Do Political Novels Make a Difference in American Culture?

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Exploring the Historical Significance, Societal Impact, and Contemporary Relevance of Political Fiction*

Introduction: Political Novels and Their Place in American Culture

Political novels, by their very definition, weave the fabric of fiction with the threads of power, governance, and societal conflict. They stand apart from other genres by actively engaging with the mechanisms of authority and the struggles of individuals and groups against or within these systems. In the context of American culture—a landscape shaped by democracy, dissent, and diversity—political novels serve as both mirrors and catalysts, while also potentially serving as a call to action. They can reflect the prevailing sentiments of a public rendered helpless by law enforcement (the military and police of a country), and sometimes push readers to imagine new possibilities attainable through action (or the opposite—complacency as the powers that be take over), question established norms, or confront uncomfortable truths. This blog post explores whether political novels genuinely make a difference in American culture, analyzing their historical significance, influence on public opinion, and ongoing role in shaping societal values.

Historical Context: Notable American Political Novels and Their Eras

The history of American literature is marked by political novels that have left an indelible imprint on society. From the antebellum period to the turbulent twentieth century and the polarized present, authors have wielded fiction as a tool to address issues ranging from slavery to surveillance, oppression to the degradation of a country or countries at the hands of the few in power. Notable works touching on politics include Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, which electrified the abolitionist movement; 1984 by George Orwell, often cited in American discourse despite its British origins, for its warnings about totalitarianism. Per a quick Google search: “since January 2017, Following the inauguration and White House adviser Kellyanne Conway's use of the term "alternative facts," sales of 1984 surged by as much as 9,500%. The publisher, Penguin USA, was prompted to order an emergency reprint of 75,000 copies to meet demand. And by November 2024, after Trump's second election win, other dystopian novels like The Handmaid's Tale and 1984 again saw sales rise.”

Atwood’s Tale continues to resonate in debates over gender and personal freedoms.

Naturally, each political era (classify the era as you wish, be it by decade, by administration, whatever) brings its own unique challenges and anxieties, and political novels often rise to meet the moment. During the Progressive Era, Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle exposed the grim realities of industrial capitalism and spurred calls for reform. In the 1960s and ’70s, works like The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut captured the psychological and moral turmoil of war and social upheaval, in particular women’s role in society. More recently, novels such as Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad and Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West address issues of race, migration, and identity, reflecting the complexities of our globalized world and politics.

Influence on Public Opinion: Shaping and Reflecting Societal Views

The power of political novels to shape public opinion lies in the authors’ ability to humanize abstract issues, personalize political debates, and offer readers a lens through which to view their own society. By telling stories rooted in real conflicts and moral dilemmas, these novels can foster empathy, ignite outrage, or inspire action, as mentioned above. For instance, Uncle Tom’s Cabin is widely credited with galvanizing anti-slavery sentiment in the United States, with Abraham Lincoln reportedly greeting Stowe as "the little lady who made this big war." While such anecdotes may be apocryphal, the cultural impact of the novel is undeniable; it brought the horrors of slavery into American homes and changed the national conversation. The term “Uncle Tom” has also become a fixture in language as a derogatory term used primarily against African-Americans to label them as excessively subservient, in particular to whites/Caucasians.

Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle exposed the grim realities of industrial capitalism and spurred calls for reform

Similarly, dystopian novels such as 1984 and Brave New World have influenced public discourse on surveillance, freedom, and the role of government. Phrases like "Big Brother" and "Orwellian" are now part of the political lexicon, shaping how Americans interpret threats to civil liberties. These stories do not simply reflect societal anxieties—they help define them, giving readers tools to articulate their concerns and mobilize for change. Paul Lynch’s Prophet Song won, a dystopian novel about the rise of totalitarianism in Ireland, won the 2023 Booker Prize.

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Political novels can also serve as a space for marginalized voices. Works like Toni Morrison’s Beloved, which is one of the best novels I’ve ever read, and Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man foreground the personal and collective struggles of African Americans, challenging readers to confront the realities of racism and exclusion. In these cases, fiction becomes a vehicle for social critique and a means of asserting agency in the face of oppression.

So do political novels make a difference in American culture?

