Introduction to Dystopian Panem
In a place where poverty is common and a country that is ruled by a tyrannical dictator, it isn't possible for an individual to trust others when their own life is always at stake. The novel The Hunger Games, written by Suzanne Collins, demonstrates the significant issues in the real world today, which are poverty, violence, and humanity. The novel portrays many themes such as evolving identity, class inequality, the rise of power and appearance, and the importance of keeping humanity and dignity while fighting for your life. These are all themes that Katniss and Peeta experienced during the games as well as the people living in the districts and Panem. In the Hunger Games, a sixteen-year-old boy named Peeta and a sixteen-year-old girl named Katniss is chosen to fight in the games or go into the Hunger Games while they fight for their lives.
Evolving Identity of Katniss Everdeen
To start with, one of the central narratives that are shown throughout the novel is Katniss’s shifting of her identity. At the beginning of the story, she considers herself a ‘girl from the Seam”. She finds dignity in her ability to survive it through her skills and hunting. Moreover, while she is friendly with members of the merchant class, she is able to show herself most strongly with Gale. So, the stoic strength of her identity has provided the philosophy she thinks it will help her succeed in the Games. However, through the many adventures she experienced, Katniss is forced to question both her identity as a stoic detachment and as a girl from the Seam”. In addition, in terms of the former, her relationship with Peeta, a boy from the merchant class, and her attraction to luxurious things from the Capitol makes her question whether she might belong somewhere different. So, as Katniss grows more indignant as she observes the Games, she is forced to make ethical decisions. Finally, she shows that deep down, she is empathetic and caring and disdains causing suffering, as opposed to being only a stoic hunter. In conclusion, this theme is reflected in a running conflict of reason vs. passion.
Class Inequality and Power Hierarchies in Society
To continue one of the main themes portrayed in the novel is the inequality between classes and power cause hierarchies in society. The totalitarian government of Panem is one that holds all the power over the people living in the districts. The citizens in those districts have no say over their lives and/or what the government will impose on them. Basically, in Panem, wealth is heavily concentrated in the higher classes. Those people lived in the Capitol or in certain districts. There was a huge disparity between the higher classes and the lower classes. In chapter one of the novel, readers can notice how Katniss is describing the humiliation among poor people, “To make it humiliating as well as torturous, the Capitol requires us to treat the Hunger Games as a festivity, a sporting event pitting every district against the others”(Collins, 18). This can be shown throughout the theme of inequality among classes because it focuses on how the Capitol humiliates the people from the districts since the Capitol treats the Hunger Games as a joke or as a fun event. To sum it up, Panem is a country built on extreme divisions. The districts are kept from contacting each other, and each of the districts is forced into a particular industry, thus limiting the social mobility of those who live in those districts. In fact, class is a strong tool used by the Capitol to keep the citizens distant from one another or limit the chances of a rebellion. The tessera is a prime example of how class separates poor people from the rich. Finally, Katniss, the “girl from the Seam” living in District 12, is the poorest of the poor. Though friendly with some people living in the merchant class, she exhibits class resentment throughout the novel.
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Resistance Against the Capitol's Power
Despite the Capitals' intention, the games also are able to show how others are resisting the power of the Capitol. So, Katniss subtly rebelled against the power of the Capitol. The novel highlights the differences between those that have wealth or/and power and those that don’t. The Capitol is exempt from the games, and the wealthier districts were able to train their tributes to have a significant advantage over the poorer districts. Throughout the novel, readers can see how different the lives of the rich are compared to the poor. In Panem, wealth means power, and the lack of wealth means the loss of rights. If a poor citizen living in Panem rebels, they either become Avox. When they become Avox is a person they become servants, and they are either killed or they have to cut their tongue. So, either way, their rebellious voice is complete silence or they are forced to comply. Nonetheless, survival is another important theme that represents the majority of the novel, especially during the Games because the tributes have to use their strength to sustain themselves within the arena of the Game. As readers may know, Katniss has to survive the teenager ‘tributes’ that threaten to kill her. Finally, the way that the tributes are selected to be in the Games is perhaps the obvious indicator of social inequality. The tesserae system makes poor people seem vulnerable. Finally, the Games show how the Capitol will keep people in the districts fighting among themselves. Also, to prevent them from joining forces and fighting against the government.
