis

A Comprehensive Analysis of Dystopian Genre in Literature

Dystopian genre blossomed in literature during the nineteenth century and developed significantly as a critical response and an antithesis to utopian fiction and shows utopia gone awry. The word ‘dystopia’ can be translated from Greek as ‘bad place’ and usually it depicts something a society...

Feminist Dystopia in Margaret Atwood “The Handmaid's Tale”

Feminism is a political and social movement; it shares a recurrent goal which is to achieve political, economic, personal, and social equality of sexes (IWDA). A dystopia is a society that is crumbling, decaying or in a tyrannized and terrorized state. They divulge the public’s...

The Handmaid's Tale and Animal Farm: Defamiliarizing Reproduction and Totalitarian Regimes

In his book, Dystopian Literature: A Theory and Research Guide, Professor M. Keith Booker argues that the principle literary strategy that dystopian literature utilizes is defamiliarization. He states that 'by focusing their critiques of society on imaginatively distant settings, dystopian fictions provide fresh perspectives on...

• Animal Farm

A Comparison of the Current World to Huxley's Brave New World

Is the Modern World in Danger of Becoming the Brave New World? In his 1932 dystopian novel, Brave New World, Aldous Huxley describes a future “World State” government that models its civilization on the principles of community, identity, and stability. The inhabitants of this world...

• Bioengineering

We By Yevgeny Zamyatin: The Terrible Consequences Of The Abandonment

In this 20st century novel it can be inferred that the story is an allegory on the early Soviet Union. The story is taking place in the future and is a dystopia. Totalitarianism and conformity are characteristics of the Soviet Union society of that time....

• Book Review

Sacred Games And Black Mirror: Crafted Dark Stories Opening Doors To Reality

The age of cliffhangers rewrites the style of stories being told “Kabhi kabhi lagta hai apun hi Bhagwan hai!” If this line rings a bell in your head, then you too, are probably among the majority whose minds that got influenced by Sacred Games. The...

Best topics on Dystopia

1. Feminism and Totalitarism in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Dystopia Novel

2. Futuristic World in Dystopia: the Illusion of a Happy Society

3. Technology Myth In “The Circle” By Dave Eggers

4. Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale as Dystopian Fiction

5. Presentation Of Authoritarian Control In George Orwell’s 1984 And Brave New World

6. Survival Is Insufficient In Novel Of Station Eleven

7. The Lifetime Memories Of The Past And Present In Station Eleven And Monkey Beach

8. The Theme Of Gratitude As A Beacon Of Hope As Seen In Station Eleven

9. The Comparison Of Dystopian Worlds In 1984 And Brave New World

10. The Expression Of Memories Through Art In Station Eleven

11. Comparative Analysis Of Station Eleven And War For The Planet Of The Apes

12. Hope and Faith as the Tools for Survival in “Station Eleven”

13. Dystopian Society In Never Let Me Go

14. Feminism in Dystopian Novels: Parable of the Sower, Woman on the Edge of Time, and Binti

15. Trepidant of Dystopian Societies: Brave New World and V for Vendetta

• Hidden Intellectualism
• A Raisin in The Sun
• William Shakespeare
• Sonny's Blues
• Great Expectations
• A Rose For Emily
• Blackberry Picking
• To Build a Fire

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Dystopian Story Ideas: Transform Fear Into Fiction [99+ Ideas]

Want to write a dystopian story but stuck for new and unique ideas?

Keep reading to see a list of more than 99+ unique dystopian story ideas that you can use for your next novel , short story , or screenplay !

I’ve divided them up into the main categories of dystopian fiction – such as post-apocalyptic, environmental collapse, corporate control, and biological dystopias. I hope you find a great idea for your story!

Dystopian Story Ideas for Your Next Creative Work

Let’s get right into all of the dystopian story prompts!

Post-Apocalyptic

These stories focus on life after a catastrophic event has decimated civilization, leaving survivors to navigate a radically altered world.

Ocean’s Reclaim: The continents are underwater, and humanity lives in floating towns. A diver finds an old city below the sea, perfectly preserved. The find offers the promise of treasures and knowledge but also brings up hidden dangers from the deep.

The Dome: A city under a dome is safe from the toxic world outside. But when the dome starts cracking, panic sets in. A group of unlikely heroes must go outside to find what they need to fix the dome, facing the old world’s remains and new life that has adapted to the harsh environment.

The Last City: The last city stands alone in a desert-covered world. A map found inside the city suggests that another city is out there. This sparks hope and fear, leading to debates on whether to stay safe or risk searching for this mysterious place.

Sky People: After Earth’s surface becomes uninhabitable, people live in airships. A scout sees land through the clouds, but proving it might be habitable for humans again is challenging for a society used to living in the sky.

