The Ever-Present Dystopia, the Non-Present Utopia, and the Third Space: The Role of Contrasting Coteries in 20th-Century Dystopian Literature and Parable of the Sower

Most works of 20th-century literature feature three conflicting coteries with which the protagonist is connected. The Dystopic Coterie operates within and preserve the status quo of the dystopian society. The Third Space offers the protagonist a hope for escape from the oppressive social and political structures, but will be undercut by the uncertainty of the coterie’s existence or its dystopic hidden qualities. Finally, the Utopic Coterie is a non-existent state that both coteries aim to embody, yet never can achieve. In this presentation, Billie Rose Newby looks at the function and features of these three coteries as they traditionally appear in most dystopian texts. Newby will then look at how these conventions are specifically utilized and broken within Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower and will end by looking at how this structure allows dystopian texts to build a commentary on our relationship to society and culture within the real world.