In other words, there are many examples that compared the inequality between the classes in the games: such as their living accommodations and their food. With the districts focusing on having a roof over their heads and focusing on just surviving, this is a clear comparison among the people of the Capitol who often eat simply anything they want, and they are able to have a luxurious room and technologically advanced horses. One of the clearest examples, shown throughout the novel is the inequality between wealthy and poor people. It is the tesserae system for picking tributes. The tesserae allow those who are poor to have the basic minimum of things they need to be able to survive the game such as food and fuel, but it is more likely that they will die for the entertainment of the wealthy people and ass powerful warnings from the Capitol. In conclusion, in The Hunger Games, social inequality occurs at all levels: among the twelve districts, throughout the nation in Panem, and among the inhabitants of any given district. It is the inequality that creates the main conflicts that are shown in the book. In Panem, such as wealth is heavily concentrated in the hands of the Capitol, and the result is that they cannot comprehend the lives of the poor people. Basically, the citizens of the Capitol do not realize that the inhabitants of the districts are just as intelligent and strong as they are and, just capable of feeling because they lead such drastic lives. The lack of understanding allows the citizens living in the Capitol to dismiss the suffering of the Hunger game as entertainment. They do not view the tributes as real people, and they see them via the “reality TV” of the Hunger Games as a means of entertainment. Moreover, the totalitarian government of Panem is the one that is able to hold power over the districts. The Hunger Games is the greatest display of the government’s power over the citizens living in Panem. Its citizens were designed to warn the population about how bad their situation was to rebel against society. The games that were played during the novel were a symbol for all to watch how the Capitol will keep its citizens living in those districts fighting against themselves and prevent them from fighting against the government and preventing themselves from joining the forces. So, the games are meant to crush the citizen's spirits and try to feel hopeless and helpless. As Katniss said on page six, chapter 1; ”When I was younger, I scared my mother to death, the things I would blurt out about District 12, about the people who rule our country, Panem, from the far-off city called the Capitol. Eventually, I understood this would only lead us to more trouble. So I learned to hold my tongue and to turn my features into an indifferent mask so that no one could ever read my thoughts” (Collins, 100). This passage describes Katniss’s characteristics that are central to the journey throughout the novel, and it is illustrated that she has an inherent understanding of the injustice that is perpetuated by the Capitol. In conclusion, when talking about the rise of power during the games, well, the main source of power during the novel is clear: the totalitarian government of the Capitol is because the Capitol holds most of Paenem’s wealth. The totalitarian is able to control the people from the districts. Then the Hunger Games are the final display of the government's power and are designed to warn the population against a second rebellion. Hunger Games are the greatest display of the government’s power and are designed to warn the populace against rebellion. So, the citizens living in Panem become nothing more than pawns in an elaborate game of death and life. Thirdly, another important theme that is analyzed and shown throughout the novel is the importance of identity and appearance. Before the games, Katniss was a hunter, a sister, a friend, and a daughter in District 12. Katniss continuously tries to behave in a way that she believes people will best distinguish her. She refuses to let others see her cry and worries she will be perceived as weak or self-pitying. Also, she refuses to become overly emotional at the beginning to have others perceive her as tough. Katniss and her team use external appearances to control other people. In fact, the novel focuses a great deal on how much effort it took to prepare Katniss for the Games and how she will be seen in public. As well, as it describes how different the people from the Capitol look compared to those who live in the districts, showing how different their lives are. The reader can learn in detail about Katniss's different outfits and how those outfits changed the audience’s perception of her. Finally, appearances are so important during the Games that it is able to make a positive impression that may mean the difference between death and life. So, throughout the book, The Hunger Games many identity searches are revealed. This was shown with multiple characters, such as Peeta and Katniss.
The Struggle for Dignity and Humanity in the Games
Finally, the last theme that is shown throughout the Hunger Games is the importance of keeping humanity and dignity while fighting for your life. In the past years, the players in the Hunger Games would do a number of things to survive the games. Peeta, however, is the complete opposite, he wants to die with dignity. First of all, in the novel, many things go wrong in Panem such as the society being filled with wars, poverty, starvation, and violence. In addition, Katniss and Peeta have been taught that no matter what you are doing you have to keep your dignity while doing it, even if it is fighting for death. So, the way that Katniss and Peeta grew throughout the games comes really easy for them to be able to keep their dignity during the Hunger Games. Moreover, many competitors of the games would do anything to survive. However, Peeta is very different from the rest, he believes that if he is going to die, he should go with his dignity. This means that while everyone loses their minds, he wouldn't do anything outrageous to survive, and will still think straight. For example, a girl from district 9 said: “here’s some advice, just stay alive” (Collins, 127). The quote told by the girl shows that she believes that the only thing that matters in the games is staying alive. So, readers can predict that she would risk her life, even her humanity, and dignity. As stated before, Peeta however, would die with his dignity than knowing he lost his humanity and dignity during the Games. In conclusion, Peeta’s dignity is just as important as his life. Also, the competitors from the games and the districts lost their dignity and humanity, or in other words, they forgot who they are except for two people, Katniss and Peeta from District 12 keep their dignity and humanity while fighting for their lives while struggling to stay alive. Peeta said, “At least let me die with my dignity” (Collins, 167). This quote shows readers how Peeta won’t lose his dignity and humanity no matter what.
Conclusion: Reflecting on Themes and Societal Issues
Taking everything into account, the novel The Hunger Games portrays the themes to show its readers how the people from Panem and the Districts have to survive through rough times. For example, in the novel, the characters experience inequality between rich and poor which portrays the overall theme throughout the book, and without these themes presented the book wouldn’t have the same effect on the readers. So, the novel written by Suzanne Collins portrays symbols and actions throughout demonstrating and analyzing the themes of evolving identity, class inequality, and the rise of power and appearance. Also, the novel by Suzanne Collins shows us how society could end up if people lose their dignity. Collins shows their audience that just because something bad happens doesn't mean that as humans have to forget what really matters to us, or even who we truly are behind wars, violence, or just old fake acts that we would have to put on just to live throughout the Hunger Games. So, finally, Collins shows us through Peeta’s eyes, words, and actions that even when something gets tough, humans have to keep their heads held high and work through it. Finally, The Hunger Games is a novel that analyzes many themes through actions and wars between the poor and wealthy citizens.
Work cited:
- Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008. Print
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