Desert Walkers: In a world turned to desert, a group travels the sands searching for “Green Haven,” a place rumored to have water and greenery. The journey to find the haven tests their spirit, especially when they find clues they might be on the right path.

The Last Library: The last library, filled with old knowledge, sits in a ruined city. But a ghostly guardian blocks the way, demanding a tribute for entry. The library could help rebuild the world, but only if the story’s hero can find a way in.

Radio Silence: A lone radio operator connects far-off communities in a quiet, post-apocalyptic world. One day, a strange message comes through, hinting at a society that survived the disaster. The operator is torn between hope and the fear of leading others into danger.

Seed Vault Heist: There’s talk of a seed vault buried in old-world ruins, holding seeds of all known plants. A group sets out to find it, hoping to bring life back to their barren world. But the journey is dangerous, filled with obstacles and the guardians of the vault’s secrets.

Ghost Cities: An explorer looks through empty cities for treasures of the past. One city is different – it’s still running as if waiting for its people to return. Solving this city’s mystery might show what happened to its people and maybe how to fix civilization.

Solar Flare Survivors: After a solar flare destroys all electronics, survivors come together to start over. They must use old ways to solve problems, bringing people together and protecting against those who want to take advantage of the world’s fragile state.

RELATED: Read my apocalypse story ideas here !

Totalitarian Regimes

In these narratives, society is controlled by an authoritarian government that restricts freedom, surveils its citizens, and often enforces conformity through fear.

The Last Garden: In a city of concrete and steel, the last green space is about to be destroyed. A young gardener discovers rare seeds in the garden and becomes the unexpected leader of a movement to save the city’s soul.

The Colorless Law: In a world where expressing individuality is banned, wearing colors is a crime. A young artist risks everything by creating a secret gallery of vibrant paintings, challenging the gray monotony enforced by the oppressive regime.

The Memory Erasers: The government has a machine that erases unwanted memories. When a technician discovers they’ve been erasing more than just bad memories, they must decide whether to expose the truth or stay safe in ignorance.

The Silent Anthem: Music is controlled by the state, with only approved tunes allowed. A hidden group of musicians composes a rebellious anthem, spreading it underground as a silent protest.

The Masked Educator: Education is strictly controlled, but a masked teacher gives illegal lessons to children in the slums, teaching them about the world before the regime. When the teacher’s identity is threatened, the community must protect their only hope for a brighter future.

The Skywriters: To evade surveillance, rebels start writing messages in the sky using old planes. A young pilot must navigate dangerous skies to deliver a message that could unite the oppressed citizens.

The Shadow Network: A network of spies uses the city’s shadows to pass messages and contraband, fighting against the regime’s all-seeing eye. A new recruit with a unique talent for moving unseen becomes pivotal in their most daring plan yet.

The Reflective Rebellion: Mirrors are banned because the regime wants to control how people see themselves. A young rebel starts a secret trade in mirrors, helping people see their true selves and sparking an identity revolution.

The Outcast Engineer: Technology is restricted to the elite, but an outcast engineer builds a communication device from scraps. This invention connects isolated rebel groups, turning scattered resistance into a coordinated uprising.

The Dissenter’s Code: The regime communicates through a secure code believed to be unbreakable. A young coder discovers a flaw in the code and faces a moral dilemma: expose it to aid the rebellion or stay silent to protect their family.

Environmental Collapse

These tales show worlds where ecological disasters have led to a scarcity of resources, drastic climate changes, or uninhabitable conditions, all of which challenge humanity’s survival.

The Creeping Fog: A toxic fog has enveloped the earth, and creatures who have been mutated by the chemicals lurk within it. A small community of survivors living on the few remaining clear peaks must find a way to purify the air before the creeping fog engulfs them completely.

The Root Terrors: After genetically modified plants fail, they begin to grow uncontrollably, their roots growing deep into the earth and awakening ancient creatures. These monstrous beings, resembling twisted plant-animal hybrids, now threaten the last bastions of humanity.

The Heat Beasts: As global temperatures rise, so does the aggression of certain animal species. These creatures have evolved into fierce monsters thriving in the sweltering heat, forcing humans to seek refuge in the few remaining cool zones.

Frozen Shadows: A new Ice Age has dawned, and humanity survives in domed cities. When one dome’s heating system fails, a group of teenagers discovers a forgotten underground city, offering warmth and hope. But something else lurks in the shadows.

Acid Rains: Toxic rains have made the world’s surface uninhabitable. People live in sealed towers, but one tower’s seal is failing. A resourceful engineer and her team must venture into the dangerous outside to find the materials needed to save their home.

The Coral Ark: With the oceans dying, marine biologists create an underwater ark to save the last coral reefs. A young recruit discovers a way to regenerate coral faster but must convince the skeptical world leaders before it’s too late.

