Dystopianism

Dystopianism is an important theme in the novel “Shift” by Hugh Howey. Dystopianism involves a government, organization, association, or company which exercises tremendous or total power and influence in the lives of everyday people. The actions often deny individuals their human and legal rights in the name of the greater good. Those in power will do whatever it takes to retain power and will do whatever is necessary to secure their own ends. On the surface, those with power have the stated goal of helping the people. In reality, they are more likely to harm people than help them.

Dystopianism arises in “Shift” by virtue of the CAD-FAC complex, in which dozens of silos have been constructed miles into the ground beneath Georgia to act as arks of the human species across five hundred years. This has been done to allow the damage wrought by nuclear...