The Giver is a novel written by Lois Lowry. The main character, Jonas, lives in a seemingly utopian society. This community is rigorous, has many rules, and is all about order. Many of the privileges given to the children are decided at different ages. When turning 12, the "Elders’ assign the kids their jobs. Jonas is assigned a rare job, the Receiver of Memory.
The Giver is a dystopian novel written by Lois Lowry. The main character, Jonas, lives in a seemingly perfect society where everything is the same and emotions are not experienced. After receiving his assignment as the new receiver, he is exposed to how fragile his community is and the true nature of the world. While training with The Giver, he learns more and more about the past. The harsh reality makes him question how his community works and what they value.
“They had seized power unwillingly and for a limited time, and that just around the corner there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal. We are not like that. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now you begin to understand me.”
Believe Me, by Tahereh Mafi, brings an end to the young adult dystopian Shatter Me series in the form of a novella centering around Juliette and Warner.
“Life isn't fair…It's taken me a while to get that. It's always going to disappoint you in some way or another. You'll make plans, and it'll push you in another direction. You will love people, and they'll be taken away no matter how hard you fight to keep them. You'll try for something and won't get it. You don't have to find meaning in it; you don't have to try to change things. You just have to accept the things that are out of your hands and try to take care of yourself. That's your job.”
Allegiant by Veronica Roth is the third and final book in the dystopian Divergent series. Tris’s entire world has changed, everything she once believed has changed, and now, it is up to her to discover the truth. Her city is bordered by a fence, keeping them in, and everyone else out. Together, with the help of their few remaining loyal friends, Tris and Tobias devise a plan to escape the city and see the world outside the fence. Unfortunately, the world outside the fence is just as corrupt as inside the wall.
Insurgent by Veronica Roth is the second book in the dystopian Divergent series. Tris’ city has always been made up of five factions, but when two of the factions team up to target another, the future of the city becomes uncertain. After Tris and Tobias ended the attack, they were forced to flee, hiding from the government leaders who would kill them for their acts of insurgence.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a classic dystopian book. The story occurs sometime in the future, during the next world war. A plane of young British boys crashes on a small island. With minimal resources from the outside world, the boys try to find ways to survive. Some are focused on getting rescued, while others just want to have some fun. Ralph, originally the boy placed in charge, struggles to maintain order among the boys, especially against Jack, who is leading the boys down a dangerous path.
1984 is a dystopian novel of a state in which the government, led by Big Brother, controls everything, including people's thoughts and actions. Winston Smith is the protagonist who begins to resist the Party's rule and searches for truth in a world full of lies. In seeking knowledge of the world he is living, he faces the dangers of surveillance, strict laws, and suppression of independent thought. The novel deals with the themes of power, control, and fighting for freedom.
