FREMONTOPIA
Vol. 3 MAY 31, 2019
Fremont High School EMER MARTIN TEACHER
DYSTOPIAN STORIES
When Thomas More wrote his satirical fiction novel, Utopia, in the 16th Century about the creation of a perfect society, he unwittingly spawned a new genre. Dystopias are not entirely futuristic; they actually reflect the concerns of the times in which they are created. From Orwell’s 1984 to Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the common thread in all dystopias is that human ideas should never be propagated at the expense of living beings, and mass surveillance and uniformity inevitably lead to totalitarianism.
This book was designed by the talented Fremont High School seniors as the culmination of their dystopian literature unit. Their task was to imagine their own dystopian world and create a storyboard that would represent the key plot points of a fictional narrative.
This material is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Please contact the publisher for permission to copy, distribute or reprint for commercial use.
Pictures courtesy of Ashlyntear, MyCuteGraphics
Trump
Ocean pollution The year is 2025 and the world is a mess. Human suming way more excess than needed. Big corpor control the government. Donald Trump is runnin 3rd term and changed the countries name to Trum and his family is running all the branches of gov.e Everyone who resists are being put in privately ow camps. Trump and his friends are making lots of p c
ptopia
ns are conrations ng for a mptopia ernment wned profit.
Jazmin C., Maria D., Hannia F., Victoria L.
Conflict: The sea animals and ocean life are dying. People aren’t taking care of the ocean because they don’t live there and they don’t think about the mammals that live in the ocean.
Complications:The Animals all dying, there is very little left in the ocean for them. Contaminated water is full of plastic debris from human over consumption. Contaminated food is killing off both fish and humans eating the poisoned fish. Sick humans,are dying because of the contamination, they have liver and lung problems because of the oil. This is all because of humans littering, the trash ends up in the ocean, from the sewers. Companies tossing toxic chemicals, oil, nuclear waste, in the ocean are responsible.
Turning point:Communities form a group of people to
pick up litter. But it’s not enough. They need a leader with a clear vision to fight all the special interests.
Things get worse:The communities can’t work
fast enough. Animals living in the ocean won’t get a healthy environment. The people eating sea creatures will be affected. The fish and all sea creatures will die and there will be less seafood.
Climax:The people get with Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and her Green New Deal. They overthrow the oil companies and bring in safe energy and clean up the sea.
Ah-Hah moment: Alexandria Ocasio Cortez is now president of the U.S. and the world sighs with relief as the U.S. takes the lead on climate change. All around the world people celebrate as Climate Change is reversed and the planet is saved.
Conclusion: The turtles are happy. They swim carefree in clean water, their eyes are not irritated. There are no more Boba straws stuck up their noses. And they can crawl onto clean beaches to lay their eggs playfully. No more plastic pollution. Humans have banned plastic and the oceans are clean.
OTIO BACKGROUND
CONFLICT Edna and Olga live with their parents peacefully in Otiosum. They abide by the regulations, only “stressing” about the few hours of school they have a day. This is the only “work” Otiosum citizens ever do in their lifetimes. Throughout their lives, the sisters had minimal contact with their great great grandmother the so-called Wisdom. One day, when Olga and Edna were walking home from school, Olga asked Edna about Wisdom. Edna said, “You cannot speak of that and you know…” “Edna you always do this! You never let me say anything!” “Well you never know who is watching us-” “Can you not freak out for just one second? Let’s go meet her!” “When? Today? Ugh...There’s no stopping you; I won’t come inside.” Edna and Olga walk to the other end of town to meet Wisdom their grandmother. Edna, being her shy self, does not enter her grandmother’s house like Olga. Olga walks through the doors like she knows the place. Edna peers through the window after a conversation that was supposed to take a maximum of 10 minutes turns to an hour. Edna worries because their parents will be infuriated, so she builds up the courage to walk through the doors. Olga finally leaves, and the two carefully walk home via a path where all the people enjoying time as they should cannot see them. Olga explains to Edna the truth of the society they live in based on their grandmother’s words. Edna does not understand. She wants to continue to believe that the Crown only does good and creates to benefit those in society, so they can enjoy their lives. Olga, who had been thinking about the structure of Otiosum and had been avoiding indoctrination sessions, is touched by the conversation with her grandmother. The two sisters get home safety and are relieved to see their parents are not home.
