Dystopian Worlds Group Discussion - Readers' Club Activity

The Readers’ Club of the Department of English organized a group discussion on “Dystopian Worlds : Word to Image in Hunger Games and The Divergent Series” on 9 October 20201. The discussion focused upon the idea and characteristics that make up a ‘dystopia’.

The dialogue initiated the screening of clips of the cinematic version of both the texts, with the distinct characteristics of division and loss of individuality as shown within their dystopian worlds. Participating students, from different steams and batches, brought forward ideas within the genre of dystopian writing. They also analyzed and speculated on how the futuristic worlds of the dystopian genre  originated from wars led by tyrannical leaders, also looking at how we have had historical experiences of similar nature.

The faculty members of the department also actively participated and encouraged students to keep the ideas  flowing. Moving through the sphers of the fear-and-peace dynamic, wars and segregation, and divergent rebellions, the discussion concluded with an intertextual understanding of the genre. The activity came to an end with a group photograph of all participating students and the faculty members.