54 pages 1 hour read

M. T. Anderson

Landscape with Invisible Hand

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2017

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Background

Genre Context: Dystopian Satirical Science Fiction

Landscape with Invisible Hand is a multiple-genre novel, categorized as dystopian, satirical, and science fiction. Dystopian fiction is characterized by its heavy use of oppression, often incorporating an authoritarian government. Satirical fiction aims to criticize aspects of society and uses humor and sarcasm to do so. Science fiction, as the name implies, employs fictitious science and frequently centers on futuristic technology, often extrapolating based on current science and technology. These three genres intertwine in many famous literary works, such as Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (1932), Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 (1953), and George Orwell’s 1984 (1949). Modern society’s resemblance to the societies in dystopian satirical science fiction has caused an increase in these genres.

Landscape with Invisible Hand follows the tradition of science fiction literature by depicting futuristic advanced technology. However, an alien species, the vuvv, provides this technology to humans. In addition, the vuvv establish the text as a work of dystopian fiction because the species acts as a socioeconomically oppressive force that widens the wealth gap and dramatically stratifies society. The dystopian and science fiction elements help develop the text as a satirical work.

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