Contemporary British Dystopia: Typological Features of the Genre in Ben Elton’s “Blind Faith”

This article undertakes a comprehensive examination of the generic and typological characteristics of Ben Elton’s “Blind Faith” (2007), situating the novel within the broader framework of contemporary British dystopian literature. The study is motivated by the notable scarcity of scholarly attention devoted to this particular work within the field of literary criticism. Employing a combination of genre-typological analysis and close textual reading, the research identifies and interrogates the defining traits of the dystopian genre as manifested in Elton’s narrative. Key analytical criteria include the representation of power structures, the portrayal of authoritarian governance, as well as distinctive compositional and stylistic devices. The originality of this investigation lies in its provision of the first in-depth critical assessment of “Blind Faith”, thereby clarifying its generic identity and establishing its place within the British dystopian tradition. The findings reveal a significant transformation of conventional dystopian motifs within the text. Specifically, the novel exhibits characteristics of both demographic dystopia — evidenced by themes of overpopulation, a pronounced religious subtext involving the profanation of biblical motifs and divine retribution, and the materialization of childhood — and classical dystopia, as reflected in concerns over technological progress and spiritual decline, a distinctive literary code, an elaborate system of imagery, and a reinterpretation of Orwellian Newspeak. On this basis, it is proposed that Elton’s novel be understood as a hybrid or composite variant of the dystopian genre model.

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