Journal Theme: Life in a Dystopian Society

From the Journal of Maddy Sisson:

“She must have slept, for she woke because the Cluster was stirring, rotating its layers so that all bees moved up toward the top where they would eventually be fed, then revolving back down. ...always would the Queen be fed first.

. . .

The view from the landing board was a shock. The orchard raked black branched against a white sky, and beyond it raw brown fields stretched to the high and distant tree line. Several foragers their cramped limbs and looked at each other. All were ravenous. They shivered as they raised their antennae and scented the cold air.”

-The Bees by Laline Paull (pg. 231-5)

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The quote above from The Bees exemplifies what is necessary for a dystopian society: scarcity of resources, a totalitarian state, and an environment that is degenerating. When Flora 717 is faced with these issues, she does what is best for herself and others that she cares about, not what the Sage/a higher power would consider proper. To be in the same position as Flora in the above situation, in which my sisters are starving, but I risk death and disobedience in order to help them, I would have quite the internal conflict. It would be terrifyingly difficult to make decisions that can result in death, but in the end my own death is worth helping others and doing what I believe is morally correct.

As a rebel in a dystopian society the amount of mental and physical pain that I would be put through would be excruciating.

My mind would constantly be in a raging war with itself; like an angel on one shoulder and a demon on the other, telling me what is right and what is lustful. In the end the moral desires would win. I would risk my life for what I believe in, and without meaning to, I would be testing the strength of the government/higher power. The key to all of these rebellious acts though is that I don’t mean for them to be rebellious, I am simply living the only way I can with a conscious mind, unlike those of my sisters. Despite living in a society where all my needs are met, living with a conscious mind that there is more to life than simply surviving would also be quite the internal struggle. To try to suppress those desires and the longing for life beyond walls that are being built for me would be close to impossible. These mental stressors cause for a very stress and fear filled life without satisfaction or fulfillment.

These mental states will never end, and I will constantly be suffering, but without state of suffering, I would never be able to do what I find morally right and cause a revolutionary spark; creating something much larger than myself. The spark is something that I don’t mean to ignite, it simply is, and others will try to trample the spark (these would be the leaders of our totalitarian state), but the majority of people will begin to see the truth behind the life that we have been forced to live in.

As a rebel in a dystopian society I cannot imagine what it is to not have a war raging in your head or people constantly trying to change who you are. The most important thing is to always stay true to who you are and what is right/moral.