Thesis (M.A.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of English, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-65).

"A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts." Title from PDF of title page (Georgia Southern University, viewed on May 1, 2010). Richard Flynn, major professor; Caren Town, Joe Pellegrino, committee members. Electronic version approved: December 2009. Includes bibliographical references (p. 62-66).

The aim of this diploma thesis called Three significant trends in young adult literature is to analyse this literary category in the Czech Republic; to describe the publishing houses focusing on this type of literature and to determine, if there are any trends - and if so to describe them. The first chapter states different definitions of so called YA literature and its understanding abroad and in the Czech Republic among the publishers. In the next chapter I characterise the main trends in YA literature that already exist and also those that could emerge, according to literary agents and publishers. In the next part of this thesis I describe three chosen genres: urban fantasy, fairy tale retellings and dystopian novels and I analyse four series determined as typical for respective genres: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon, The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Divergent by Veronica Roth. Each analysis is followed by the description of media response to the chosen series. The thesis also includes the interviews with editors from chosen publishing houses focusing on YA literature: Tereza Pecáková from CooBoo, Jakub Šedivý from Fragment, Lucie Kučová from Egmont and Eva Sedláčková and Jiří Štěpán from Host. This practical part is preceded by a theoretical...

In Marion Zimmer Bradley's retelling of the Arthurian legends, The Mists of Avalon, she creates two dystopic cultures: Avalon and Camelot. Contrasting Bradley's account of the legends with the traditional version, Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, reveals that Bradley's sweeping revisions of the tradition do little to create a feminist ideal. A skeptical questioning of the text's plot and characters with the Women's Movement in mind opens an interpretation of the text as a critique of feminism itself.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Utopia, Philosophy and Hermeneutics Exploring the thought of Gianni Vattimo Article I: The End of Utopia An explanation for the rise of distopia in popular culture with reference to the ideas of Gianni Vattimo In this article the development of utopianism is described by tracing it back to its original classical form, following it through its modernistic form and finally describing distopia as the postmodern form of utopia. Using the ideas of Gianni Vattimo, distopia is interpreted as the creative embodiment of the "counterfinality of reason". In this way distopia acts as a critique of modem rationalism. The question is raised if it is possible to speak of "the end of utopia" in postmodern times. It is concluded that utopian thought remains and functions as a necessary fiction in postmodern ethics. Article II: An Appropriate Postmodern Philosophy A discussion of the hermeneutics of Gianni Vattimo The aim of this article is to discuss the radical hermeneutics proposed by the Italian philosopher Gianni Vattimo. Vattimo declares a radicalization of hermeneutics to be the only consistent, persuasive and valid approach to the postmodern conditions of existence we find ourselves in today. In order to explain what this approach entails, and how Vattimo justifies it, this article discusses his interpretation of the history (and end) of modernity, as well as his proposals for a new task for philosophy, and for a postmodern ethics. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Utopie, Filosofie en Hermeneutiek 'n Verkenning van die denke van Gianni Vattimo Artikel I: Die Einde van Utopie 'n Verklaring vir die opkoms van distopie in populêre kultuur aan die hand van die idees van Gianni Vattimo Hierdie artikel beskryf die ontwikkeling van utopianisme deur die oorspronklike klassieke en latere modernistiese vorme daarvan na te gaan, en uiteindelik distopie te beskryf as die postmoderne vorm van utopie. Met verwysing na die denke van Gianni Vattimo word distopie geïnterpreteer as die kreatiewe beliggaming van die "kontrafinaliteit van rede". Op hierdie manier lewer distopie kritiek op moderne rasionalisme. Die vraag word gevra na die moontlikheid daarvan om te kan praat van "die einde van utopie" in postmoderne tye, en uiteindelik word tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat utopiese denke steeds 'n rol het om te speel as 'n noodsaaklike fiksie binne 'n postmoderne etiek. Artikel II: 'n Gepaste Postmoderne Filosofie 'n Bespreking van die hermeneutiek van Gianni Vattimo Die doel van hierdie artikel is om die Italiaanse filosoof Gianni Vattimo se voorstel vir 'n radikale hermeneutiek te bespreek. Vattimo is oortuig daarvan dat 'n radikalisering van hermeneutiek die enigste konsekwente, oortuigende en geldige benadering is tot die postmoderne bestaanstoestande waarbinne ons onsself vandag bevind. In 'n poging om te verduidelik wat hierdie benadering behels, en hoe Vattimo dit regverdig, word sy interpretasie van die geskiedenis (en einde) van moderniteit bespreek, asook sy voorstelle vir 'n nuwe taak vir die filosofie, en vir 'n postmoderne etiek.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-21T14:49:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cassio Remus de Paula.pdf: 3599048 bytes, checksum: c2a5798d4f2ef0461b5f36e8d87a4099 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-24 / The current thesis seeks to demonstrate the relations of dystopias and scientific fiction notions with the virtual game series Half-Life and Metal Gear Solid, in addiction to understanding significant game titles in their influence. Such notions are problematized from the historical research of the scientific fictions, derived from literature and cinema, such as the own science conceptions during the 19th and 20th centuries. Therefore, theoretical-methodological sources referred to the ludism, cinema and representation are used in order to establish the notions of dystopia presented in the specified games, in a link with the concepts of the pessimistic future existed in the scientific and artistic imaginary. / A presente dissertação procura demonstrar as relações das noções de distopias e ficção científica com as séries de jogos virtuais Half-Life e Metal Gear Solid, além de compreender títulos significativos de games na influência dos mesmos. Tais noções são problematizadas a partir do estudo histórico das ficções científicas, provenientes da literatura e do cinema, assim como das próprias concepções de ciência dos séculos XIX e XX. Para tanto, utilizam-se fontes teórico-metodológicas referentes ao estudo do ludismo, cinema e representação, a fim de estabelecer as noções de distopia apresentados nos jogos em específico em vínculo com as concepções de futuro de maneira pessimista, presentes no imaginário tanto científico quanto artístico.

