When we take a close look at the book Catching Fire, we can see glimpses of the world we live in today. AMERICA. A place of equality and justice for all. What does that really mean? Is everyone treated the same? Does segregation still exist? Of course segregation does not exist, that was over years ago! Well, that’s what everyone says, but is it true? Are we really all equals?
In this book, we see a perfect example of how the life of someone living in the Capitol can go in comparison with life in the Districts. There is a major difference when we compare the two side by side. In the Districts, the people are barely surviving, they are starving to death, they are dying from disease, they are dying from punishments, and they are being dehumanized altogether. When we look back at the history of slavery in this country, researchers tell us that slave masters would whip their slaves as a technique to dehumanize them and remind them that they are not humans, but instead, property. Isn’t this relatable to the people of Panem? Everything belongs to the Capitol, and to be more specific, everything belongs to President Snow. The meadows, the animals, the products, the people, and the tributes.
The Capitol’s government has control of everything and they are well aware of this. One example of this can be seen through the whipping of Gale. He was hunting because his family is starving and there is no other means of providing food, but what happens? Apparently, even the animals aren’t free to the people. Apparently, the animals belong to the Ca
pitol. Apparently, even the people belong to the Capitol and Gale is whipped by Thread to remind himself and the others that EVERYTHING BELONGS TO THE CAPITOL! There is no freedom, there is no equality, and there is no privacy.
Life in Panem has turned into a forced system where your every move, especially Katniss’s, is monitored and highly influenced by the larger powers of the Capitol. They can’t fight it. They can only go along with it.
“I can’t fight the sun. I can only watch helplessly as it drags me into a day that I’ve been dreading for months.”
(Anderson p. 3)
Over and over again, the Districts are forced to remember how they are not humans, but instead are property of the Capitol, available for the Capitol’s work and entertainment, through the annual Hunger Games.
“Not only are we in the districts forced to remember the iron grip of the Capitol’s power each year, we are forced to celebrate it.” (Anderson 4)
“Peeta, they bring us here to fight to the death for their entertainment. Really, this is nothing by comparison.”
(Anderson p.80)
The Hunger Games is a competition, a bloody competition for entertainment and a chance to actually hope you get food and a chance to make it through another year. It was created by the Capitol and besides the fact that innocent lives are taken for amusement, the loved ones of those tributes are forced to watch the games. A similar real life example of this was lynching. Masters (a.k.a. the Capitol) would lynch a slave (similar to the killing and beatings of tributes and towns people) in the middle of town or in front of all the other slaves in order to give them a sign. It was like a billboard on the highway, restating the great power of the Capitol, their control, and an act of dehumanizing the slaves, reminding them once again that they are not humans.
“…if a girl from District Twelve of all places can defy the Capitol and walk away unharmed, what is to stop them from doing the same?” (Anderson p.21)
“I can’t let the Capitol hurt Prim. And then it hits me. They already have.” (Anderson 122)
Well, if you look at it through the eyes of the people from the Capitol, It’s only two tributes from every District, it’s not like everyone is getting killed. Plus, look at what honor and pride they can bring to their district if they win. So, does that mean that no one else suffers? Wrong. Everyone suffers. Yes, it is only two tributes, but what about their families, sisters, brothers, classmates, fellow workers, friends, etc. Everyone connected to that person is affected. Yes, two risk the chances of not surviving, but the district as a whole suffers with them, especially those that love them.
And now twenty-three of us will be killed to show how even that hope was an illusion. (Anderson p.176)
This freedom they think they have, isn’t really theirs. In the same way, our freedom isn’t ours. Those of higher wealth and status have the advantage, they have the control. Perhaps, we are not thrown into an arena expected to survive and kill others in order to be able to provide food for our families, but in a similar way, we are thrown into this arena where we fight for jobs and opportunities, where we fight hard in order to be able to provide for ourselves and our families. There are those districts, or social classes, that may have the advantage and then there are those who are in the deeper end. They don’t have connections, they don’t have the same opportunities, and they are trying their best to get through the week. Is this what equality looks like? A place where the government, those officials in charge, and the ones with good status and connections can afford to fill up a pantry, cook meals and still throw out food at the end of the day, when at the same time there are others who perhaps haven't even had one meal that day. We think this isn’t true, but we are just lying to ourselves. We avoid the fact that there is a serious issue going on outside of our bubble because the system purposely entertains us with other things to keep us distracted. So, if we think deeply about it, what’s the difference between life now and life in Panem? Something to think about, right?
-Leslie
WORKS CITED:
Anderson, M.T. Feed. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2002. Print.
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