Review of the Literature

I'm still having problems with my FTP account..here is my Annotated Bibliography...

Science fiction is one of the most contemporary forms of fiction writing; the genre has exploded to become a widely accepted form of pop culture. As early as 1900, Science Fiction cinematography and literature is the genre of change(Landon). From embracement of changing technology(Landon) to elaborate lunar worlds, all science fiction attempts to comment on the present. In other words, science fiction is a sophisticated attempt to comment on current politics (Hassler and Wilcox).

In specific the technological advancement and alien worlds of Science fiction are dystopian allegories the creators of science fiction use these future worlds as a “backdrop” for worlds centered on political conversation (Hassler and Wilcox). The dystopian literature reflects the Post-WWII era notion of constant fear of the alien or other. In many ways, the dystopian novel is the “ ‘socio-political sub-genre of Science Fiction’”(Parrinder). The genre as a whole takes the current social and political issues, transports them into a foreign futuristic world, to effectively comment on the issues. The genre mirrors the fears of society such as authoritarian (Hassler and Wilcox), Cold War panic(Seed), and fear of the military state(Hassler and Wilcox). The dystopian metaphors engage these contemporary discussions mirror the fear and paranoia, especially the fear of authoritarian government. Science fiction writers use the dystopia as a way to feed off the fear of their audience. The literature masks societies fear of authoritarian “heterotopia”(Hassler and Wilcox) to create political discussion. Films such as THX 1138 take this idea of heterotopia to comment on the role of government as molding society (Lucas). Writers such as George Orwell’s fictional commentary in 1984 critique of the present remind readers of the necessary presence of terror in fictional or present-day authoritarian rule (Berger). Literature and film have taken the Orwell’s critique a step further to show despotism controls our lives; they watch our every move. The omniscient technology of dystopian literature shows the total control of a despotic government(Berger).Films such as Minority Report, V for Vendetta, and THX 1138 that depict the parent/child relation of a totalitarian government. In short, the authors seem to ask the question “Why”(Orwell)(Berger) about modern society.

I submit that in his novel Little Brother Cory Doctorow uses the Science Fiction’s dystopian themes to further comment on the state of modern government and society. Doctorow uses themes of the authoritarian government in Little Brother to further comment on current political structure, namely the Patriot Act and government involvement in everyday life. The plot of Little Brother’s obsession with the Homeland Security as a homogenizing authoritarian regime closely mimics the Science Fiction’s portrayal of the authoritarian government. Doctorow’s contribution to the sub-genre of dystopian science fiction is that he attempts to make the authoritarian government more contemporary. Instead of alien worlds mirroring fascist regimes, Doctorow tries to assess the authoritarian government and dystopia in regards to the current social context of terrorism and safety.