Dystopian Literature and North Korea Essay

North Korea is one of the countries in the world that preserves its history and culture by use of different strategies, all aimed at preserving the beliefs and way of life of the locals. Literature is one of the genres that preserve the culture of the North Koreans, through the use of dystopia. The narratives were designed in the 20th Century with the aim of informing the younger generation of the culture and the daily news that provoked the imagination of readers to create mental images so that they could have a better understanding. In addition, dystopia was used to describe the social evils that took place in the society. It was also a description of the injustices that led to the suffering of human beings. An examination of a dystopia composed in North Korea reveals liberal feelings about the social issues that were taking place at the time the narrative was written. For instance, in the Lottery, as written by Shirley Jackson, villagers have to sacrifice one of their own during a game of chances which is later stoned to death. This unfairness is hard to comprehend despite the agony, pain, and suffering that the immediate family of a victim go through as they watch as the crowds kill their one. This dystopia is an illustration of the culture of the North Koreans who engaged in human sacrifice each year in a bid to appease the spirits and superior powers they believed controlled the universe. The belief and observance of dystopian literature described the calamities that befell the locals if they failed to honor the cultural beliefs. Dystopia also portray the imperfect society that people live in with the inclusion of unfairness and injustices that make some people suffer at the expense of others. for instance, in the Lottery, one person has to lose their lives per year while others are in a celebratory mood over the event that leaves one family in emotional pain. In as much as the dystopias are creative and fictional stories, they are a mirror of what takes place in the society, where people have no form of freedom and are controlled by a regime that does not care about the interests of its citizens.

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The minority report: And other classic stories dystopia by Philip is an illustration of the wickedness that people in power do as they think that they will forever hold the leadership positions. The injustices include improper use of public funds for their interests. This makes it hard for citizens to live meaningful lives since their resources have benefited a few people in top positions. In North Korea, it is common to find people dissatisfied with the regime in power, but they have no power or option to push the bad leadership out of place. This is because power is centralized and only a few people control the entire country. However, despite the negativity and suffering that people have, there is hope that redemption will be found one day when someone will rise to power with the aim of normalizing things for the benefit of every human being in the country. The dystopian literature seeks to illustrate the bad leadership in the country as well as the suffering that has resulted from having the wrong people in power. The dystopian literature uses euphemism to illustrate the social evils some of which include corruption and only readers that are attentive can successfully interpret the text.

Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron is a dystopia illustrates the way the people of North Koren have been subjected to inequality where the government stipulates that the law favors everybody whereas in reality, people feel the oppression, but they can do nothing since they cannot sue the government. The government, being stronger than any person or organization in the country uses its power to manipulate the locals to live in fear and control all the resources of the nation, making it hard for citizens to enjoy the labor of their hands. The literature indicates the current status of the country using short stories aimed at provoking the leadership in the country and triggering the thought patterns of the locals to consider the transforming their country so that every person can feel appreciated. The Constitution which is expected to protect the interests of every person is disrespected by the people who pass it as they consider themselves above the law. This justifies why Vonnegut writes in the future tense since it is the desire of every person that life in North Korea will change. The futuristic tense illustrates that the country hopes that one day, every person will enjoy the freedom and be allowed by the overbearing government to lead their lives without any form of interference. For instance, George, who was highly intelligent had to live with a transmitter that the government required him to wear at all times. The government knew that people like George who were highly intelligent were more likely to influence others to rebel. Hence, the government had to keep the likes of George in place so that it could still maintain its power. This illustrates that the government got hold of people's mental reasoning and ability, limiting them to engage in normal things whereas they have a huge potential to do exhibits that would transform the country and the world at large. Harrison illustrates the break the citizens have and the opportunity they get to live their lives without the limitation and oppression of the government, although it is short-lived when the cohorts and real prisoners of the law break in and kill him with his Empress. This dystopia indicates that people succeed in enjoying their freedom, but they are threatened by the government which then kills anyone that dares to challenge its authority, making people live in fear of the unknown.

Le Guin's The ones who walk away from Omelas illustrates the frustration that rich people have in life despite having all the luxuries in life. Most of the people that decide to walk away and never come back have an opportunity to lead their lives normally unlike the child who is locked in prison alone and detected and is sacrificed for the happiness of every other citizen in the country. This dystopia overemphasizes the notion that the rich celebrate and are aware of the plight of the majority who are poor. The rich believe that promoting equality and giving the poor a chance to grow themselves would neutralize the kind of wealth they possess. This justifies the choice that the government makes for the sake of a few and selected individuals who enjoy the wealth and health while the others continue to rot in poverty, diseases, and hunger.

Works Cited

Dick, Philip K. The minority report: And other classic stories. Vol. 4. Citadel Press, 2002.

Jackson, Shirley. "The lottery." The New Yorker 26 (1948): 25-28.

Le Guin, Ursula K. "The ones who walk away from Omelas." (1973): 275-84.

Vonnegut Jr, Kurt. "Harrison Bergeron." Ark. L. Rev. 44 (1991): 927.