Case Studies: Novels That Shaped American Culture

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Published in 1852, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was an immediate sensation, selling hundreds of thousands of copies and fueling debates over slavery. The novel’s vivid depiction of the suffering endured by enslaved people stirred empathy and outrage among Northern readers, helping to solidify the abolitionist movement. Its cultural impact extended far beyond literature, influencing plays, pamphlets, and political speeches. While criticized for its sentimentalism and racial stereotypes, the book’s role in shaping public opinion—and contributing to the conditions leading to the Civil War—cannot be overstated. In an interview on NPR, Prof. Patricia Turner (African-American Studies, University of California, Davis; Folklorist), said this about Uncle Tom’s Cabin: “Many African-Americans don't hate the real story that Stowe wrote. The Uncle Tom character that she gives us is extraordinarily Christian. The climax of the story really comes when Uncle Tom is asked to reveal where two slave women are hiding, who had been sexually abused by their master. And he refuses. Knowing that he is going to be beaten to death, he refused to say where they are. And African-Americans who have read the novel can appreciate what kind of heroism that took for a black man to sign away his life to save two black women.

Unfortunately, the stage depictions don't include that part of the story. They grossly distort Uncle Tom into an older man than he is in the novel, a man whose English is poor, a man who will do quite the opposite, who will sell out any black man if it will curry the favor of a white employer, a white master, a white mistress. It's that distorted character that is so objectionable to African-Americans.”

Phrases like "Big Brother" and "Orwellian" are now part of the political lexicon, shaping how Americans interpret threats to civil liberties. These stories do not simply reflect societal anxieties—they help define them, giving readers tools to articulate their concerns and mobilize for change.

1984 by George Orwell

Though British in origin, 1984 has become deeply embedded in American political consciousness. Published in 1949, the novel’s exploration of surveillance, propaganda, and authoritarianism resonates strongly in debates over privacy, government overreach, and media manipulation. References to "Big Brother" and "doublethink" permeate political commentary, and the book is frequently invoked in discussions about civil rights and technology. Its enduring relevance speaks to the universal anxieties it addresses and its capacity to frame complex issues in accessible terms. 1984 has exploded in recent years because of what the Trump administration has been doing and perpetuating on the American people, as well as the world. I started writing a novel in 2016 that’s sort of a play on Orwell’s novel, as well as Sinclair Lewis’s It Can’t Happen Here. I’m currently sending it out to literary agents.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, first published in 1985, has gained renewed prominence in recent years amid debates over reproductive rights and gender equality (the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022). Set in a dystopian future where women are subjugated by a theocratic regime, the novel serves as a cautionary tale about the erosion of personal freedoms. Its influence extends beyond the page, inspiring activism, television adaptations, and political protest. For many, the story is both a warning and a rallying cry, demonstrating the potential of fiction to mobilize public sentiment. While activists have taken to the streets to protest this and other changes to the laws on the books, so far not much as changed. With a 6-3 majority for conservatives, the Supreme Court looks to be solidly locked up for Republicans, at least for now.

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Political Novels and Social Change: Literature as a Catalyst

While it is difficult to quantify the direct impact of political novels on social change, there are numerous instances where literature has contributed to movements or policy shifts. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair is a prime example; its exposé of the meatpacking industry led to public outrage and ultimately the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act in 1906. Sinclair’s intent was to advocate for workers’ rights, but the novel’s influence extended to consumer protection and regulatory reform.

Similarly, Richard Wright’s Native Son and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird have sparked conversations about race, justice, and the legal system. These works have shaped generations of readers’ understanding of prejudice and the need for empathy, serving as educational tools in classrooms and as inspiration for activists. Literature’s capacity to foster dialogue and reflection is evident in these examples, even if change is gradual and contested. Fiction is often a very powerful tool when nonfiction doesn’t seem to be working, or at least is likely to pull in more of the population ignorant to politics in general.

Political novels often accompany, rather than initiate, social change. They amplify voices and ideas that may already be circulating, giving form to hopes and fears that motivate collective action. Their influence is most profound when they intersect with broader cultural and political movements, serving as rallying points for advocacy and reform. But as we know too well, the murder and incarceration of those authors who hold the mirror up to societies ills is often the price paid for putting a light on corruption and authoritarian regimes.