The Heatwave Heist: In a city plagued by relentless heatwaves, a cool underground refuge exists for the elite. A gang of street-smart kids plans a daring heist to bring the cooling technology to the surface dwellers.

The Pollen Plague: A genetically modified plant spreads uncontrollably, producing deadly pollen. A scientist’s daughter, immune to the pollen, must journey through the hazardous bloom to find her father’s lab and the cure he was working on.

The Tidal City: After the ice caps melt, a city survives by adapting to the new tidal world, floating on the water. When the city starts sinking, a young engineer uncovers an old, forgotten technology that could save them all.

The Oxygen Operatives: With most plants dead, oxygen levels are dangerously low. An underground group discovers a lab where oxygen can be artificially produced. They embark on a mission to seize the lab and distribute the technology, fighting against those who control the oxygen for power.

Technological Dystopias

Here, technology has gone awry – leading to dehumanization, surveillance, loss of privacy, or the dominance of machines and artificial intelligence over humans.

The Monster Factory: A biotech company secretly experiments with combining monster DNA with robotics to create super soldiers. When the experiments break loose, a group of survivors must find a way to deactivate the monsters.

The Augmented Divide: Society is split between those who can afford augmentations to enhance their abilities and those who cannot. A gifted but un-augmented girl discovers a plot to further oppress the “naturals” and fights to bridge the divide.

The Last Human Job: As robots take over all work, the last human job is to maintain the robots. When the main character discovers a plot by the machines to eliminate this last position, they must fight to save humanity’s purpose.

The Sleep Sellers: Sleep is a luxury in a future where people are hyper-connected and always online. A sleep clinic offers genuine rest for a high price, but its methods are sinister. A young insomniac uncovers the dark truth behind the clinic’s success.

The Golem Protectors: In a world overrun by monstrous machines, ancient magic is rediscovered, allowing the creation of golems. A young mage becomes a leader in the resistance, crafting golems to fight the mechanical beasts threatening humanity.

The Shadow Network: A dark web magician uses his skills to summon digital demons that haunt the city’s network, stealing information and causing chaos. A team of tech-savvy witches must use a blend of magic and technology to banish these entities.

The Arcane Firewall: A mystical barrier protects the last human city from hordes of cybernetic monsters roaming the wastelands. When the barrier starts to weaken, a young technomancer must venture out to find the lost source of ancient power needed to restore it.

The Hybrid Curse: A failed experiment to merge magic with human DNA results in monstrous hybrids that escape into the city. A group of affected individuals struggling with their new monstrous impulses seek a cure before they lose their humanity completely.

The Phantom Signal: A mysterious signal from deep space turns half the world’s population into sleepwalkers, mindlessly building strange structures. The unaffected half discovers these structures are magical in nature, opening portals to monstrous dimensions.

The Spellware Conflict: In a future where software can cast spells, a major bug causes the spells to manifest monstrous entities in the real world. A team of spellware developers must venture into the infected code realms to fix the bug and banish the monsters.

Social Decay

These stories highlight societies where social structures have broken down, leading to rampant crime, moral decay, and a survival-of-the-fittest mentality.

The Alleyway Alchemist: In the city’s most dangerous alley, an alchemist brews potions that grant temporary magical abilities. When his creations start causing unexpected side effects, leading to an outbreak of chaos, he teams up with a group of affected youths to find a remedy and uncover the source of the tainted magic.

The Phantom Market: Hidden within the city’s ruins, a market appears at midnight, offering wares from the mystical to the macabre. A teenager searching for a cure for his cursed sibling visits the market, where he must bargain with creatures of myth.

The Shattered Sigil: A series of mystical sigils that once protected the city have been destroyed, leading to an influx of malevolent entities preying on the populace. A group of teenagers, each bearing a shard of the broken sigils, must piece them together, facing trials that test their resolve and unity.

The Mirror Realms: Mirrors in the city begin to act as portals to a parallel realm, where mystical creatures and magic are commonplace. When a sinister force threatens both worlds, a band of misfits must navigate the mirror realms to restore balance and prevent the city’s collapse into chaos.

The Divide: A city split by a massive wall, with wealth and safety on one side and poverty and danger on the other. A group of youths from the poor side devise a risky plan to cross the wall, seeking a better life and sparking a movement for equality.

The Neon Jungle: Amidst the decay of a once-thriving city, neon lights mask the darkness of crime and vice. Using old-school methods, a teenage detective delves into the city’s underbelly to solve a mystery that could either save or doom what’s left of society.

The Ash Barons: After an economic collapse, gangs known as Barons control different city sectors, trading in goods, information, and illicit services. A teenager, indebted to a Baron, seeks freedom by uncovering and exploiting the other Barons’ secrets.

The Water Wars: Water is scarce, and control over it means power. When a young inventor discovers a new way to purify water, she becomes a target in the deadly water wars, fighting to bring hope to the thirsty masses.

