Monday, February 21, 2011

In Honor of Dystopian Novels: What Would Be in My Bunker

There have been some excellent dystopian novels published recently, with new ones and several sequels set to come out in 2011. In most dystopias or authoritarian societies, there are rules against owning certain items because of their potentially subversive qualities, such as books or cell phones. Here’s what I would have stashed in my bunker to preserve for future generations and prepare for the revolution:

Item One: Copy of Little Women
Little Women is partly about building a different world that is more just for all of society, not just women. It also has a lot of different ideas and philosophies and a really cute male protagonist in Laurie, so it’s the perfect companion for rebuilding society. Also, check out Lauren Oliver’s page for Delirium, her new YA dystopian novel, where Little Women is one of the banned books in her narrator’s world.

Item Two and Two-A: Coffee and bacon
The goal of a dystopian novel is to bring down the government and build a new society. But everyone knows that you can’t rebuild society without lots of coffee. No one would ever be able to get going in the morning. Bacon, on the other hand, isn’t essential. It’s just delicious.

Item Three: Sunscreen
Rebuilding society will involve a lot of work outdoors. You definitely need sunscreen for that.

What would be in your bunker? Choose carefully. You might need something special to bring down an entire regime (usually by the end of the third book if it’s a series).

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