The best dystopian literature containing the most creative social classes

1984 is truly a fantastic novel in so many ways. Written in 1948, it is a prescient tale about the world we find ourselves eerily coming to be in day after day with the advancement of technology which was imagined by Orwell so long ago. It speaks of a totalitarian regime that doesn’t only control the present, but they control the past, too. They don’t only kill people, they vaporize people, making sure they never existed at all. It has a very simple hierarchical structure of the proles (or the common people), the outer party (the main workers), the inner party (the society’s elite), and the notorious, unforgettable Big Brother (the party leader). 

Red Rising is a great science-fiction fantasy novel, that I would consider to be sci-fantasy. It takes place within our solar system and has a memorable ranking system of colors where reds are at the bottoms and the silvers and golds are at the top. Pinks are sex slaves, blues are doctors, blacks are personal guards for the golds, etc. This book is full of twists and turns that you don’t see coming and the first three books of the series are absolutely incredible. With book 6 coming out July 2023, it is the perfect time to dig into the series by starting with Red Rising. 

This book has been constantly toted as one of the best books to read. Ever. And there is a reason for that. It is that good. Brave New World follows a man named Huxley who lives in a dystopian futuristic society where it follows three main rules: no privacy, no family, no monogamy. The caste system involves Alphas, who reigned supreme, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons, who are noted as the father of science fiction. In this world, no one is born. They are all created, and when they are created into their caste systems, they are fed these rules and beliefs to live by that determine their life. Such a chilling and haunting tale, but one that resonates with society all the same. Give this one a read! 

This book is a great commentary on what happens when you try and put women in a box. In a world so corrupted with syphilis, pollution, and other diseases it is nearly impossible to get pregnant anymore, besides the rare women who are captured and who become Handmaids. Their duty is to bear the children for the Wives of the Commanders who cannot get pregnant. Besides these three classes, though, the book offers many more such as: Marthas, Econowives, Aunts, Guardians, Angels, Jezebels, and Unwomen. Give this book a read and see what all the hype is about with its televised show on Hulu. 

Shades of Grey takes place in the imagined land of Chromatica, which is essentially an alternative version of the UK where one’s social class is determined by one’s ability to perceive color. To be honest, I thought this was so unique compared to other books that I read that I couldn’t get enough. Greys, in this society, cannot perceive color and so they are the lowest rank. 'Ultra Violets', on the other hand, hold the highest rank. The perception of color also affects their health and wellness. Certain colors have medical effects on people. Another really cool thing about this dystopia is that doctors are called “swatchmen,” since they show swatches of color to their patients. Anyway, I recommend this book because of its absolute creativity.