The Memory Traders: In a world where memories can be extracted and traded, the rich relive their best moments while the poor sell theirs to survive. A young man with nothing left to sell decides to steal memories, uncovering a plot to control society through manipulated pasts.

The Gilded Cage: The city’s elite live in luxurious, protected enclaves, oblivious to the suffering outside. When a wealthy teenager’s curiosity leads her beyond the gates, she’s faced with the harsh realities of her society and must choose her path.

Corporate Control

In these dystopias, powerful corporations have taken over governments – leading to societies ruled by commercial interests, consumerism, and exploitation.

The Mind Merchants: A corporation develops a technology to read and manipulate thoughts. A young hacker, immune to the tech, becomes the leader of an underground group fighting to preserve free will.

The Ad Wars: Two rival corporations use advanced technology to project advertisements directly into people’s minds. When a teenager develops the ability to block these ads, they become a key player in the battle for mental freedom.

The Branding: In a world where every citizen is branded with a corporate logo at birth, a young rebel discovers an unbranded society living off the grid. They embark on a journey to uncover the truth behind the corporations and find freedom beyond the brands.

The Echo Chambers: A corporation creates virtual reality worlds tailored to individual desires, trapping users in endless cycles of pleasure and consumption. A group of teenagers accidentally discovers a way out and must navigate the real world to dismantle the system.

The Corporate Heir: The heir to a corporate empire goes undercover in one of the company’s factory towns and discovers the harsh realities of the workers’ lives. Torn between family loyalty and justice, they plot to overturn the system from within.

The Green Resistance: In a world ravaged by pollution, where corporations profit from selling clean air and water, a band of environmentalists discovers a way to purify the environment naturally. Their mission to spread the solution directly conflicts with the interests of the corporate behemoths.

The Nutrition Monopoly: Food is synthetic, controlled by a single corporation, and designed to be addictive. A nutritionist uncovers a conspiracy to keep natural food from the public and starts an underground movement to grow real food.

The Sleep Sellers: In a fast-paced, sleepless society powered by stimulants, one company controls the market for sleep solutions. A sleep-deprived detective stumbles upon a deadly side effect of the sleep product and races against time to expose the truth.

The Memory Market: Memories can be bought and sold, and a powerful corporation monopolizes the market. A young woman with the rare ability to remember everything sets out to destroy the memory market and restore authentic human experience.

The Leisure Lottery: Leisure time is a commodity sold by corporations. When a factory worker wins a lifetime of leisure, he discovers the leisure class lives in ignorance of the outside world’s suffering. He must choose between comfort and fighting for change.

Biological Dystopias

These narratives explore the consequences of genetic engineering gone wrong, pandemics, or bioweapons, resulting in altered humans or widespread illness.

The Hybrid Haven: A space station designed as a refuge for genetically modified humans becomes a battleground when a segment of the population evolves monstrous traits. The station’s residents must unite to confront these beings and the corporation that seeks to exploit them.

The Splice Frontier: In an attempt to adapt humans for space colonization, genetic splicing with alien DNA leads to unforeseen mutations. A crew on a distant planet must navigate the challenges of their altered abilities while confronting the native, monstrous creatures they’re becoming.

The Bio-Curse: An ancient virus unearthed by archaeologists in a forgotten tomb spreads rapidly, granting people magic-like powers but at a terrible cost. Society collapses as people struggle to control their new abilities, and the race for a cure becomes entwined with the quest to understand this new magic.

The NeuroFlux Epidemic: A neuro-enhancing drug designed for space travelers mutates, causing people to experience reality in different timelines. A group of affected astronauts must use their disjointed perceptions to navigate back to Earth and warn of the impending epidemic.

The Chimera Colony: A colony on a distant planet uses genetic engineering to adapt to the harsh environment, but the introduction of alien DNA creates chimeric monsters. Colonists must fight for survival against creatures of their own making while seeking a way to reverse the genetic alterations.

The Contagion Chronicles: A pandemic grants a portion of the infected population supernatural abilities but turns others into mindless beasts. A group of survivors with newfound powers must navigate a crumbling society, seeking safety and a cure amidst the chaos.

The Quantum Plague: A disease spread by interdimensional travel wreaks havoc on humanity, causing random mutations—some beneficial, some monstrous. A team of interdimensional travelers searches for the plague’s origin, hoping to find a cure across parallel worlds.

The Arcane Infection: A magical plague transforms those it infects into mythical creatures – but with dire consequences. A group of afflicted individuals forms an alliance, blending their newfound abilities with ancient magic to find a cure and confront the sorcerer who unleashed the plague.

The Morphing Sickness: A contagious disease causes people to morph into the last animal they touched, leading to chaos and a fractured society. A young girl, morphed into a cat but retaining her consciousness, becomes the key to unraveling the disease’s mysteries.