by Leong Hang-Tat. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-110). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter One --- The Concepts of Utopia and Dystopia in Literature --- p.7 / Chapter Chapter Two --- The Early H. G. Wells: The Time Machine --- p.30 / Chapter Chapter Three --- From Dystopia to Utopia: Wells's Ambivalence in When the Sleeper Wakes --- p.50 / Chapter Chapter Four --- Utopia and the Scientific World State: A Modern Utopia --- p.68 / Conclusion --- p.91 / Notes --- p.97 / Works Cited --- p.105

by Wing Chi Ki. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 177-182). / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.i v / Table of Contents --- p.v / Abbreviations used for Foucault's Works --- p.vi / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction: Power and Resistance in Foucault --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- 1984-The Axis of Power --- p.29 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Brave New World--The Axis of Sexuality --- p.70 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- The Handmaid's Tale-The Axis of Knowledge --- p.117 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Conclusion: Resistant Topos´ؤFrom Dystopia to Heterotopia --- p.167 / Works Cited --- p.177 / Bibliography --- p.182

Five "critical" utopias by Quebec women writers ( L'Euguelionne and Le pique-nique sur l'Acropole by Louky Bersianik; Le silence de la Cite and Chroniques du Pays des Meres by Elisabeth Vonarburg and L'Espace du diamant by Esther Rochon) make up the corpus of this thesis which aims to explore how the three novelists exploit the possibilities of this particular form of contemporary utopian writing. For these authors, the transformation of society depends upon the transformation of the individual. We therefore propose to examine the ways in which Bersianik, Vonarburg and Rochon represent, through the experiences of their characters, the social construction of individual identity. For our corpus, this entails a study both of the representations of gender and of the role of language in the construction of identity. We explore gender from a feminist perspective by examining the initial dystopian situation of the individual living in society; we then analyze the positive (i.e. eutopian) process of change undergone by the individual. / This thesis begins by exploring a definition of literary utopia. We then trace the major periods in the history of literary utopia to provide background for our corpus. In chapter two, we examine the ways in which Bersianik, Vonarburg and Rochon denounce, through their fictional representations of the individual, dystopian configurations of gender. In particular, we study various "structural" metaphors used by the authors to interrogate the social role of women and the status of the female body in patriarchal society. In chapter three, we examine the new configurations of social and sexual identity proposed by the authors. We then study the author's treatment of the role of language in the social construction of individual identity in chapter four. After defining "sociolect" and introducing "sexualect", we apply these concepts to the study of the critique of sexist language and discourses of authority in our corpus. In chapter five, we explore how the authors employ discursive strategies, such as parody and "defamiliarization", to alter language and thus inscribe female subjectivity in language (Bersianik and Vonarburg) and to liberate individuals from the imprisonment of authoritarian discourses (Bersianik, Vonarburg and Rochon). Lastly, we find that after having examined the human condition in dystopian societies, our authors propose social projects that are infinitely dynamic and mutable rather than fixed models of an ideal social state.

The thesis deals with the Utopian and dystopian aspects of Ursula K. Le Guin's The Dispossessed and Always Coming Home. To provide a basis for comparison with the endeavours of previous utopists, the first part is devoted to a historical account of literary Utopias, and to an examination of the signposts of the genre. This history is restricted to practical blueprints for the ideal commonwealth and excludes creations of pure fantasy. In tracing Utopian development from Plato to Wells, the influence of historical events and the mainstreams of thought, such as Renaissance humanism, the Reformation, the rising importance of science, the discovery of new lands, the Enlightenment, Locke's Theory of Perfectability, Bentham's utilitarianism, the Industrial Revolution, socialism, the French Revolution, Darwinism, and the conflict between capital and labour is demonstrated. It is also shown how the long-range results of the Russian Revolution and the two world wars shattered all Utopian visions, leading to the emergence of the dystopia, and how the author reversed this negative trend in the second part of the twentieth century. In a study of forms of Utopian presentation, the claim is made that The Dispossessed features the first Utopia that qualifies as a novel: not only does the author break with the genre's tradition of subordinating the characters to the proposal, she also creates the conflict necessary for novelistic structure by juxtaposing her positive societies with negative ones. In part two, the Utopias and dystopias of both books are examined, and their features compared to previous endeavours in the genre. The observation is made that although the author favours anarchism as a political theory, she is more deeply committed to the Chinese philosophy of Taoism, seeing in its ideals the only way to a harmonious and just existence for all. In order to prove her point, Le Guin renders her Utopias less than perfect, placing one society into an inhospitable environment and showing the other as suffering from genetic damage; this suggests that the ideal life does not rest in societal organization or beneficent surroundings, but in the minds of the inhabitants: this frame of mind—if not inherent in a culture—can be achieved by living in accordance with the tao. Lastly, an effort is made to determine the anthropological models upon which Utopian proposals are constructed. The theory is put forth that all non-governed, egalitarian Utopias represent a return to the societal arrangements of early man, when his communities were still small and decentralized, and before occupational specialization began to set in; that all democratic forms of government are taken from the Greek examples, that More's Utopia might well have been modelled on the Athenian clans of the pre-Cleisthenes era, and that the Kesh society of Always Coming Home is based exclusively on the kinship systems of the Pueblo Indians of the American Southwest. / Arts, Faculty of / English, Department of / Graduate