The Hunger Games is set in a post-apocalyptic future of North America. A country called Penem is made up of the Capitol and twelve surrounding districts. Although we do not know the why’s, how’s or when’s of this regime, we can find out that it is a communist-type regime that exercises strict control over its citizen and exploits its poorer surrounding states for the prosperity of the Capitol.
Reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984, The Hunger Games describes a regime that uses all kinds of approaches to ensure strictest control over all aspects of its citizens and the prosperity of the Capitol. As is pointed out in the book, “A brutal social hierarchy prevails, with the rich, the good-looking, and the athletic lording their advantages over everyone …show more content…
First of all, the games serves as a bloody warning of what the regime can do to the people of the states should they rebel again, and it also showcases the authorities’ absolute power over the lives of the people. As is mentioned in the book, “the rules are arbitrary, unfathomable, and subject to sudden change”. In the live show, people can see that the authorities have the right to randomly change the rules of the games just for entertainment purposes. Secondly, the games are also ways in which the regime controls the mind of its people both in the affluent Capitol as well as the destitute states. The long-lasting games, which are intense, brutal and sentimental, can distract the people from their economic and political concerns. After all, who would care about anything else if life and death is broadcast live on television, and everyone can vote and donate to impact the progress of the games? The notion of “recreation to death” was put forward by Neil Postman. In this sense, the audiences, i.e. the citizens are constantly faced with the brutal death on the screen, and they therefore become numb and indifferent to the sufferings of others. The people in the Capitol do not conserve. They do not say “Thank you”. They take everything they exploit from the surrounding states for granted. In addition, this is the intention of the government: citizens should lose conscience and blindly believe in Big
Reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984, The Hunger Games describes a regime that uses all kinds of approaches to ensure strictest control over all aspects of its citizens and the prosperity of the Capitol. As is pointed out in the book, “A brutal social hierarchy prevails, with the rich, the good-looking, and the athletic lording their advantages over everyone …show more content…
First of all, the games serves as a bloody warning of what the regime can do to the people of the states should they rebel again, and it also showcases the authorities’ absolute power over the lives of the people. As is mentioned in the book, “the rules are arbitrary, unfathomable, and subject to sudden change”. In the live show, people can see that the authorities have the right to randomly change the rules of the games just for entertainment purposes. Secondly, the games are also ways in which the regime controls the mind of its people both in the affluent Capitol as well as the destitute states. The long-lasting games, which are intense, brutal and sentimental, can distract the people from their economic and political concerns. After all, who would care about anything else if life and death is broadcast live on television, and everyone can vote and donate to impact the progress of the games? The notion of “recreation to death” was put forward by Neil Postman. In this sense, the audiences, i.e. the citizens are constantly faced with the brutal death on the screen, and they therefore become numb and indifferent to the sufferings of others. The people in the Capitol do not conserve. They do not say “Thank you”. They take everything they exploit from the surrounding states for granted. In addition, this is the intention of the government: citizens should lose conscience and blindly believe in Big