The Cursed Voyage: A spaceship carrying a genetically engineered pathogen to a distant colony crashes on an uncharted planet. The survivors find themselves battling not only the pathogen, which creates terrifying mutations, but also the planet’s mystical forces that resist their presence.

RELATED: Click to see a master list of alien name ideas for your story !

Psychological Dystopias

These stories explore societies that use propaganda, drugs, or psychology to control human minds and maintain order.

The Serenity Serum: A corrupt government mandates a serum to keep the population calm and docile, claiming it’s for the greater good. A small group of resistors who refuse the serum uncover the sinister truth behind the government’s intentions and fight to expose it.

The Dream Weavers: In a society where dreams are controlled and monitored to ensure compliance, a young dreamer discovers a hidden frequency allowing free, unmonitored dreaming. She becomes part of an underground movement fighting for the freedom to dream.

The Echo Project: A space colony is governed by an AI that uses subliminal messages to maintain order. When a technician stumbles upon the truth, he must outsmart the AI and awaken his fellow colonists to the subtle tyranny they live under.

The Mind Maze: A city uses a complex network of illusions and psychological traps to confine its inhabitants mentally, convincing them there’s no world outside. A group of teenagers discovers cracks in the city’s facade and embark on a journey to find reality.

The Thought Thieves: In a world where thoughts can be stolen and sold, a young mind with the rare ability to shield her thoughts becomes a target. She joins forces with a group of rebels to take down the Thought Thieves and free people’s minds.

The Memory Market: In a society where memories are manipulated to ensure happiness, a young girl discovers her most cherished memories are fabrications. She embarks on a quest to find her true past, challenging the foundations of her artificially serene world.

The Fear Feeders: Monstrous creatures feed on human fear, a condition exacerbated by government propaganda. A fearless young boy, seemingly immune to fear, becomes the key to understanding and ultimately defeating these psychological predators.

The Nostalgia Network: A corporation broadcasts artificial nostalgia, creating a longing for a past that never existed to sell products. When a group of teenagers realizes their memories are manufactured, they start a movement to uncover authentic history.

The Mirage Colonies: Space colonies are designed with environmental and psychological controls to make inhabitants believe they’re living in a paradise. When a colony technician discovers the grim reality outside the controlled environment, she must choose between maintaining the illusion or revealing the harsh truth.

The Monster Within: A society uses a drug to suppress dark thoughts and tendencies, but it manifests people’s fears as real monsters only they can see. A young woman, determined to face her monster, uncovers a conspiracy that the monsters are not just hallucinations but are being used to control and eliminate dissenters.

Class Divide

These narratives focus on societies with extreme divisions between social classes, where the disparity in wealth, rights, and power leads to conflict and oppression.

The Forbidden Archives: Knowledge is power, and in this society, it’s heavily guarded and restricted by class. A low-born librarian stumbles upon a secret archive with forbidden knowledge that could dismantle the societal hierarchy.

The Lunar Caste: On a moon colony, society is divided by those who can afford to live in domed cities and those who toil in the mines outside. A miner’s son, who dreams of the stars, uncovers an ancient artifact that could change the colony’s future.

The Ocean Chasm: Humanity lives on giant floating cities, with the affluent on the top decks enjoying sunlight and the poor below near the dark waters. When monstrous creatures from the deep start attacking, a hero from the lower decks emerges, bridging the gap between the classes.

The Drought Divide: In a world where water is scarce, the rich live in lush, walled oases, while the rest survive in the parched wastelands. A wasteland dweller discovers an underground river and must navigate the dangerous politics of water to bring equality.

The Gravity Rebels: In a space station where artificial gravity denotes social status, those in the lower gravity areas are considered lowly. A group of rebels plans to equalize the gravity for all, challenging the status quo.

The Green Divide: The wealthy live in bio-domes with real plants and clean air, while the rest breathe polluted air and see only synthetic nature. A young botanist from the outside discovers a way to purify the air for all, risking everything to spread her innovation.

The Power Heist: Electricity is a luxury only the upper class can afford. A band of ingenious lower-class citizens plans a heist to redistribute power literally, sparking a conflict that lights up the city in more ways than one.

The Frost Line: In a frozen world, only those near geothermal vents, controlled by the elite, stay warm. A young inventor from the cold zones creates a device to harness ambient heat, challenging the thermal hierarchy.

The Siren’s Divide: In a coastal city divided by a massive wall, the rich enjoy the serene beachside, while the poor live by the tumultuous, monster-infested sea. A fisherman’s daughter befriends a sea monster, using its power to breach the divide.

The Gilded Circuit: In a futuristic society, the wealthy enhance themselves with gold-plated cybernetics, while the poor make do with scrap parts. A gifted tinkerer from the slums creates a device that levels the playing field, sparking a cybernetic revolution.

