Honors College Senior Thesis Presentations
Queer Reflections in Dystopian Literature
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
English Literature
Minor
Spanish
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Osborne
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
For my senior thesis, I will be analyzing how many works of dystopian fiction co-opt queer stories and tell them under a heterosexual lens. I will be using the term "queer" in the context of queer identity which can include gender identity, sexual orientation, or romantic orientation. Thusly, in this context, a queer story would refer to an experience that is shared by many people with a queer identity because of that identity. The works I am choosing to focus on for this analysis are 1984 by George Orwell, Delirium by Lauren Oliver, and Matched by Ally Condie. I would also like to compare how these novels use queer stories to the film V for Vendetta because the film's plot hinges on viewing queer expression as a cornerstone of human freedom and explicitly shows queer people in the message. In comparison, the novels depict queer struggles, such as love being illegal and being forced into loveless marriages, by placing them in the context of a heterosexual protagonist with little to no acknowledgment of queer people or their experiences.
Spring Scholars Week 2022 Event
Honors College Senior Thesis Presentations
Queer Reflections in Dystopian Literature
For my senior thesis, I will be analyzing how many works of dystopian fiction co-opt queer stories and tell them under a heterosexual lens. I will be using the term "queer" in the context of queer identity which can include gender identity, sexual orientation, or romantic orientation. Thusly, in this context, a queer story would refer to an experience that is shared by many people with a queer identity because of that identity. The works I am choosing to focus on for this analysis are 1984 by George Orwell, Delirium by Lauren Oliver, and Matched by Ally Condie. I would also like to compare how these novels use queer stories to the film V for Vendetta because the film's plot hinges on viewing queer expression as a cornerstone of human freedom and explicitly shows queer people in the message. In comparison, the novels depict queer struggles, such as love being illegal and being forced into loveless marriages, by placing them in the context of a heterosexual protagonist with little to no acknowledgment of queer people or their experiences.