Contemporary pop culture is positively riddled with and riveted by both dystopian fiction and fairy tales. In the young adult publishing market in particular, dystopian novels have exploded in popularity in the last decade. Similarly, while fairy tale retellings have been part of our cultural landscape for years, new versions of old tales are appearing with rising frequency in young adult novels, particularly those aimed at young women. This thesis examines the intersection between dystopias and fairy tales in young adult fiction, looking at such tropes as the princess, the fairy-tale romance, and the quest. By outlining the dystopian and fairy tale genres by themselves, arguing that they converge most aptly in our post-9/11 society, and examining how fairy tales work within a post-apocalyptic landscape, this thesis determines that fairy tales offer fertile ground for subversion when paired with dystopias. To illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of such subversion, this thesis examines two young adult novels in close detail. Marissa Meyer's "Cinderella" retelling, Cinder, offers a postmodern role model for contemporary young women, while Lauren DeStefano's Wither demonstrates that certain fairy tales, like "Bluebeard," hinder feminist progress.
