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Post-apocalyptic and dystopian books have certain things in common. They both take place in worlds that have experienced major upheaval. They both portray characters struggling against various threats or dangers. But they’re not the same thing.
The main difference between these two genres has to do with the state of the world in which the characters exist, and how it has changed.
Post-apocalyptic stories take place in a world that has been fundamentally altered by a major disaster, like an asteroid strike, nuclear war, or zombie outbreak. Dystopian stories occur in a recognizable world pushed to extremes by authoritative regimes, police states, surveillance, etc.
Definition of ‘Post-Apocalyptic’ and ‘Dystopian’
Let’s start with some basic definitions. By defining these speculative fiction genres (or sub-genres, if you prefer), we can better understand their differences and similarities.
Post-apocalyptic fiction takes place after some kind of catastrophic event or disaster, like a nuclear war or zombie outbreak. Civilization “as we know it” collapses, leaving the characters to struggle in the aftermath. The characters face all sorts of obstacles, ranging from starvation to thieving bandits.
Dystopian fiction takes place in a world that has been changed by human actions. The characters in these stories often fight against oppressive and totalitarian governments. They have to deal with things like censorship, surveillance, and a lack of personal freedom. These books focus on the struggle for freedom and individuality, in a society that suppresses those things.
Not all post-apocalyptic stories are dystopian (or vice-versa). For example:
- Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Road is clearly post-apocalyptic, but it’s not dystopian. In this story, the world gets reduced to an ashy wasteland by some kind of catastrophic event. But there’s no social division or authoritative government. It’s just an all-out survival story.
- On the flip side, George Orwell’s classic 1984 is a famous dystopian novel, but it’s not post-apocalyptic. There was no nuclear war, natural disaster, or viral outbreak in this story — just an oppressive police state.
And then we have those books that combine the two subgenres. The Hunger Games is a good example. That novel takes place in a post-apocalyptic dystopia, in the wake of an all-out nuclear war. It also features a brutal centralized government that suppresses individualism. So it checks both boxes.
Bottom line: These two genre labels have different meanings. Sometimes they overlap, sometimes they don’t. But they’re not interchangeable.
Key Differences Between These Genres
Now that we’ve defined these two popular genres of fiction, let’s examine some of their key differences.
How did the world change? What is the main threat in the story? How do the characters spend their day-to-day lives? These questions can help determine whether you’re reading post-apocalyptic or dystopian fiction. So let’s take them one at a time…
Difference #1: How the World Changed
As mentioned above, the main difference between post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction has to do with how the world changed from the version we know.
In post-apocalyptic novels (like The Road, Station Eleven, and The Passage) civilization has been destroyed by some kind of natural disaster or catastrophic event. As a result, the characters must struggle to survive in the aftermath.
In dystopian novels (like Jennifer Government, 1984, and Brave New World), society and civilization have been changed by human actions, often in the form of government takeover. In these stories, the government controls every aspect of people’s lives.
Difference #2: The Dramatic Focus of the Story
Another key difference has to do with the main focus of the story, from a dramatic perspective.
Post-apocalyptic stories usually focus on survival, showing how the characters adapt to the new world and struggle to rebuild. Dystopian stories focus on characters struggling against an oppressive government or regime, in order to regain their freedom.
Difference #3: Who or What Is the Main Threat?
Another distinction between dystopian versus post-apocalyptic fiction has to do with the main threat or danger in the story.
What threats do the characters face? What dangers fill their worlds? Answering these questions can help you tell the difference between dystopian or apocalyptic fiction.
In post-apocalyptic stories and novels, the characters are often threatened by starvation, harsh conditions, bandits or other lawless groups, and a general lack of resources. The characters might live in a burnt-out wasteland, or a world crawling with mutants, zombies, aliens, etc. So that would be the main threat.
In dystopian fiction, the main threat and danger usually comes in the form of a power-hungry central authority, government, or regime. The characters in these stories often live under constant surveillance and monitoring, and face harsh punishments (or even death) for breaking the rules. That’s the main threat in dystopian novels.
How These Labels Help Readers and Writers
When it comes to speculative fiction, labels matter. I’m not saying every book needs to fit neatly into a specific category. Many “genre-bending” novels defy classification — and they’re better for it.
But as readers, we can benefit from having specific terms or labels to describe the types of books we like. This allows us to find more books that fall within that genre or sub-genre.
Without these descriptive terms and labels, it would be incredibly difficult to find another book that matches your personal interests.
For example, let’s say I like to read post-apocalyptic fiction but don’t care much for dystopian novels. I’m looking for something new to read. So, I do a Google search for “best post-apocalyptic novels published within the last few years.”
The first list I encounter is poorly organized. It includes a bunch of dystopian novels that don’t have any kind of post-apocalyptic component. It just lumps them all together. It’s like the creators of these lists don’t even understand the differences between post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction. Not very helpful!
The bottom line: Genre terms and labels help readers find more of the books they love. They also help authors promote their books to the right audience. We shouldn’t be slavishly devoted to these labels. But we do need to understand what they mean, when they overlap, and how they are different.