Power In The Hunger Games

965 Words4 Pages
“One of the best written and most thought provoking books I have read for a long time”, said Anthony Horowitz who wrote the most successful action series Alex Rider mentioned about “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins (Collins, 2008). One of various themes in The Hunger Games is power, and it is important, because the government rules people by using its absolute power (Grade Saver, n.d.). Power is clearly present through the novel. The country called Panem consists of a wealthy Capital and the poor Districts. Panem’s government system is totalitarianism and the repressive and brutal government rules twelve poor districts. In addition, the government uses their power in the Hunger Game to prevent a rebellion (The Best Notes, 2013). Even though…show more content…
Originally, Panem used to consist of thirteen districts and the Capital, but the Districts tried to rebel against the Capital. Twelve Districts were defeated, but District 13 was totally destroyed. As a result, the Hunger Games were instituted to keep fresh for each new generation the memory of those who died in the uprising against the Capital and to remind them that no one can overcome the power of the Capital (Adams, 2013). As the government had planned it, people in the Districts feel their own helplessness through the Hunger Games. Furthermore, the government’s invisible and absolute power exists in the reaping day. In the reaping day, twelve to eighteen- year- old boys and girls enter their name for tesserae and they can obtain a year’s supply of grain and oil instead. Katniss’ name had been entered approximately 20 times, because she has to support her family. Thus, young boys and girls have to enthusiastically put their names in the pool for the reaping rather than avoid that. It is involuntary servitude to the government (Spark notes, n.d.). In addition, the Hunger Games have power to separate the Districts. In the Hunger Game, 24 boys and girls from twelve districts area are forced to fight each other to the death. This is the effective way for dispersing the Districts and preventing them from joining forces and rebelling against the…show more content…
Although she did not have money and authority unlike the government in the Capital, she could move people in the Districts. It is totally different power from power that the government uses. When her ally Rue died, she covered Rue’s body in flower and gave her solute. Soon later, a riot broke out in Districts fought against Peacekeepers. That was perhaps unexpected development for her, because she did not know that she had given hope to people in Districts. After the Game, some people in the Districts tried to rise in rebellion affected by her (Girls like giants,
Open Document