intro

• Introduction: Genre...?

  'category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterised by a particular style, form, or content' (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).
• Introduction: Genre 2?


  Through categorising texts by genres, audiences can anticipate conventions and characteristics that will shape their experience.
• Introduction: 3?


  Dystopian fiction uses these conventions to exaggerate societal flaws and offer critical insights into potential futures, reflecting the context of its creation.
• Introduction: 4?


  • Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale (THT), made headway in the genre of speculative dystopian fiction, emerging in the context of 1980s United States during the rise of the conservative Christian right.
  • Inspired by the radical backlash against the second wave of feminism, Atwood explores how a coup by a totalitarian theocracy might unfold from a female perspective, illustrating the dangers of complacency.
• Introduction: 5?


  • Atwood set the stage for contemporary works such as George Miller’s 2015 film, Mad Max: Fury Road (MMFR)
  • original 1970s trilogy focused on environmental and societal collapse, Fury Road incorporates feminist values into its narrative, depicting a patriarchal regime ruling a barren Wasteland
  • despite a 30-year gap between Fury Road and the trilogy, the environmental and feminist themes remain strikingly relevant.
• Introduction: signpost (6)?


  Both texts feature dystopian settings reflective of contemporary fears, showcase resistant female protagonists, and present contrasting conclusions that explore the outcome of compliance versus rebellion.