Propaganda is used to control the citizens of society. For the past seventy four years (p147) The Hunger Games has been glorified, televised, and celebrated by the capitol Panem. The twelve districts fear and loathe the the hunger games because to the capitol the twenty three children that die each year are game pieces. The main character Katniss feels that taking kids (p18) from each district and forcing them to kill one another (p18) as they watch is a reminder of how the districts are at the capitols mercy. (p18)
Watching and celebrating the Hunger Games is especially torturous (p19) because the capitol requires them to treat the games as a festivity (p19). The hunger games are suppose to be joyous. Effie Trinket one of the television hosts shouts happy hunger games, at the reaping when she knows she is going to watch, kids from ages 12-18 fight to the death. This can be compared even tho you can change the world of distraction to the reality shows of today where people enjoy watching others argue and sometimes physically fight. For example shows like Bad Girls Club and The Real World.
Information, independent thought, and freedom are restricted. Citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance. Rules in the twelve districts are trespassing woods, selling, trading, and hunting is all forbidden. If one was caught doing these things, their tongue could be cut out or executed. The capitol Panem created beings to spy on districts. A mocking jay (p42) is a capitol bred bird used to spy. The mocking jay can reiterate pieces of districts rebellious conversations. These science lab bred birds keep districts under surveillance, and can be compared too GPS tracking devices in cell phones, ipods, ipads, and car gps. If a person was missing or if our government thought they were a threat, the government would hack into the systems to find the person there searching for, and listen/read their conversations.
Katnisss district is known as district twelve where you can starve to death.(p6) Lifestyle in the seam is tough. They are a very low income district. Food is so scarce citizens in district twelve trade food at the hob.(p6) The hob is a black market where people trade necessities like food, cloth, medicines, hunting weapons, and trinkets. In district twelve citizens take care of their own. After the reaping Peeta Mellarks father came in and told Katniss hill make sure shes eating.
Peetas dad is going to watch over Katniss little sister while shes fighting in the hunger games. (p38) theyre lifestyle can be compared to people now. For example at Father Bills Homeless Shelter, an interviewee said, When we have fish dinner I trade my fish for French fries. Im allergic and everyone knows it, they dont want me to starve so we trade. Lifestyle in district twelve is like this, members of the seam take care of each other.
Suzanne Collins wrote The Hunger Games to relay a message of how we are living today. The way media influences our society negatively. People are becoming increasingly lazy. Society is taking what they have for granted and focusing more on un important aspects of life, focusing more on drama. Now a days the amount of money you have decides your social status. Money separates citizens and puts them into classes. Higher classes in society today and in The Hunger Games have a better lifestyle and chance of survival. On the other hand, lower classes live in fear about bills and food. Suzanne Collins accomplishes this message through dystopian elements and characteristics to warn readers about the effects media can have on society.