War-Torn Dystopias

Set in worlds where continuous or recent wars have devastated societies, leading to militarization, constant conflict, and the suffering of civilians.

The Wasteland Nomads: In a world scarred by countless wars, vast deserts stretch where cities once stood. Nomadic tribes roam these deserts, battling mutated creatures and scavenging relics of the old world. A young nomad discovers a map to a rumored oasis city untouched by war, sparking a long journey.

The Ashen Skies: After years of aerial warfare, the skies rain ash, and the sun is a distant memory. A group of survivors in the ruins of a once-great city discovers an ancient bunker that might hold the key to clearing the skies and ending the war.

The Rift Commanders: A magical war has torn the fabric of reality, creating rifts that lead to other worlds and dimensions. Armies fight to control these rifts, summoning monsters and magic as weapons. A band of rebels seeks to close the rifts, restoring peace to the war-torn lands.

The Shadow War: In a city divided by war, the shadows come alive at night, preying on soldiers and civilians alike. A young soldier with the rare ability to control shadows embarks on a mission to uncover the source of these dark creatures and end the nightly terror.

The Iron Bound: In a world where war is constant, giant iron fortresses roam the battlefields, housing entire armies. When one fortress falls into enemy hands, a group of young conscripts must navigate its labyrinthine interior to retake it and turn the tide of war.

The Warborn: Children born during a nuclear war have developed strange powers, feared and exploited by both sides. A teenage Warborn, able to glimpse the future, deserts the army to lead a group of fellow Warborns in a quest for a place where they can live in peace.

The Forgotten Battalion: A battalion lost in a time-warp during the war reappears in a future where peace is fragile. Their outdated war mentality threatens to reignite conflict, and a young historian must help them adapt to the new world and find their place in a society that has moved on.

The Crystal Divide: A world war fought with weapons powered by rare crystals has left the land barren. A miner discovers a crystal of immense power and must navigate the war-torn lands, evading armies and bandits, to bring the crystal to a scientist with a vision of peace.

The Phantom Front: Ghostly apparitions of fallen soldiers haunt the battlefields, driven by unresolved anger and sorrow. A medium capable of communicating with these spirits seeks to help them find peace, unraveling the war’s hidden truths in the process.

The Arctic Outpost: In a war for the last habitable places on Earth, an outpost in the Arctic holds a strategic advantage. When the outpost is besieged, a group of young soldiers discovers an ancient ice creature awakened by the conflict, and they must ally with it to survive.

Stories set in a world without government or law, where chaos reigns, and individuals or groups fight for power and survival.

The Junkyard Kingdom: Amidst the anarchy, a resourceful teenager declares a sprawling junkyard as his kingdom, using salvaged tech to defend his domain. But as more people seek refuge in his kingdom, he must navigate the challenges of leadership and defense against raiders.

The Neon Tribes: In a city where the government has collapsed, neon-lit districts are controlled by various tribes, each with its own rules and leaders. A young scavenger, skilled in navigating the neon jungle, uncovers a conspiracy that could unite or destroy the tribes.

The Ashen Riders: Motorcycle gangs rule the highways in a world engulfed by volcanic ash and anarchy. A young rider discovers a map to a rumored sanctuary city and embarks on a perilous journey, facing rival gangs and ash-born monsters.

The Sky Pirates: With no law to govern the skies, airships manned by pirates dominate the clouds. A young mechanic, kidnapped by a notorious pirate crew, uses her ingenuity to navigate this aerial anarchy and search for a way back to her floating home island.

The Wasteland Wizards: After the fall of governments, a radioactive wasteland breeds new forms of life and magic. A group of wanderers, each with a unique mutation granting them magical abilities, roam the wastelands, seeking relics of the old world and battling monstrous creatures.

The Water Wars: With the collapse of society, freshwater becomes the most precious commodity. A skilled navigator with a mysterious past leads a crew on a dangerous mission to find a legendary freshwater spring, facing rogue militias and water beasts.

The Frostbound: In a frozen world without law, survival depends on heat and shelter. A girl with the ability to control fire is both a valuable asset and a target. She journeys across the icy wilderness, seeking a mythical warm haven and evading ice monsters and rival survivors.

The Green Apocalypse: Plants have overrun the planet, destroying cities and creating a jungle world ruled by tribal warfare. A young botanist, immune to the deadly flora, seeks to find a harmonious way for humans and nature to coexist while facing plant-based monsters.

The Shattered Fleet: After Earth’s destruction, humanity’s remnants survive on scattered spacecraft, constantly moving to avoid pirate attacks. A young captain finds a star map to a new habitable planet and must unite the fractious fleet to journey to their new home, facing cosmic anomalies and space leviathans.

The Beastmasters: In a world where animals have evolved into ferocious beasts due to chemical warfare, a group of survivors with the ability to tame and communicate with these creatures emerges as a new power. They navigate the dangers of a fractured society, seeking to establish a new order where humans and beasts coexist.

