Teenage Wastelands: A Guide to Dystopian Young Adult Fiction

De: Sherri L Smith, The Great Courses

Narrado por: Sherri L Smith

Fiction geared toward young adults has been thriving over the past several decades. And while young adult (YA) fiction contains many genres and subgenres, dystopian fiction has become one of its definitive storytelling modes, producing not just best-selling books but also expanding into film, television, and more. What is it about dystopia that makes it so beloved by readers? Why has this dark and often cynical take on the future become a literary and publishing juggernaut? And what makes younger readers so particularly enamored of it?

In the six lectures of Teenage Wastelands: A Guide to Dystopian Young Adult Fiction, award-winning YA author Sherri L. Smith will show you why dystopian stories have become so successful and why they continue to inspire. As you trace the history of dystopian stories and dive into some of YA’s most influential tales of the future, you’ll see why these often dark and challenging works have such a hold on the imagination. From The Giver to The Hunger Games to Orleans, dystopian tales allow us to grapple with hard questions and consider how we want to live—both now and in the future.

While adult dystopian stories are often pessimistic, YA fiction offers something a little different: hope. Speculative fiction—of which dystopia is just one of many subgenres—allows readers to explore all sorts of “what if?” questions. For younger readers, there is perhaps no greater “what if” than the future itself and its many possibilities. While new genres and stories are always on the rise, competing with dystopia’s hold on the young adult imagination, you’ll find that the complex mixture of darkness and optimism that defines these tales continues to thrive as we seek answers to life’s great “what ifs.”

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What & Why

All too often I see books that are called "dystopian," and most of those indeed have some of the elements. This set of lectures explains in very clear terms what the term means, especially in young adult literature AND why it is so popular, namely that it strips away the irrelevant and focuses on threats, hopes, and dreams.
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My only complaint is that I wish that a list of titles mentioned was available separately.

Really interesting!

Worth a read—and it’s free. Some great info and audio narration by the author.

Really enjoyed this

This was a great quick analysis of YA dystopian fiction books. I really enjoyed it and now want to read a couple of the books mentioned in here that I haven’t read

A Guide, not a Course

This is a rather superficial, though occasionally interesting, discussion of its topic. I expect a more academic treatment from the Great Courses.

Many ideas what to read next

Very cool analysis. I was constantly writing down book titles of what to read next.

A Great Great Courses

You may not have noticed it, but dystopian literature directed at young people is all the rage these days. You seem to bump into another one every time you turn around. But these are not your father's dystopias and Sherri L. Smith explains why.

Adult dystopias are very dark and usually end in defeat for the protagonists. Think 1984 where our hero learns to love Big Brother. But for youths, dystopian literature often ends with hope, making it a more satisfying reading experience. Smith also convincingly argues that the other elements of dystopia all correspond to a teenager's desire to exercise some basic freedom. So, there are always significant societal controls and at least one rebellious person trying at first to make sense of it all and finally to bring the rules crashing down.

This was a very fun set of lectures which I thoroughly enjoyed.

UMMM hello I am the teen

Hey author I AM the teen I don't have to imagine that I am the teen

A Captivating Look at Some of the Best of What Dystopian Has to Offer

This is an organized and systematic review of books many of us have read or will read growing up, why they are so influential, and what we can learn from them, both as readers and writers. The author draws from personal and professional experience both from a literary critique and a creative writing standpoint. It was a fascinating read from beginning to end and added a substantial number of works to my "to read" list.