It’s no surprise that the past election has caused nationwide controversy. Whether you are elated or distressed by the result, it’s undeniable that numerous Americans worry for the future of America.

As of last month, sales of 1984 surged by up to 10,000 percent. Books such as The Origins of Totalitarianism, It Can’t Happen Here, and Hope in the Dark gained popularity. Ultimately, individuals are purchasing dystopian novels in order to become more aware of the consequences of totalitarian societies or simply out of fear of a potential Trump regime. In the worst case scenario, several of the numerous dystopian worlds in the American entertainment industry have some potential of becoming our twisted reality while others are too fictional.

1984 has left countless Americans (McNeil Pre-AP English II students included) fearful of an all-powerful Big Brother controlling society through fallacious propaganda (aka alternate facts), unreasonable and required love for the dictator, the restriction of thought, and the general dehumanization of the society. George Orwell reveals the power of language and how a dictator can manipulate language in order to keep his people under oblivious submission. Likewise, hyperbolic expressions stated as bare facts can fool Americans who fail to pursue the truth at all times. In the novel, the enemies of the Big Brother’s society are portrayed as evil and ruthless in “two minutes hate,” a daily time in which citizens express their hatred for these enemies; however, the people willingly accept such false portrayals without question. So far, 1984 stands as a possible, albeit extreme, consequence for America as many Americans question the motives and the morality of the president’s actions and words.

V for Vendetta portrays the violence and tragedy caused by a totalitarian society. In the movie, the High Chancellor controls the media and forces announcers to release lies as truth, benefitting his rule. President Trump has likewise hinted a desire to impact the American media, tweeting that it “is the enemy of the American people” (whether his desire is justifiable or unjustifiable is up to your judgment). Chancelor Sutler’s people are ruled by fear generated by the ruler and his supporters. On the other hand, there are individuals who voted for Trump out of fear of losing a job, fear of terrorism, and a general, innate fear of those who are different. However, Vendetta proves that it is only when individuals overcome such fear that society is allowed to truly change for the better. It’s unclear whether the American society is on the pursuit of becoming great, but regardless, the movie sends a clear message of the importance of doing what is right for the nation.

Animal Farm warns of the dangers of a selfish, conniving despot who exploits his subjects for his own good, an allegory for the Communist Revolution in Russia. Like 1984, the pigs (representing the government) lace their words with deceit and false data (aka alternate facts) to elevate the animals’ patriotic and diligent spirits and to convince them that they are working for the good of the farm. The pigs promise the animals a better future with more food, yet the animals are essentially working on an insufficient amount of food while the pigs and their selected few lavish in the luxuries of human life. The novel underscores the obscure yet terrible transformation of a democratic society to a totalitarian rule. However, it’s too early to definitively determine whether America is truly on the unfortunate path to such a dark future.

Last (but not least), several Americans have drawn similarities between the president and the notorious Lord Voldemort. I have difficulty seeing the likeness between the two individuals. Even though Lord Voldemort targets muggles and Trump has discriminated against Mexicans and Muslims, the circumstances of the wizarding world and the American society have uncompromisable differences. Voldemort sought power and a way to evade death through any means (including murder of other wizards, his children, and even his own death eaters). Trump has not displayed evil and a disregard of human life to such extreme extent.

All in all, it’s not a bad idea to explore the mentioned dystopian plots. As it is still within the first 100 days of Trump’s presidency, we should not definitively state that America is truly doomed as depicted in totalitarian books. Instead, Americans should be aware of their government and their society while hoping that the future of America entails justice, acceptance, respect and other positive traits under President Trump.