Finding consolation in dystopian fiction during lockdown 

Summer is just around the corner and one of my habitual seasonal pleasures is stacking up on books to entertain me during the holidays. Typically, I mix the classics, European historical fiction, with a sprinkling of romance, nonfiction that encompasses any fascinating topic under the sweltering sun, and funny beach reads. I reminisce about the days I would escape the heat by lounging in independent bookshops and going on a dreamy journey among the curated books. This is typically followed by an afternoon tea somewhere, book in hand, and serene nature or music playing in the background.

However, because of quarantine measures imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic, this summer will be spent at home. That said, my usual repository of joyful reads and escapist fiction is going to be replaced by something entirely different: Dystopian fiction, a genre that typically deals with apocalyptic stories set amid perplexing pandemics, warring worlds or unexpected upheavals. 

I have always treaded lightly around dystopian fiction, preferring its joyous utopian cousins instead. However, the pandemic has taught me a raw lesson in reality — to expect the unexpected and to find a way to adapt to this new reality. Similarly, dystopian fiction deals with very difficult themes, often unexpected and certainly undesired events. Naturally, characters will encounter tumultuous circumstances that will tinge them with complex and contrasting emotions, forcing them to make brave decisions. At least, vicariously, I could immerse myself in these imagined yet plausible stories and ask myself important questions: How will I change after a cataclysmic event such as a global pandemic? How can society emerge stronger, more resilient, and adaptive to this new reality?

To begin with, I retreat to a beloved classic, “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett. While it may not fit the genre per se, it contains elements that are relevant to lockdown life. The opening chapter introduces Mary Lennox, described as a neglected, unpleasant child, who lives in India with her civil servant father and socialite mother. She suddenly finds herself an orphan as a cholera epidemic sweeps the country. She is found alone at home days later and is dispatched to live with an estranged uncle in the English countryside. Mary soon learns many life-altering lessons that will enable her to overcome her crippling challenges. One of the story’s compelling themes deals with the importance of maintaining a positive outlook and its impact on people’s physical and mental health, as this passage from the book explains: “To let a sad thought or a bad one get into your mind is as dangerous as letting a scarlet fever germ get into your body.”

I quickly relate this insight to the explosive mental health pandemic currently affecting the world. By safeguarding our thoughts, we can learn to make the best of any situation, focusing on solutions instead of problems and remaining steadfast and resilient amid the virus outbreak until treatments and vaccines are found. Indeed, the children in the story, who allegedly suffer from both physical and mental troubles, heed this advice and improve immensely. An important factor contributing to their well-being is the exposure to beautiful landscapes. By spending more time amid nature, playing and gardening, the children grow healthier, more imaginative, and happier than ever before. Likewise, contemporary scientists have been extolling to us the benefits of spending time with nature, so it is important to include this in our daily routine.

By safeguarding our thoughts, we can learn to make the best of any situation, focusing on solutions instead of problems.

Sara Al-Mulla

Another seminal book to delve into is “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C. S. Lewis, which was published in 1950. The story is set amid the Second World War, when four siblings have been evacuated from London to escape the German bombs. Separated from their parents and living with an old professor in the English countryside, the book grapples with how the children navigate these challenging times. This is done by building stronger inner worlds, embracing imagination, pursuing curiosity, and believing in their strengths. Perhaps more importantly, the story emphasizes the strength of female heroes and this is obvious in the youngest of the siblings, Lucy. Readers can easily notice her strong imprint on the story: She is the first to discover the magical, dystopian world of Narnia; she persuades her siblings to venture into this snow-white realm and save it from the evil White Witch; and she plays an instrumental role in saving her brother Edmund and others who suffer injuries in an epic battle between good and evil. They emerge victorious and are crowned kings and queens of Narnia.

Jill Lepore, a professor of American history at Harvard University, succinctly describes dystopian fiction as: “A utopia is a paradise, a dystopia is a paradise lost.” We can certainly find life-transforming lessons within the pages of a book that will help us navigate the current global pandemic.

• Sara Al-Mulla is an Emirati civil servant with an interest in human development policy and children’s literature.