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Criticisms and Limitations: The

Effectiveness of Political Novels

Despite their celebrated role in American culture, political novels are not without limitations and critics. Some argue that fiction is inherently indirect, offering symbolic gestures rather than concrete solutions. While novels can inspire empathy and awareness, they may fall short as agents of real-world change, particularly in an era dominated by news cycles, social media, and rapid information exchange. Politicians have always lied, or at least bent the truth. Today, it’s almost impossible to know what’s fact from fiction. AI has rapidly altered what bad apples in politics and in general can do to push out misinformation and disinformation. Just today Trump posted on his X profile a racist AI video including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), with Jeffries wearing a sombrero and Schumer saying hideous things about various peoples, in particular Hispanics.

Others contend that political novels risk preaching to the choir, reinforcing the beliefs of sympathetic readers while alienating those with opposing views. The challenge of reaching diverse audiences is compounded by the polarization of contemporary discourse, where literature may be dismissed as entertainment or propaganda. In some cases, the impact of political novels is diluted by adaptation, commercialization, or misinterpretation, reducing complex messages to simple slogans.

Moreover, the effectiveness of political novels depends on context. A book that provokes controversy or debate in one era may be ignored or misunderstood in another. The reception of novels is shaped by social, economic, and political forces, and their legacy is never entirely predictable.

Contemporary Relevance: Political Novels in Today’s Polarized Climate

In the twenty-first century, political novels continue to play a vital role in American culture, even as the landscape of media and communication shifts. Works like Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys, Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give, and Omar El Akkad’s American War  tackle issues of race, justice, and climate change, engaging readers in urgent debates. The rise of diverse voices and perspectives has expanded the scope of political fiction, making it more inclusive and reflective of the nation’s complexities. I find it enlightening when authors from different countries write novels dealing with politics, for politics in different countries are different beasts. Viewpoints are diverse, issues are often country-specific, and opinions on what’s happening have the potential to open the eyes of the global citizens out there who might not be exposed to the ways and perspectives of their brethren across the globe.

Another factor in today’s conversation is the proliferation of digital platforms and visual media, which has changed how political novels are consumed and discussed. Adaptations for film and television, social media campaigns, and online book clubs have amplified the reach of these works, allowing them to influence new audiences. In a climate marked by polarization and misinformation, political novels offer a space for nuanced reflection and dialogue, though their ability to drive consensus is often limited. As a writer, I hope that my novels (if they ever see the light of day), will contribute to not only the conversation of what’s right and what’s wrong in politics, but that they’ll also help initiate action. Right now, I don’t see much of that happening, even while dystopian novels and novels addressing the current political climate around the world continue winning awards.

Nonetheless, the enduring popularity of political fiction suggests that readers are hungry for stories that grapple with real issues—issues that, while perhaps not currently directly affecting certain groups, will surely visit them soon enough. Novels, and fiction in general, provide a framework for understanding the world, challenging assumptions, and imagining alternatives. Their relevance is sustained by their adaptability and their capacity to speak to the moral and political dilemmas of the moment.

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Conclusion: The Nuanced Impact of Political Novels on American Culture

Political novels occupy a unique space in American culture, straddling the line between art and advocacy. While their influence on public opinion and social change is often indirect and contested, they have played a vital role in shaping the nation’s history and values. By humanizing complex issues, inspiring empathy, and fostering dialogue, political novels have contributed to the evolution of American society.

Their impact is most profound when they intersect with broader movements, amplifying voices and ideas that drive reform. At the same time, their limitations are real; fiction alone cannot resolve political conflicts or guarantee change. Yet in an age of polarization and rapid transformation, the ability of political novels to provoke thought, challenge norms, and inspire action remains as important as ever.

Ultimately, the significance of political novels lies not in their capacity to dictate outcomes, but in their power to shape conversations. They invite readers to engage with the world, to question, to empathize, and to imagine different ways of doing things. In doing so, they make a difference—not always in ways that are immediately visible, but in the slow and steady shaping of hearts, minds, and cultures around the world.

Author Cully Perlman Does What He Can to Change Today's Political Environment so it Doesn't Become a Dictatorship or Continue Heading Towards Authoritarian Rule.

Cully Perlman is author of the novel THE LOSSES, a short story writer, blogger, and substantive editor. He can be reached at Cully@novelmasterclass.com

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*While I edited the post, I used Copilot to write the majority of it. I do not, nor would I ever, use AI to write fiction. Posts on writing, for better or worse, seem to be advanced enough that they make sense and compete adequately with those of actual living, breathing writers. Having multiple advanced degrees in literature and writing, I’m disheartened by its effectiveness, even as I use it, temporarily, for the blog. My goal is to see how Google’s algorithm treats it.