Gone by Michael Grant: How can a world of despair contain so much hope? Is it possible to be redeemed in an era of anarchy? Why is a society so full of hatred, so accepting of others' differences? With its unique take on dystopia, strange similarities to other books, and even possible plagiarism, Gone leaves the reader with far more questions than answers. Left with a general sense of awe after the fiery conclusion, a major concern arises. A bridge connecting Gone to another dystopian novel, ‘Children Of The Corn’, begins to be built, threatening the novel’s legitimacy. With various factors pointing towards a direct correlation, Gone’s similarities, differences, and very execution of the dystopian genre in relation to Children Of The Corn cause …show more content…
Rather than joining forces with others to survive the dystopia, those who step up to take charge abuse their power in ways that turn an already hard reality into a dictatorlike police state. Breaking down this corruption to its base level shows a statement in real-life, loud and clear. Beneath its soft cover and seemingly basic demeanour is a simple message about the dangers of power. Gone tells the story of what happens when a system used to uphold normality collapses. Once all the checks and balances on a ruler's jurisdiction are stripped away, all one’s left with is a leader who has absolute power and an undying thirst for more. Unable to achieve further success, Gone shows the most powerful people abusing their influence to silence voices of opposition in the most violent, suppressive ways possible. Understanding the novel’s main theme allows one to form a knowledgeable stance on possible plagiarism. Regarding its similarity, undeniable comparisons can be made between Gone and Children Of The Corn. This 1978 Stephen King short story is eerily similar to Gone regarding its setting, characters, and general …show more content…
No flash of light. No explosion” (Gone 1). This, compared to the purposeful culling of all adults in Children Of The Corn, pushes Gone’s story in a far more dystopian direction. Unlike Children Of The Corn’s portrayal of life under a self-believing child death cult, Gone showcases the impact a sudden withdrawal of authority has on the remaining youth population. Changing the intentionality creates two different paths: one where children willingly choose their fate, and one where they don’t: “Well, Vicky, what happened—don't laugh—is that Duck Deigan and his friends—Billy Renfrew, George Kirk, Roberta Wells, and Eddie Hollis among others—they got religion and they killed off their parents. All of them” (Night Shift 268). An unintentional turning point has much more room for dissent and power struggles, as the sudden chaos creates numerous opportunities for corruption and anarchy. Outside of intentionality, naturality plays the largest role in morphing each story. The disappearances in Gone are far less realistic than the disappearances in Children Of The Corn because they’re caused by an outside supernatural