OSUM COMPLICATIONS Olga delves into understand Otiosum and where it fits in the spectrum of the past, present, and the future. She spends hours with her grandmother each week and leaves Edna. Edna covers for Olga even though she disagrees with what Olga believes in. Olga learns that the true reason that no one has passion and pursues education beyond the required years is because of the Crown. The very Crown that everyone is told to respect causes issues for the rest of society. The technological releases and lack of need for people to work yields the time people spend enjoying life. However, giving everyone basic income and everything they need instills laziness within the people. Wisdom tells Olga about how before Otiosum, people used to stay in school for at least 13 years before attending something she had never heard of before, college. It was here all she dreamed of came true. Passion was turned into purpose. Individuals geared themselves up to be effective contributors of society. Advancements and loss of humanity resulted in the world Olga lives in.
TURNING POINT Olga begins to share this story with small groups at a time. She strives to be careful because she knows the Crown will catch her if she draws too much attention. Olga starts by calling her close friends to secret meetings and explaining everything Wisdom told her. Wisdom is Olga’s only supporter in this task. Edna cannot stand the fact that her sister is engaging in such behavior and refuses to hear details about the past and future. Olga soon gathers enough people to create her own group of believers in passion, work, and humanity. This resistance group meets weekly in Olga’s grandmother’s basement. They comprehend that they can each pursue higher education, not just those in the Crown. They devise a plan to bring back jobs for all and limited enjoyment time to ensure everyone has a purpose in life. Olga takes the role of the the leader of this group. Her poise and assertive attitude push her team to new heights. Olga and her resistance team plan a protest at the Crown to bring awareness to their ideas and spur change.
OTIOSUM- continued THINGS GET WORSE The Crown soon realizes through their surveillance system that Olga is leading a revolution. They are still unaware about who else is in the resistance group other than Wisdom.” However, for their image, they are aware that it would be awful to hurt or even kill Wisdom as the entire society worships her. Olga is killed on her way through the forest to her grandmother’s house. Two days pass before her family finds out she has been killed. During those two days, Olga’s parents and Edna send search parties and ask the crown for help. Edna realizes that she needs to talk to her grandmother because she is devastated from the loss twin sister, and she wants to know more.
CLIMAX Edna slowly and carefully creeps into her grandmother’s house. The two casually catch up before Wisdom asks why Edna is really here, even though she knows already. Edna explains how she never really understood why her sister would always come here, but now that she is gone, she wants to involve herself more. Edna understands everything her grandmother told Olga and sees why Olga started a movement. Edna also explains her sorrow from her sister’s death to Wisdom. Wisdom explains that such emotions are human, and the people of Otiosum have lost this key trait. Edna joins the next revolution meeting, and Wisdom appoints her as the new leader. Power and attention are things Edna never experienced before because she was always in Olga’s shadow. She decides to lead and fight for her sister and the betterment of humanity. The protest revolution takes place on a warm summer afternoon. Edna leads the team through their plans of educating the public, capturing media attention, and defeating the Crown. Edna’s team through Wisdom’s endorsement gains some protection from the Crown. The team gathers a large crowd and influences them to take their side.
d KEY MOMENT The Crown puts up a strong front with weapons and guards; however, the people eventually defeat them through their desire to have more purpose in their lives.Inidividuals have earned their right to have purpose and fulfillment in their lives. Edna feels so happy because she haas won for her sister, herself, and the society she cares so much about. The Crown is now selected by the people and is for the people.
CONCLUSION Fulfillment and emotions are key to humanity. These have been restored in Otiosum. All people of the society liive in peace yet conflict. However, this conflict is natural and expected. Delayed gratification is understood. Boundaries are broken. Innovation is far more inclusive because now work is for everyone not just the Crown.
Special Feature 6
NE PROS Sept. 23, 2016
THEME Our boy Yanny lives in the city of New Prosper. He lives in the slums, where he doesn’t know what day will be his last.
C
S e c T i t C o I n L o t F n N uO ega
b m y m n o n c a s Y i , h d l n o i o t s e ft l r e a p l e o y n e e p 2 r 2 e d l t h i t y A h n y l a C . ib d d r n e r t a o a , h e p how re being tr ing for hel own e g d g w d e e y b t t i n ft g n u e n l i h y h g l t r n e i e h d m l t o e y s , n d a i die d d e . e i t r h n t e e o m m h i n t w r s e e a v n o w o t G I . e d h t e l t l i s k n i d a g a an k c a b t h g to fi
EW SPER
By: Adam Sproat, Sean McGuire, and Nathan ParkSpecial Feature7
Complications
The government is hunting down and killing many of the poor people, and starting what is being called the Final Slaughter. If all goes to plan, it will be just as the name suggests, and there will no more degenerates in the eyes of the government.
Yanny
Resistance
Sept. 23, 2016
Yanny joins a hidden resistance group who kill unsuspecting wealthy people, then take on their identity. Once they are viewed as a person in power, they begin to work their way to the top, dismantling the corrupt system and helping their fellow poor comrades.
