Free Essay Dedicated to The Hunger Games: Societal Inequality

The Hunger Games is a dystopian novel which was written by Suzanne Collins after she watched news coverage of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. This was when the world was generally witnessing the start of the continuous global recession, and the emphasizing of both wealth gap as well as the poverty conditions. The news and how the war was depicted made Collins have an imagination of a Panem a dystopian setting in which violence was a great way of entrainment and social inequality was popular as discussed below.

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Plot Overview

The book details Katniss Everdeen adventures as she is forced to take part in a deadly fight against some other children. Katniss father died in an explosion, and she lives with her little sister Prim and mother in one of the poorest district called District 12. Been the family's provider, she hunts illegally in the woods with Gale, who is her best friend. "His companionship replaced the long solitary hours in the woods" (Collins, 2008, 113). This statement by Katniss confirms her friendship with Gale. The story takes place in a dystopic country called Panem, located in North America. In a society where the resources are minimal, a Capitol runs the despotic government and ensures that the citizens are separated into different districts depending on their class in the society. There is also a yearly event by the name Hunger games whose main aim is to discourage rebellion and promote disunion.

The novel starts with the reaping day in which a district is supposed to be represented in the hunger games by two tributes; one male and a female. Katniss volunteers to be the female tribute instead of Prim and she is accompanied by a middle-class boy by the name Peeta as well as their mentor Haymitch. Peeta and Katniss attend a group training and later an interview where Peeta confesses that Katniss is his crush. Finally, the day comes, and the tributes fight to their death for weapons, food, and other things to save themselves from the Capitols heinosity. Katniss remembers her father words that "As long as you can find yourself, you'll never serve" (Collins, 2008,p.52), and this helps in enhancing her skills which leads to her to victory. Katniss survives through Rue's help. Peeta also survives, and although badly wounded, Katniss helps him recover. It is later revealed that Katniss love for Peeta was only for the cameras. Although Peeta is heartbroken, he understands that it is important to maintain their image in preparation of representing their districts.Relevant Characters

Katniss Everdeen: she is a sixteen-year-old protagonist as well as the narrator in the novel who is very resourceful and strong and acts more mature than her age. She belongs to the poorest district in her country; District 12 and takes care of both her sister and mother; hence, she has to hunt and scrounge to provide for the family. Katniss best weapon in hunting is an arrow and a bow, and she has a tough, stoic life attitude which makes her be successful.

Peeta Mallark: he is a male tribute from District 12, and he belongs to a middle-class family in the village since his father is a baker. He is Katniss companion during The Hunger Games, and after Katniss father died, he helped her with a bread showing how kind the boy is. Peeta loves Katniss since their early years in school.

Gale Hawthorne: he is Katniss hunting partner as well as her best friend. Gale is two years older than his friend Katniss, and they both belong to the poorest group in District 12 and have the responsibility of taking care of their families.

Key Scenes

Some of the key scenes in the novel include; first, the reaping: this is the most moving and pivotal moment in the novel. It sets in motion several events that will change Panem forever. It is during this time that sister Katniss volunteers to serve as the female tribute in place of her sister "I volunteer. I volunteer as a tribute" (Collins, 2008). She and Peeta form a duo to represent their poverty-stricken district.

Second, the scene where Katniss hits the bull's eye. It is pivotal because it is during this time that she is revealed as the real deal. This is after their mentor Haymitch Says," This is the time to show them everything. Make sure they remember you (Collins, 2008). Her hunting years with a bow and an arrow pays off at this time when she hits the mark and defeats the tributes from other better Districts.

Popular Culture Texts/ Artifacts

Song Lyrics

Crime to be broke in America; this song is performed by Spearhead. It shows social inequality in America by talking about the exploitation of the people belonging to the lower class in the society. "Can't remember the last time that a brother wasn't treated like an animal" (Beebe, 2010). This is some of the lyrics in this song which show the discrimination of the poor individuals in the society. Just like in this song, the poor citizens in Panem have been discriminated from the rich by been and divided into various districts depending on the class. For instance, Katniss and the other poor citizens live in District 12, which belongs to the poor.

