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Dystopian Elements in Children of Men i

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Dystopian Elements in Children of Men i
"Dystopias serve as warnings to contemporary man"(Erickson) Dystopias portray possible consequences for flaws in society, portrayed through dark futuristic setting. Dystopias can be a warning to prompt society of a danger that corrupt societal systems could possibly lead to. The movie Children of Men envisions a world that has fallen into chaos. Women have lost the their ability to reproduce and thus society has lost it's pursuit for maintaining the world, as mankind is on the brink of extinction. The main protagonist Theo an ex-activist strives to save mankind by finding asylum for an African refugee, who's pregnancy is ambiguous as no children were born in 18 years due to unknown cause. Citizens fear the outside world which has completely collapsed, under the influence that they are the last nation prospering while destruction lies outside of their doors. Alfonzo Cuaron's Children of Men is a dystopia because the natural world is banished and disturbed resulting in the fear the citizens have of the outside world under strict bureaucratic control.

The natural world is disturbed in Children of Men as the cycle of life has been banished symbolizing characteristics that shape this dystopia. Children, the future of mankind, a commodity that gives society something to live for, has been stripped away to an unknown cause. Women had become infertile for the past 18 years causing mankind to reach the brink of extinction in a post-apocalyptic state. These characteristics in part serve to illustrate the dystopian aspects of the film. For example, Theo an Ex-activist gave no importance to life, as he ignored his surroundings and found little pleasure in the world around him. When he is with his buddy Jasper, and asked how his day went Theo replied it was an average day as he, "Woke up, felt like shit. Went to work, felt like shit,"(Children of Men). This is significant because it gives the impression of a gloomy and dark setting with no love and happiness supporting the

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