Savannah Lucas - Blog Post 8

1. How do dystopian works in popular culture depict the presence of hope?

2.  

Geoghegan, Vincent. "Hope Lost, Hope Regained." History of the Human Sciences 16.1 (2003):

151-57. Print.

3. Geoghegan’s article is discussing Tom Moylan’s then new book, Scraps of the Untainted Sky: Science Fiction, Utopia, Dystopia, and how it has become increasingly relevant as the September 11th attacks have just happened. He describes Moylan’s analysis of the dystopian genre as one that explores hope and crushes it at the same time. Then in his own words, Geoghegan extends Moylan’s arguments, saying that thinking deeply about the bad and hopelessness can lead to the “recovery of hope” (151). Geoghegan also mentions this idea that an option of hope is always there for the reader, whether purposefully made by the author or not. Geoghegan then briefly discusses the role of film in today’s society and how film is the “most important generators of dystopian images and dystopian moments (be it fiction or fact)” (154). The author ends his article stating that we all need “resources of hope” (156) in tough times.

4. Geoghegan’s article surely recognizes that hope is a common and important element within dystopian works. Also, our analysis of dystopias can be strongly affected by how hopeful or un-hopeful we are.