Throughout history, some of the most popular novels have been about dystopian futures, where an all-powerful government has total control over its citizens and abuses its powers. Two of the most popular and well-known novels are the recent Hunger Games series and 1984, which was written soon after World War II ended. Both follow similar themes, showing a government of the few ruling over its people with unlimited power, and pulling all rights from the citizens they are meant to protect. There are several similarities and differences between these political systems, however, dealing with control over the people, how the government uses its citizens, and the political structures themselves. The structure of the governments in the Hunger Games and 1984 are very similar for a variety of reasons. To start with, both of the governments are run by unelected officials with little regard for their citizens. They are unrepresentative of the actual population of Oceania and Panem, and have blatant disregard for anyone they consider beneath them, whether that be the outer districts or Proles. In addition, both systems work only for the benefits of the elites who run them, being the Inner Party and the Capital. Almost all of the labor goes toward improving the lives of the elites, and keeping them in power. However, there are a few key differences between the main control struture of the parties. In the Hunger Games, the Capital and Panem is run by a dictator called Snow, who single
Dystopian Literature seems to run along the same guidelines in terms of how the novels are set, and follow a similar chain of events leading to a great bittersweet climactic event. I will detail the similarities between the two novels Fahrenheit 451 and The Hunger Games. There is a reason behind the similarities of these two novels, and other dystopian literature. “The merits of dystopian literature are many.” (Erlich)
Humans have basic needs which include food, water, and shelter. They also have base emotions and instincts, which are the very things that create humanity. However, these needs and emotions are easily manipulated, a theme prevalent in George Orwell’s 1984 and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. While these two stories have dissimilar plots, they have one common theme; the destruction of the individual through manipulation. The use of fear and hunger, in both 1984 and Lord of the Flies helps each government to eliminate the individual; in turn creating a mob mentality and a future in which no individuality can survive. In George Orwell’s 1984 and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the manipulation of human needs and emotions by the
Suzanne Collins, the author of The Hunger Games, imagines a world where people are divided by district just like the real world does with the high, middle, low classes. This book is full of themes, literary devices and also talks about how the government — in this case the Capitol — oppresses their citizens.
The book “Lord Of The Flies” is about a plane crashing onto an Island and no adult supervision left for the group young boys left behind. Once all of the boys that were scattered along the island gathered, they realized that they were left on there own and can do whatever they want to. The boys then created a structured civilization that doesn't quite strive throughout their time there. In the novel, “Lord Of The Flies” written by William Golding the novel supports philosopher Thomas Hobbes’ theory of the “Ruthless Savage” because the boys are portrayed as bullies and careless. The movie “The Hunger Games” shows several of the same qualities as the novel “Lord Of The Flies”.
One of the most popular themes in novels today involve dystopian societies and many of these books share many characteristics. Both novels include an overpowering government that does not allow basic freedoms to its citizens and when crimes are committed, the punishments have no regulations controlling them. The society in The Hunger Games and 1984 both use a bird as a symbol of freedom, monitor citizens via telescreens and divides their society into groups that work together to benefit the government.
