technological-dystopia
The chapter introduces the novel as a dystopian anticipation of a future dominated by technology and mechanical professions, reflecting societal anxieties about progress.
1 chapter across 1 book
Paris in the Twentieth Century (1994)Jules Verne
This chapter serves as a prefatory section to Jules Verne's novel 'Paris in the Twentieth Century,' featuring a translator's note by Richard Howard who recounts his personal connection to Verne's work as a refuge from familial turmoil. It also includes a critical epigraph by Paul-Louis Courier lamenting the rise of mundane sciences and mechanical professions, setting a tone of skepticism toward technological progress. The chapter frames the novel as a dystopian vision that resonates with contemporary concerns about the cyclical nature of history and the double-edged influence of knowledge and invention.