Things Get Worse A group of the Resistance are found outed as impersonators and are publicly executed.
Ah-Ha Moment
The Resistance team, previously thought to be dead, were actually alive. They had publicly executed the peo ple they impersonated to throw the police off their trail The operators of the bomber ship were a part of the Re sistance and headed back to New Prosper to negotiate.
Turning Point Special Feature 7
Yanny gathers like-minded people who wish to live a life they could enjoy. The Resistance creates lists of officials to take down and impersonate.
Climax Popular officials in New Prosper all vote to exterminate the slum-dwellers down below. A singular ship hovers over the slums, ready to drop a nuke. Yanny and his comrades prepare for the worst.
Conclusion
After threatening New Prosper with a nuke, all of the o-powerful officials agree to step down and allow people l. in the slums to live in New Prosper. Those who come- mitted war crimes are jailed. Funding is given to the . slums, which transforms it into a prospering city.
The Starting Point
Welco Safet
Safetopia is a place where there is no crime, no drugs. You are guaranteed a secure environment free of any stress. To ensure this you are monitored at all times. There are cameras everywhere for your safety, even in your own home. In the bathrooms there are microphones not cameras for your privacy. This society functions like a panopticon, you are being watched all the time and so is everyone else. Good behavior is ensured. In fact good behavior is a promise. Welcome to Safetopia! Everyone is subjected to a rigorous background check. For your convenience we remove any inhabitants who exhibit instability or any sign of mental illness. To keep the peace every citizen will take their medication daily in the prescribed dose. If there is even one offense, expulsion to the world outside will be in order. The outside world has currently very few resources. All the water has been diverted to Safetopia, as are the energy sources. Therefore, the outside world has only contaminated water and no power supply. It is essentially a desert-drought ridden world with sunken cities due to sea level rising. It is subjected to all sorts of natural disasters, for which there is no aid, as the government has pledged itself to Safetopia alone. The Marxist lens can be applied as control of resources is firmly in the hands of the 1% lucky enough to live in Safetopia.
Neve afra
Written by Gina Illustrated by Beverly
ome to topia
The Conflict Isabella wakes up to the alarm of fake bird sounds. She stands in front of the camera to take her medication. This time though, she hides it under her tongue. In the bathroom, quietly because the microphone is on, she spits it surrupticiously into the toilet. This is the third month without medication and she is feeling jittery, nervous but excited. In fact, she is amazed that such a range of emotions was possible. Isabella was born in Safetopia and though she is terrified of the outside world, she is tired of feeling so numb and observed. She wonders does anyone else feel like that, but it is impossible to find out in this panopticon world.
er be aid again.
complications At work in the control center, Isabella notices a young man named Santiago. He is trying to wipe away his tears. She looks sharply at him and asks if he is ok. He tells her it is only allergies. She nods, and says, I’m here if you need anything. Suddenly, her own eyes fill with tears and he stares at her. Allergies? He says. She nods. Her hand shakes. He looks at her pointedly. Something unique passes between them. Isabella is amazed at all these new feelings.
THINGS GET WORSE
The authorities found the microphon bathroom tampered with. As soon as one of their bathroom meetings, they ed. They are taken to the center, the the great eye. The pupil is like a blac will destroy them both if they don't es
TURNING POINT CLIMAX Santiago sees Isabella and she tells him she has heard that there is a secret portal to the outside world through the Iris part of the great eye. He tells her go to his family and tell them he loves them and then he says I LOVE YOU. They rush the guards and jump to the Iris, but he gets caught and pulled back by the guards. He fights them off for Isabella to escape. Isabella says “No I’m not leaving you.” He is then shot and killed by the guards. Sadly Isabella heard the gunshots as soon as she jumped off the roof. But he pushes her and little did the guards know that there is a secret getaway car with his sister in it.
Santiago and Isabella bathroom at work. Sh low her. Inside the ba on a note, ¨Have you skipped the nods. ¨Why?¨ He writes, ¨I want to f stead of numbness.¨ ¨Why?¨ ¨I was born outside of were not allowed in. I them. But I´m afraid.¨ Santiago writes that t people they kill them Isabella suddenly real been subjected to pro and that Safetopia is e medication is wearing brainwashing.
ne in the s they leave y are arrestvery pupil of ck hole that scape.