Both novels, The Road and The Hunger Games, share a common theme of survival and violence. In the book, The Road the entire setting and plot illustrate the apparent collapse of all on Earth and the violence of this dystopian world adds to the dreadfulness of survival, as many humans have reverted to terrible behaviors of murder and cannibalism. As well, a discussion of violence in The Hunger Games must consider the role violence plays in the narrative, although the film is about children who are forced to kill each other, the book does not glorify or celebrate violence. Both authors, Cormac McCarthy and Suzanne Collins, use a survival theme to present the hardships Kat Everdeen and the Man and Boy must endure to stay alive; thus, the use
The hunger games also are based in a futuristic society as applies to the book the Fahrenheit 451. The setting in the novel is one of complete disarray in the order of the society as is the case in the novel the Fahrenheit 451. The Hunger Games is a dystopian novel, but its content is far more political than any other novels written in the twenty-first century. The novel revolves around a young female teenager who is engaged in a young triangle with other two young men. The young men are Peeta Mellark and her best friend, Gale. The main idea, however, is the task that the young teenager, who happens to be the main character is faced with. Katniss Everdeen as is the name of the girl, is faced with the task of uniting her Falk in an uprising against the cruel system of administration which happens to be taking advantage of the other population (Dubrofsky
The Hunger Games promotes the idea of a total government control. The Capitol controls everything that the twelve districts do. The world of Panem is divided into 12 districts where each district has its own role to fulfill from luxury to coal mining. "Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch. This is the Capitol's way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy" (Collins 18). This shows that the districts all pay a yearly sacrifice to the Capitol in the form of tributes. Another of showing that the Games is a dystopian society is that any evidence of an act of rebellion will result in the government having to kill anyone who gets in their way. "Look how he take your children and sacrifice them there is nothing you can do. If you lift a finger, we will destroy every last one of you. Just as we did in District 13" (18).
Two classic novels, 1984 written by George Orwell and Brave New World penned by Aldous Huxley both possess similar topics and themes. In both novels societies are striving for a utopia, or a perfect society. These novels also take place in societies with versions of totalitarian governments, which is a government that rules by coercion. Not only are the topics similar, but in both novels a rebellious character is the protagonist; Winston Smith from 1984 and John the Savage in Brave New World. Another parallel in the books are the tactics that the government uses to instill fear and power over the citizens. A common theme expressed in Orwell’s novel 1984 and Huxley’s novel Brave New World is that government uses
1984 and The Hunger Games are two brilliant novels written by two award winning authors. They contain many characteristics that typical dystopian novels possess; however, they’re presented differently to create the fictitious environments, where both characters live. Which is why they make such great pieces of Literature to compare.
The dystopian protagonist that is present in the Hunger Games is Katniss Everdeen. “Finally, I am too restless to even stay in bed. I pace the floor, heart beating too fast, breathing too short. My room feels like a prison cell. I run down hall to the door to the roof. The energy field enclosing the roof prevents any desperate form of escape” (Collins 148) Katniss is often struggling to escape or feels like she’s trap, she knows that she’s a tribute in the hunger games and is afraid that she will never see her family again if she doesn’t come out as the victor. Through Katniss’s perspective you can easily recognize that there is something wrong with the society that she lives in. “ I want to do something, right here, right now, to shame them, to make them accountable, to show the Capitol whatever they do or force us to do there is a part of every tribute they can’t own” (Collins 237). Katniss knows that the Capitol is cruel and wrong for having the hunger games, forcing the tributes to kill one another
For thousands of years, governments have been oppressing their people. Although their reasons for doing so may have been different, the outcomes were all the same: a revolt of the people. There are many examples of this throughout history, such as in the French Revolution and the American Revolution. The Hunger Games, a tale of a dystopian society filled with maltreatment by “The Capitol,” displays the path to insurrection triggered by the mounting cases of misery brought on by their government, that was attacking lower classes of people. By using common themes of oppression and rebellion found throughout history, The Hunger Games is a striking example of how repression by government will eventually lead to a revolt of the people.
How do the writers of the Hunger Games and 1984 use their first chapter to introduce ideas of a dystopian society?
With dystopia being a present theme in both George Orwell’s, 1984 and Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games, both titles share similarities and contrasts to one another. Even though these books were written decades apart, they share similarities in the government control and the presence of poverty in the settings. But, both books contradict one another as futuristic settings are viewed differently depending on when the books are written, as well as the remembrance of past struggles in the societies. The seeds of a dystopian theme are found in 1984 and The Hunger Games, presenting similarities and differences from in both books, even though the books were written decades a part.
“The Hunger Games” echoes “Nineteen Eighty-Four” in the sense that these novels convey a sense of what a perception of the future could be like, predicting a governing body that controls all aspects of the lives of those who live under it. A difference is that the “Party” in “Nineteen Eighty-Four” has absolute control: speech,