Film

Elysium 2013; it is an American science fiction film written, directed and produced by Neill Blomkamp in 2013. Just like in the novel Hunger Games where the citizens have been divided into various districts depending on their social class, in this film, the very rich people reside in a luxurious space called the Elysium while the other people live in the Earths ruins and particularly in the hardscrabble existence (Elysium, 2013).In the Elysium film, a character by the name Matt Damon accepts to take a dangerous mission with the aim of establishing an equal society but the secretary, Jodie Foster vows that he will preserve Elysium's lifestyle no matter what it takes. Similarly, in the novel discussed above, Katniss volunteers to take part in the yearly festival held by the Capitol to show who is in control (Collins, 2008). She uses her skills to make sure that despite coming from the poorest district in Panem, she defeats the other tributes from the affluent districts.

Advertisement

Social inequality commercial; it is a Philippine-based advertisement published by e-soundtrack 2017 showing the differences between children from rich families and those of the low-income families. The commercial shows the various steps each child takes during their early years in school and clearly shows the conditions and resources used by each of them. As seen in the commercial, the less fortunate tend to be discriminated, making them be disadvantaged since they miss various opportunities due to the barriers brought by social inequality. Similarly, in the novel Hunger Games (2008), Katniss and other children from the poor districts are disadvantaged since they do not have the capability of training and preparing for the "Hunger Games" festivals all year long like the rest of the children from the wealthier districts who consider winning a huge honor.

Television Shows

Gilmore Girls; it is an American TV show which seriously acknowledges social class. Although the TV show is about the upper class versus the middle class unlike the common upper class versus lower class, the show portrays some of the differences between distinct social classes in the society (Benson, 2016). It is simply about how the upper class or the rich people are weird and quirky, like any other person of a different social class. Correspondingly, in the dystopic novel, the tributes from the upper social class are also as determined to win the hunger games festival, just like Katniss and the other poor children in Panem.

Synthesis

The nature of social inequality in which there are unequal rewards or opportunities depending on the personal status or social positions in the society is clearly discussed in all the four artifacts. All the texts discussed above align in discussing the various differences between the upper class and the lower class in the society. In the song lyrics, Spearhead talks about the discrimination faced by the poor individuals in America while the rich receive a different treatment. Similarly, the fiction film Elysium (2013) also shows the challenge of social inequality in the society by showing how the rich people in the film reside in a luxurious space called the Elysium while the other people live in the Earths ruins and particularly in the hardscrabble existence. Additionally, the Philippine commercial on social inequality shows how the less fortunate tend to be discriminated, making them be disadvantaged since they miss various opportunities due to the barriers brought by social inequality. Lastly, the television show Gilmore Girls (2016)also shows the difference between the two distinct classes, the upper class, and the middle class.

The challenge of social inequality can be addressed in different ways. For instance, according to the Philippine Social inequality commercial, the issue of social inequality can be addressed through the provision of broader and higher economic growth, as well as better healthcare and education to all the citizens in a country regardless of their social status. This will ensure equal opportunities to all the individuals; hence, the citizens belonging to the lower class will also have the opportunity to improve their status like the upper class.

References

Collins, S. (2008). The hunger games trilogy. Scholastic Australia.

Beebe J. [Spearhead]. (2010, July 4). Crime to be broke in America [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrmZMpm5bZ0

Benson, R. [Gilmore Gilrs].(2016, November 29). Gilmore Girls.[Video File].Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SpkYezHD-k&list=PL5c5fufEbewAkPL08XTxZ6cbZwKDRRWp9

[Movieclips].( 2017, February 18).Doomed to Die [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60V3JFUPvIE&list=PL1vhuWnvo1arR4YVMswqe4BI1qpQRHd6Q

Romano, J. [e-soundtrax]. (2017, March 13) Social Inequality Commercial [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RW9SSvsRRE