1. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley transports readers to a future society that has sacrificed individuality and freedom for technological progress, comfort, and order. The government controls nearly every aspect of life, from reproduction to recreation. People are engineered into strict castes and pacified by a happiness-inducing drug called "soma." Bernard Marx, a misfit psychologist, begins to question the rigid social order around him. Disillusioned, he travels with Lenina, a desirable hatchery worker, to a "Savage Reservation" and meets John, a young man born naturally and raised in isolation with only Shakespeare as a guide. Bernard seizes the chance to bring John back to London, hoping to use the "savage" as a means of social leverage. However, John is horrified by the emptiness and hedonism of this "brave new world," especially as he watches Bernard indulge in attention, and Lenina pursue a shallow romance he can’t understand.
2. The Trial by Franz Kafka
An innocent man has been arrested! This is how the first chapter of the book by the “secretly crowned king of German prose” begins. The Trial starts with a seemingly ridiculous situation. An innocent man is arrested without any explanation. The whole book is saturated with absurdity, and Kafka bitterly criticizes indifferent bureaucratic machines. Endless corridors of institutions, countless offices filled with people with blank stares, and never-ending queues. But do people really want them to end? This timeless classic is especially thought-provoking for those interested in exploring the alienation and frustration inherent in bureaucratic systems, which Kafka famously described as "insurmountable barriers to justice."
3. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Handmaid’s Tale series by Margaret Atwood is set in the totalitarian theocracy of Gilead, where women’s rights are stripped away, and they are forced into rigid societal roles. This novel, which inspired the popular The Handmaid’s Tale series, examines themes of power, control, and gender oppression in a society where women are viewed as state property. The book brings caution to the dangers of a religious dictatorship and gender-based oppression. Nearly four decades after its initial publication, the book remains as impactful and relevant as ever. Not only does it shed light on what systemic oppression against women might look like, but it also serves as a powerful reminder of our collective duty to build a just society where dignity, equality, and respect are available to all.
4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games is a dystopian novel about a post-apocalyptic world where the powerful Capitol maintains control over the oppressed districts by forcing their children to compete in a televised fight to the death. Just like Orwell’s tale, Collins critiques societal inequality and the exploitation of those without any power. Themes of survival and resistance are prominent, and so are the horrors of a broken society that uses fear and spectacle to thrive. Books of The Hunger Games series became an acclaimed film adaptation that visually underscores how oppressive governments use fear and violence to distract and control people.
5. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut is satire, science fiction, and anti-war themes mixed into a novel that raises the matters of fate, free will, and the absolute absurdity of war. While it is not directly allegorical, its view of the human condition in the face of senseless destruction and trauma has parallels with many anti-utopian portrayals of cyclical violence and oppression. Vonnegut’s protagonist, Billy Pilgrim, experiences the fabric of time in a nonlinear way, which allows Vonnegut to critique the glorification of war through fragile humanity. Dark humor is often used throughout the novel, along with direct surrealism, to highlight the horrors of conflict, making it a compelling companion to Orwell’s critique of power.
6. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
William Golding presents Lord of the Flies as an allegory of human nature, telling us a story about a group of young boys on an uninhabited island who, in the absence of societal rules, descend into chaos and savagery. The author’s portrayal of the boys’ transition into violence and disorder mirrors a widespread exploration of power and corruption present in authoritarian regimes of the 20th century. As society crumbles, readers witness the primal and very brutal, however natural, side of human nature. Without any order and ethics, individuals may and will succumb to the dark sides of their character. This classic story of survival and moral deterioration is a must-read for those who are interested in the darker aspects of human nature.
From the allegorical barnyard of Animal Farm to the haunting dystopias of Brave New World, The Hunger Games, and The Handmaid’s Tale, these books explore the consequences of unlimited power, societal control, and human nature in unique and thought-provoking ways. With the dangers of our world and the ever-rising popularity of strongmen rule, the lessons of these classic writings should remind each of us of the price of democracy.