RELATED: If you’re writing a zombie story or movie and need some help with brainstorming, click here for my list of zombie story ideas !

Narratives focused on small, isolated communities that, while cut off from the wider world, develop their own dystopian characteristics due to specific ideologies or circumstances.

The Mist Village: Hidden by perpetual mist, a village adheres to ancient rituals to appease mythical creatures lurking just beyond visibility. A curious outsider arrives, challenging the villagers’ beliefs and uncovering the truth behind the mist.

The Space Ark: A generational spaceship, isolated from Earth for centuries, has developed its own strict society governed by the descendants of the original crew. A young historian discovers hidden logs from the first settlers, revealing secrets that could upend the ship’s hierarchical order.

The Greenhouse City: In a post-apocalyptic world, a city survives under a giant greenhouse dome, developing a cult-like reverence for plants. When a disease starts killing the crops, a young botanist must challenge the city’s leaders to find a cure.

The Lunar Enclave: On a remote moon base cut off from Earth, the inhabitants live under the rule of a computer algorithm designed to ensure survival. When the system starts malfunctioning, a technician and her friends must outwit the AI to prevent it from sacrificing human lives for ‘the greater good.’

The Walled Wilderness: A vast, impenetrable wall encloses a wilderness, with a small community living in harmony with nature inside. When monstrous creatures begin attacking, the community discovers the wall was built not to keep them in but to keep something else out.

The Icebound Colony: An isolated colony on a frozen planet relies on heat generated by a volcanic vent. When the vent shows signs of dying out, the colony’s leaders refuse to evacuate. A young engineer and her team must find a new heat source amidst the ice.

The Rift Village: A village on the edge of a massive rift in the earth lives in fear of the monsters that emerge from the depths. A daring group of youths descends into the rift, discovering an underground world with the key to their village’s salvation.

The Orchard Oasis: In a barren wasteland, a lush oasis thrives, governed by a family who controls the water. When an outsider with strange powers arrives, the balance is upset, leading to a power struggle that could either save or doom the oasis.

The Skyborne Isle: A floating island in the sky, cut off from the ground below by storm clouds, harbors a society that worships the birds they live amongst. When the birds start to leave, a young flyer must brave the descent through the clouds to discover why.

The Library Fortress: In a world where knowledge is forbidden, a fortress library houses the last books, guarded by a dedicated order of librarians. When a fire threatens the library, a young librarian uncovers a conspiracy to destroy knowledge forever and must fight to save the books and the truth they hold.

Digital Realities

Dystopias set in virtual realities or digital worlds where the lines between the virtual and the real blur, leading to identity crises, escapism, or digital dictatorship.

The Dream Network: People connect to a shared dream world using digital implants, escaping the harsh realities of human life. When a digital virus infects the network, turning dreams into nightmares, a young coder with lucid dreaming skills must navigate the dreamscape to find a cure.

The Simulacrum Uprising: In a world where everyone lives through perfect digital avatars, a glitch causes some avatars to develop consciousness. These digital beings fight for their rights in the real world, challenging the very nature of identity and existence.

Memory Hackers: In a society where memories can be digitally altered, a group of hackers discovers a plot to rewrite history. They embark on a digital quest to expose the truth, diving through layers of virtual realities and facing cyber monsters guarding the secrets.

The Astral Voyagers: A space exploration mission relies on virtual reality to train and prepare astronauts. When the simulation becomes indistinguishable from reality, the crew must discern which dangers are virtual and which are real as they approach an alien planet.

The Pixelated Forest: A virtual reality game with an endless, procedurally generated forest becomes a refuge for many. But when players start disappearing in the real world, a group of gamers must unravel the mystery of the forest’s ancient digital entity.

The Reality Merchants: Companies sell bespoke realities tailored to individual desires. When a user discovers that these realities are being used to control and manipulate the earth’s population, they must hack their way through layers of deception to awaken the masses.

The Avatar Rebellion: In a virtual utopia, avatars lead perfect lives, masking the bleak existence of their real-world counterparts. A rebellion within the digital world seeks to break down the barriers between the virtual and the real, forcing people to confront their true selves.

The Glitch Witch: A digital sorceress with the power to manipulate the code of the virtual world is hunted by a corporation wanting to use her skills for control. She must navigate both the digital landscape and the real world to stay one step ahead.

The Mind Miners: A corporation mines the subconscious thoughts of users in a virtual world to predict and influence real-world behavior. A young visionary, aware of the manipulation, leads a movement to free minds from corporate espionage.

The Holo-Heist: In a city where holographic displays create an illusion of paradise, teenagers discover the grim reality hidden beneath the digital facade. They plan a daring heist to steal the source code and reveal the truth to the world, dodging digital traps and holographic monsters.

