Paired Texts > Someone Might Be Watching — An Introduction to Dystopian Fiction

In this article from National Public Radio, a new genetic treatment that removes unwanted DNA from an embryo raises controversy.

We is a work of dystopian fiction set in a future police state by Russian writer Yevgeny Ivanovich Zamyatin (1884-1937). In 1921, We became the first work banned by the Soviet Union’s censorship board; Zamyatin managed to have his work smuggled to the West and later lived out the rest of his life in exile. This novel is thought to have inspired Brave New World and 1984.

In “President Bush on the PATRIOT Act,” President George W. Bush introduces an act in 2001 that he believes will help prevent future terrorist attacks on the United States.

A young person, living in a gleaming technological future, travels with their family to see their first tree.

In the informational text “How the Internet Came to Be,” Shelby Ostergaard explains how the Internet has developed into what we use today.

In Robert Groves’ blog entry “The Alaska Start III,” Groves describes conducting the 2010 United States Census in a village in Alaska.

In this classic Ray Bradbury short story, the children on planet Venus wait to see the sun for the first time in seven years.

In Ray Bradbury’s short story “The Veldt,” Mr. and Mrs. Hadley become concerned when they realize how dependent their children are on the technology in their futuristic home.

The informational text “The History of the Cylinder Phonograph” discusses Thomas Edison’s development of a device that recorded and reproduced sound.

In the information text “How the News Media Works,” Jessica McBirney discusses how we receive information about events around the world and the controversy surrounding it.

In the informational text “The Power of Advertising,” Shelby Ostergaard discusses how advertisements are developed and the effect they have on us.

In the informational text “A Slick Little Robot,” Harry T. Roman discusses how he helped design a mobile robot named OTIS.

In The New York Times article “U.S. Preparing Charges Against Leaker of Data,” Edward Snowden’s leak of classified information in 2013 and the actions that the United States took in response are discussed.

In his 2005 New York Times article “F.B.I. Watched Activist Groups, New Files Show,” Eric Lichtblau discusses the F.B.I.’s surveillance of certain activist groups.

In Kurt Vonnegut's short story “Harrison Bergeron,” a society has achieved a form of equality through modifications that subdue citizens’ skills and special abilities.

In the informational text, “How Video Games Are Getting Inside Your Head – And Wallet,” Steve Henn discusses how game companies’ research influences gamers. 

In the informational text “Why Teens Find the End of the World So Appealing,” Elissa Nadworny explores why teenagers enjoy reading dystopian fiction.

In the informational text “The Hero’s Journey,” Jessica McBirney discusses a common structure among many stories across genres.

In Henry Slesar’s short story “Examination Day,” a boy takes an intelligence exam administered by the government.

In the informational text from NASA, “What is a Robonaut?”, the author discusses the use of robots inspace.

In the informational text “Why is it fun to be frightened?” Margee Kerr discusses why people enjoy being scared and what she learned from studying a group of people who went through a haunted house. 

In the informational text “Can DNA Editing Save Endangered Species?” Kathiann Kowalski discusses how editing the DNA of invasive species could save endangered native species.

In the informational text “Explainer: How CRISPR Works,” Tina Hesman Saey describes how scientists can edit DNA.