https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi Luke Tatum en-us 2020-10-06 16:57:42 UTC 2020-10-06 17:37:11 UTC hello@padlet.com luketatum https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807557538 2020-10-06 17:00:33 UTC https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807557538 luketatum https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807571033 Many dystopian novels take place after some event or series of conflicts that led to the dystopia's creation. In Scythe, this event is not a war, apocalypse, or societal collapse, but actually a societal progression -- the creation of the Thunderhead. What the perfect society created by the Thunderhead precipitates (overpopulation, necessity of the Scythes) then becomes the conflict.]]> 2020-10-06 17:03:29 UTC https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807571033 luketatum https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807593963 Most dystopian novels take place in the future and have plots based on trends that are occurring in present-day society. In many cases, these plots concern extreme environmental damage and/or government control. What makes Scythe unique is that its plot involves what is essentially a utopia: thanks to the Thunderhead, governments are no longer needed and the environment is perfectly optimized. However, within the utopia lies the dystopia. There's a dark reality that is required for the utopia to exist. ]]> 2020-10-06 17:08:13 UTC https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807593963 luketatum https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807626559 Usually, the protagonist of a dystopian novel is a person or group that recognizes and fights against the oppressive circumstances. Scythe  evokes a similar theme through Citra, Rowan, and even H. S. Curie and Faraday, but the twist is that these clear-thinkers are forced to be folded into the very thing they oppose. We then experience it with them and observe how they respond. ]]> 2020-10-06 17:14:49 UTC https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807626559 luketatum https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807654662 YA dystopian fiction especially features lots of commentary on the societal "sins" of adults, often through characters who orchestrate oppressive governments, fail to protect the environment, or are blinded by greed and allow some crisis to fall on society. Of these four themes, I felt Scythe exhibited this one the least. Although some adult Scythes are clearly the antagonists, there were many that were considered to have good morals. In this story, our teen protagonists follow in the exact same footsteps as the adults, a plotline that I found unique.]]> 2020-10-06 17:20:30 UTC https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807654662 luketatum https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807696630 Dystopian fiction has dramatically increased in popularity among young adults in recent years. Why do teens connect with these themes? I have several guesses!]]> 2020-10-06 17:29:27 UTC https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807696630 luketatum https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807705398 When the protagonists are teens, it allows for a relatable perspective where adolescents are the good guys ("for once!")]]> 2020-10-06 17:31:27 UTC https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807705398 luketatum https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807710003 Adolescents today are concerned with things like climate change and technological advancement because they know they'll live to experience the effects they produce. ]]> 2020-10-06 17:32:26 UTC https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807710003 luketatum https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807722217 This one is pretty straightforward: people want to be entertained, adolescents included, and dystopian novels are amongst the most entertaining out there. They can be extremely gripping and intense, and with all the other outlets of entertainment available today, I'm not surprised that teens would prefer this type of story.]]> 2020-10-06 17:35:09 UTC https://padlet.com/luketatum/flycsxn5x3a23smi/wish/807722217