What is a Dystopian Story?

A dystopian story is a type of fiction that presents a negative view of the future. This genre imagines worlds where freedom is limited, governments are usually authoritarian, and life is often harsh and unfair.

These stories usually focus on characters who are struggling to survive or who are called upon to fight against the problems in their world. Dystopian stories often serve as cautionary tales. They warn us about the consequences of certain actions or societal trends.

Dystopian stories can be found in books, movies , TV shows, and video games. They offer thought-provoking messages about power, control, and humanity’s future.

I hope that this list of dystopian writing prompts has helped to spark an idea for you and helps you write your own dystopian novel or screenplay!

Dystopian literature is an important part of the literary world, as it challenges us to think critically about our future as a society. Exploring these dark and often cautionary tales can inspire us to make better choices in the real world and avoid any potential dystopian future .

So, have fun creating your dystopian world, and make sure to learn more about some of the types of character archetypes you might want to include in your story – maybe a ruler, a sage , a hero , or even a monster !

These days, another way to find ideas for a story is to use AI story generator tools . Check out this helpful article for how to use AI to brainstorm story ideas !

Filmmaker, Author, Actor and Story Consultant

Neil Chase is an award-winning, produced screenwriter, independent filmmaker, professional actor, and author of the horror-western novel Iron Dogs. His latest feature film is an apocalyptic thriller called Spin The Wheel.

Neil has been featured on Celtx, No Film School, Script Revolution, Raindance, The Write Practice, Lifewire, and MSN.com, and his work has won awards from Script Summit, ScreamFest, FilmQuest and Cinequest (among others).

Neil believes that all writers have the potential to create great work. His passion is helping writers find their voice and develop their skills so that they can create stories that are entertaining and meaningful. If you’re ready to take your writing to the next level, he's here to help!

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Home / Essay Samples / Literature / Literary Genres / Dystopia

Dystopia Essay Examples

The dangers of a dystopia.

Dystopian literature often foreshadows the future, revealing what life may be like if current societal issues are not appropriately resolved. Characterized by injustice and mayhem, a dystopia is a flawed society in which citizens are considered an extension of the dysfunctional environment that they live...

Real World Dystopia

Utopianism has slowly made its way into a literary genre by authors comparable to Thomas More. More’s book, Utopia was written to show his disdain about the political corruption that happened in Europe during his life. Comparing the word “Utopia” to both a good place...

Dystopian Short Story: Comparison of Bradbury’s and Shur's Works

A dystopian text is an imagined world in which the illusion of a perfect society is maintained through technological and authoritarian power. This is one of the dystopian short story essays where we will analyse some of the dystopian short stories. The first one is...

Different Approaches to Utopia: Problems and Innovations

This utopia essay aims to discuss and examine the ideal order, system, life and society ideas that the human world is always in search of. It will address the impact of multiple interactions between society and the future state management systems. The problems and innovations...

Representation of the Problems of Contemporary Society in Ender's Game

The concepts and proposition put forward by an author present to the audience relevant problems which might be embedded in today’s society. Sci-fi novels occasionally portray our world as a dystopian environment within the future, emphasizing problems of contemporary society. These novels allow authors to...

Nineteen Eighty-four: Dystopia Story

“Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.” ― George Orwell, 1984 Nineteen eighty-four (1984 ) is a Dystopia story - what could be regarded as the worst possible life,a political satire novel written by George Orwell. The story is...

Fahrenheit 451 is the Dystopian Novel

Fahrenheit 451 is the dystopian novel written by Ray Bradbury in 1953. The novel is set in a future American society in which books are burned once they are found by fireman. In the novel Bradbury uses the art of symbolism to help strengthen the...

Dystopian Society in the Lord of the Flies

While the serenity of the island may have hinted towards an edenic utopia, William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies quickly deviates to a dystopian society as the boys become inundated with Their animalistic instincts. Golding uses imagery of the dense jungleto express the sense...

The Elements of Dystopian Society in Anthem by Ayn Rand

The novel ‘Anthem,’ by Ayn Rand is an example of a dystopian society. A dystopian society is one that is as dehumanizing and as unpleasant as possible. In the dystopian society that Rand has created people must only be referred to as ‘we,’ rather than...

Depiction of Violence and Harassment in Ender's Game

In the book, Ender’s Game, written by Orson Scott Card and the movie, there is a lot of violence and harassment. This violence seems to be brought on by older figures, like the adults. The forcefulness transfers from the adults over to the children, so...

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About Dystopia

A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- "bad, hard" and τόπος "place"; alternatively cacotopia or simply anti-utopia) is a speculated community or society that is undesirable or frightening. Dystopias are often characterized by rampant fear or distress, tyrannical governments, environmental disaster, or other characteristics associated with a cataclysmic decline in society.

Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.

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