3 Dystopian Novels That Just Feel Too Real

Is Big Brother watching? 

The feeling of anxiety, possibly fear, has long been an intrinsic element of dystopian fiction. Unchecked power, constant surveillance, and societal incohesion…the list goes on. While some dystopias feel like they are in “a galaxy far, far away,” others hit uncomfortably close to home.

Let us venture to three dystopian worlds that feel eerily relevant, serving as cautionary tales reminiscent of our world today.

1. 1984 by George Orwell

It is one of the best-known, widely-read dystopian novels of all time. In addition to its many literary breakthroughs, Orwell’s depiction in 1984 was a dystopian nightmare where power derives from widespread distrust and brute strength. Orwell’s world of Big Brother, through threat and intimidation, is a cause for alarm about the dangers of mass surveillance, calculated propaganda, and government overreach. Sound familiar? In a time when algorithms manipulate social media feeds and artificial intelligence (AI) blurs the line that separates fact from fiction, 1984 feels less like a fictional enterprise, but more like an ominous warning of things to come. Indeed, are we just steps away from the days when Big Brother watches everything and everybody, or inches away from voluntarily resigning our liberty and freedom to a technological oligarchy where personal loyalty rises above institutional allegiance that has endured centuries? As Orwell cautioned, whatever happens next, it’s probably not up to you!

2. Sanctuary by Paula Mendoza and Abby Sher

If you like your dystopias with heart-pounding action and characters you can actually root for, Sanctuary is the perfect book for you. It is set in a near-future America where everyone is tracked by biometric chips (yikes!). A sixteen-year-old girl, Vali, is on the run with her little brother, searching for a new home. From a rebellious heroine to an action-packed adventure, Sanctuary has everything you look for in a leisure reading that would keep you glued to the pages until your droopy eyes demand a rest. Besides, border security and immigration politics have recently assumed a front-and-center role in mainstream news America. Like the two teenage fugitives, paths pursued are not necessarily by choice, but necessity.

3. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

In the words of Thomas Jefferson, “I cannot live without books.” But what if books were outlawed that made the exchange of ideas difficult and the flow of information restrictive? That is the world of Fahrenheit 451, where firemen do not put out fires, they instead start fires by burning books! The theme seems absurd, but who’s to say it’s far-fetched? More importantly, it’s not just a warning against censorship, but also against aimlessly surfing electronic screens in the digital age (Yes, I saw you scrolling TikTok instead of reading!). Bradbury foresaw our obsession with these tech-driven distractions decades earlier, and to be honest, it is a bit frightening how dead-on he was.

Why These Books Matter Today

What makes dystopian fiction powerful is how it exaggerates existing trends and forecasts the future to examine and avert predicted consequences. 1984 warns against mass surveillance and the manipulation of truth, Sanctuary offers us a fresh perspective on immigration, and Fahrenheit 451 raises questions about people’s willingness to substitute intellectual curiosity for instantaneous info-tainment.

These books are more than just literary classics, they are also reflections of our past, present, and possibly future. If they seem disturbingly familiar, maybe it’s time to pay closer attention to the world around us.

Should we be worried? Maybe.

But should we ever stop reading? 

Never.

p.s. Recent physics class pics!!

So cool!!