AH-HA MOMENT The getaway car then takes her to a fairy boat to escape. She then goes to Santiago´s parents and tells them that he is dead. She does not regret anything she did. She did it for him.
a meet outside the he signals him to folathroom she writes
e medication?” He
feel something. In-
f here and my family I want to go back to ¨ they don’t really expel m. lizes that she has opaganda all her life evil. Now that the g off so too is the
CONCLUSION Months after Isabella escaped, she is living with Santiago’s family. All of a sudden Santiago walks in. She runs to him in tears asking him how he escaped. He said that he had a bullet proof vest and that to make it look like blood he used a pouch of red dye and they thought he was dead. So they sent the dead body to the outside world, so Safetopia´s citizens wouldn’t find out about what happened. He then escaped. Nobody knew about it but him. He faked his own death, rented a getaway car, changed clothes, and he has not been found since that day. Isabella and Santiago changed their names and moved across the country. The outide world is full of risk and adventure but still worth it to live away from the all seeing all controlling evil eye of Safetopia.
POPT BY: Michelle, Kathleen,
Poptopia was created in 3030 when a major over population crisis occu borns that impacted the way of life and finding space for everyone’s fam time around, the government decided it was best to incorporate a law conceive two children. However, along with these restrictions came ne The eldest would study and the youngest would work. Over the years t would stray away from letting them have their own privacy. As time p nity is involved with spying on each other. This is a panopticon world
Ester is 17 years old and the oldest daughter. Her role in society will be to study any profession she desires. She lives a privileged life with knowledge and freedom.
This chip in inserted behind ernment. This has been kept
TOPIA and Gisselle
ured. Similar to the baby boom in the 1950’s, there were many newmily was a difficult task to accomplish. To prevent over population this where there’s a limitation to family sizes. Parents were only allowed to ew society standards where the children have a specific role in society. the government became more involved with monitoring citizens and passed, this way of life became ordinary to the extent where the commuwith no privacy.
d the neck at birth by the govt a secret for many years.
Hope is 16 years old and the youngest daughter. Unlike her sister Ester, Hope is miserable as she is forced to work most of the day. Hope isolates herself from society when she is off and envies her sister for being born first.
Claim
Hope, the second born daughter, is miserable. Her parents were both only children and got the opportunity to get an education, like Ester. Hope begins to contemplate her life.
Climax
While on a cleaning job in the government’s headquarters, Hope enters a room. The monitors are off, but she discovers the government implants chips into the citizens of Poptopia at birth. This discovery shocks her because she realizes the government is able to watch their every more through their eyes.
Turning Point With this information, Hope chooses to threaten the government with exposure of the chip if she is not pardoned for being a second child.
Ending Hope finally gets pardoned and is able to enjoy life with her family. The irony in her name shows her motivation to find happiness in life.
People had no privacy they were watched constantly. The government also controlled the internet and health care .They were taxed heavily and not to the people’s benefit. The people in society became angry at the government because of the unfair laws and they started to rebel against them. This made the government take action and release a deadly mosquito from Africa into the U.S.
This caused panic, but the government had made a antidote to prevent the plague to spread and kill everyone. Although this antidote did work, it also made everyone feel indifferent about mental and physical emotion. It came with a tracking chip, when the antidote was injected. The goal was to make the people think everything was perfect, when in reality, it was all the same as before.
An ordinary civilian had an allergic reaction when taking the antidote, and decided to not take the antidote the next time. For her not to get the disease, she had to stay in her house for a month, and she realized the truth about the antidote. One day she was watching the news, and saw people surrounded by cameras at every angle. The antidote had made them passive and they no longer questioned anything.
Before warning the res gear up to be safe with stormed out of her hou about the government’ believe her, as they tho pletely normal.
The government’s su person who is disobe others. They send ou arrest her. It was diffi tracking chip that wa found her and imme her to a cell undergro
st of the people, she had to hout her getting sick. She use, and let everyone know ’s trick’s. People wouldn’t ought everything was com-
urveillance finds out about this eying the law and trying to warn ut the FBI to search for her, and fficult finding her because of the as already fading. They finally ediately arrested her. They took ound at the FBI headquarters.
Michelle Trinh Scarlette Soto Yesenia Vasquez
She wasted no time and started to plan her escape, and a way to save the rest of the population. When she had her breaks, she was able to go out, and observe every inch of the building. She would also sneak in random objects. Finally when they moved her to a new room, she pretended to faint so they took her to the nurse. The nurse was close to were the antidote was.
Once she gets to the nurse she is left alone in a room to wait for someone to come in, as she is waiting she finds a little hole in the wall close to the ground. She starts to dig at it when all of a sudden there’s a tunnel leading to a lab. In the lab there are scientists working on experiments with the plague and the antidote. She quickly sneaks into a random room to start recording what they are doing.
In the end she broadcasts the video on all social media platforms and all the citizens become aware of what the government is doing and each and every one of them are furious. The government finds out what she has done and hunts her down. But by the time they catch her it is too late and the citizens come together to overthrow the government.