Literary Concepts & Themes: Dystopia, Absurdism, Orwell

Posted on Sep 13, 2025 in English Studies

Utopian vs. Dystopian Literature

Utopian Societies

  • Positive and persuasive techniques (often for modern ideas of science and socialism).
  • Perfect in a moral sense; societies were ideal in the best possible way.
  • The expected response to the experience was delight.

Dystopian Societies

  • Negative; lent the same techniques to the revolt against modernity.
  • Invented whole social orders; the order was merely perfected in a social sense.
  • Represented the victory or tyranny of an idea.
  • Evokes reader horror.

George Orwell: Social Themes

  • Used realistic and factual language to convey a vision of human fraternity.
  • Highlighted the misery caused by poverty and deprivation.
  • Insisted on tolerance, justice, and decency in relationships.
  • Presented a devastating critique of totalitarianism.
  • Warned against the violation of liberty.

Characteristics of Committed Poetry

  • The poet seldom intrudes as a speaker using the pronoun ‘I’.
  • Expresses skepticism about contemporary society.
  • Shows openness to new ideas and a broad range of lived experiences.
  • Offers social commentary not limited to politics.
  • Utilizes a variety of forms and techniques.
  • Employs a very colloquial tone which complements the satirical subject matter.
  • Features powerful imagery, often using juxtaposition and contrast.
  • Provides a unique and inspiring perspective on the human condition.

Waiting for Godot: Key Elements

Absence of Traditional Structure

  • No conventional setting, plot, or characters.
  • Lacks traditional action or dialogue.

Symmetrical Structure

  • Two acts are symmetrically built.
  • The stage is divided into two halves by a tree.
  • Symmetry of actions and characters: Vladimir (practical) & Estragon (dreamer), also known as Didi and Gogo.

Themes and Language

  • Explores the meaninglessness of time.
  • Language is informal, with characters often following their own thoughts.

Characteristics of the Theatre of the Absurd

  • Absence of a real story or plot.
  • Vagueness about time, place, and characters.
  • The value of language is reduced; the words spoken by characters are often incoherent babbling.
  • Extensive use of pauses, silences, miming, and farcical situations.
  • These elements reflect a profound sense of anguish.

Symbolism in Lord of the Flies

Symbolic Characters

  • Jack: Represents savagery, violence, instinct, aggressive force, dictatorship, and bloodthirstiness.
  • Ralph: Handsome, cheerful, and mild; stands for reason, democracy, and civilization. He ultimately becomes a victim.
  • Piggy: Ralph’s supporter, physically unfit, the voice of rationalism. He believes in rescue by adult society. His death signifies Jack’s triumph.
  • Simon: Intelligent and sensitive; sees the best in others. His frantic nature often scares the other boys. His death marks the end of civility and rationality.

Symbolic Objects

  • Fire: Represents both destruction and rescue.
  • White, Shining Conch: Symbolizes authority and order.
  • Painted Faces: Represent a descent into savagery.
  • Piggy’s Glasses: Symbolize intellect and power.
  • The Head of a Pig: Represents the forces of evil and a sacrificial victim.

Winston Smith and Themes in Nineteen Eighty-Four

Winston Smith: Character Analysis

  • Experiences a profound sense of loss, feeling that beauty, truth, and finer emotions belong to the past.
  • His name, Winston, evokes Churchill’s patriotic appeals for ‘blood, toil, tears and sweat’ during WWII.
  • His surname, Smith, the commonest English surname, suggests his symbolic value as an everyman.
  • Middle-aged and physically weak, he feels alienated from society.
  • Possesses a strong desire for spiritual and moral integrity.

Themes in Nineteen Eighty-Four

  • Nineteen Eighty-Four is a satire on hierarchical societies that destroy fraternity.
  • The dictator, Big Brother, controls every aspect of life.
  • A major theme is memory, linked to a view of morality.
  • An egalitarian post-revolutionary society, ideally, would not change values but end exploitation and draw on the best of the past.
  • Winston attempts to write a diary, defending his private memory against official attempts to rewrite history.