The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a science-fiction dystopian adventure movie directed by Gary Ross. The Hunger Games, published in 2008, was the first novel in the series. It presents a dystopian future society where an overpowering government controls the resources and people of the twelve districts, or tribes. The Hunger Games are held annually and two representatives are selected by lottery from each of the twelve districts. Panem, the entertainment party network, broadcasts this game. The twenty-four representatives must eliminate their rivals. Katniss offers to replace Prim, the 16-year-old female district twelve representative. The male district twelve representative, Peeta Melloark, and the female district twelve representative are on a train headed to the Capital in order to prepare for the brutal game. This film dealt with a variety of issues and themes. The theme of government control is one that runs through the entire series.
First, we saw this in the Capitol’s rules and how it controls districts. They also chose their entertainment. Capitol rules include that individuals cannot leave their district unless the Hunger Games are taking place. For this reason, the Capitol has fenced off all districts to keep everyone inside. Also, the Capitol is very closely connected to each district. Each district provides resources to the Capitol. People work very hard, but they are constantly robbed by the Capitol of their resources, especially in district 12. The capital is in charge of forcing 24 children each year to take part in the Hunger Games.
The oppression from Capitol is also a major theme in the film. The Hunger Games was created to show the power of the government and to warn people against rebelling. “The districts rebelled and a civil war broke out. The capitol, as expected, took District 13’s civilisation for ever and destroyed it completely. The Hunger Games must be continued because this was the outcome of all that happened. Government was corrupting power by abusing it. The government controls and rules the people, who are brutal individuals who will stop at nothing to keep their power. Katniss told Gale, when he said he wanted to run away, that the government was likely going to punish him, such as cutting his tongue if a person tied. The Hunger Games, I think, was a way to control the population by creating fear. This made me think about what’s happening today in our everyday lives. Currently, the Chinese Government is torturing the Uyghur Muslim community in Xinjiang. It’s strange that only Muslims are targeted. The government is torturing these innocent people and forcing them to do things that they are not allowed to do. The government abused and terrorized the people, similar to The Hunger Games.
It also tries to show that when one is oppressed, it’s right to speak up. In every dystopian novel or film there is always one person who fights and stands up for what is right. In the Hunger Games Katniss refuses to admit that she killed Peeta. She then joins forces to fight the Capitol. Just like Harrison Bergeron. This dystopian future society aims for a utopian world. This dystopian culture focuses on equality. Intelligence, beauty and strength are all oppressed. Harrison is the only one who can stand up to this.
You will also notice that The Hunger Games are not a story of sympathy but one of violence, which is what the Capitol population wants. As the victims die a violent death, the crowd cheers on the killer and we encourage him. Children are taken from their families to be destroyed, destroying the hopes and futures for the people involved. Capitol is reminding people of their powerlessness and to be at the mercy of them. Capitol says ‘We can wipe you out and will continue to do so’. This, in essence, is what causes the hatred. This unequal social and economic status spreads individuals from different districts far apart. The Capitol can use this method to stop a rebellion in the future, as the hatred between members of the community prevents them from cooperating with any attack on the Capitol. I noticed the division and distrust created by these games on all levels. People who bet on the names of the volunteers are a good example. These individuals not only make fun of the misery of others, but also divide the community into those affected and those who were not.
The Harry Potter Alliance launched a “The Odds In Our Favour” campaign inspired by this book. After reading the book, they believed it reflected America. This movement promotes health, voting, housing, food and employment opportunities for the unemployed. Collins’ books must have raised awareness and led to concrete action if they are to be considered successful.
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