Dystopia and fan fiction

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Dystopia and fan fiction

In this assignment you are going to read a dystopian novel and write some fan fiction about it. 

What is a dystopia?

A dystopia is a community or society that is undesirable or frightening. It is an antonym of utopia, a term that was coined by Sir Thomas More and figures as the title of his best known work, published in 1516, which created a blueprint for an ideal society with minimal crime, violence and poverty.

00:30

What is the literal meaning of dystopia?

1. Good place
2. No good place
3. Terrible place
4. Somewhat irritating place

00:58

Utopia

1984

Brave New World

Sir Thomas More

George Orwell

Aldous Huxley

01:37

Which statement about dystopias is incorrect?

1. It focuses on a collapse of standards in a society.
2. The term cannot be used for an existing society.
3. It gives a gloomy view of the future.
4. It is pessimistic about many things in many different fields.

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What is the opposite of dystopia?

02:01

So what is the function of a dystopia?

1. It gives a warning
2. It gives a promise
3. It wants to make us afraid
4. It educates us

Writing fan fiction

When you're a fan of a particular book or series of books, it can be hard to reach that last page and know it will all soon be over. With Fan Fiction, it doesn't have to be! Fan Fiction is fiction written by admirers of a certain work or genre, anything from fantasy to comedy to romance. While keeping close to the spirit of the original. Fan Fiction allows you to explore your favourite stories by borrowing characters, plot elements, and settings and using them in your own creative writing process.

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What is not true about fan fiction?

1. It is written, but hardly ever published.
2. It is written by the same author as the work that inspired it.
3. It has become very prominent since the start of the internet.
4. It is written by people who liked the original work very much.

01:36

Who are the readers of fan fiction?

1. Writers
2. Publishers
3. Other fans
4. We do not know

05:32

main character: Katniss

main character: Thomas

main character: Pemryn

main characters: Callum and Sephy

main character: Tris

How to write fan fiction

Fan Fiction should have the same general feel of the original work. Characters should act and talk like they did in the book, and the original author’s style and mood should be preserved as much as possible. Try reading aloud some passages of dialogue to get a feel for the characters' voices. 

How to write fan fiction

Think about ways to extend the story of your choice. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Envision a prequel—events that might have taken place before the start of the original work

• Imagine “missing” or deleted scenes—incidents that might have changed the course of the plot

• Picture a sequel—events that might happen after the book ends

• Swapping: some of the characters have swapped bodies!

• Fusion: two different stories become one. Sherlock Holmes and Scooby Doo solve mysteries together!

• Alternate universe: your favourite piece of fiction now takes place in a different time and place!

Make an outline

Think of:

• The setting or settings for the story

• The characters in the story 

• What happens to the characters at the start, middle, and end of the story? 

• Why the characters act as they do (what are their reasons for the choices they make?) 

• What types of things the characters would say 

How you will be judged

Look at the rubric on Moodle. Your work will be judged on the following grounds:

- conflict 

- plot 

- characters 

- relations to the novel / conventions of fan fiction 

- length / summary

- grammar / vocabulary

Writing

Your story should be between 500 - 700 words.

At the top of your page you give the name of the novel that inspired you.

Good luck!