Looking Back at The Hunger Games in 2023

Witnessing and experiencing the apocalyptic narrative feels like breathing to us now. From the minute we were able to read, write and comprehend literary tropes in school, we were taught about the many ways the world could end and what we can do to prevent this. Climate change, racial inequalities, social disparities were woven into every ounce of media we were given to consume. Messages such as, “the world will end”, “you are the future”, “our damage is becoming irreversible and you are our only hope as the children of the future” were told to us over and over in hopes that we could fix what the adults couldn’t. This is how we deal with the thought of the world ending I guess; putting it on someone younger in hopes that they can reverse the damage. And so, in the spirit of wondering if “another world is possible '', I would have to give credit to the dystopian genre. Having grown up alongside The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Maze Runner and so many more, Gen Z owes it all to the apocalyptic narrative for our agency in tackling social issues and speaking out for things that most were afraid to mention in the past.

Out of all the stories I grew up reading about, it’s with no doubt that The Hunger Games series, written by Suzanne Collins, is the most realistic out of all the dystopian literature I have read. For anyone unfamiliar with the books (and the movies), The Hunger Games is set in a dystopian version of the United States called ‘Panem’. This country is divided into 13 districts, each with its own purpose in serving the Capitol, where only those with the most power and wealth reside. The importance — and therefore the wealth and resources —  of each district decreases in numerical order, with 12 being the poorest. District 13 was known to be eradicated during the civil war between the Capitol and the district rebels. To ensure that the Capitol’s power would never be questioned again, an annual ‘Hunger Games’ takes place where two tributes (a boy and a girl) are chosen at random from each district to enter an arena for a fight to the death wherein only one victor will be crowned. The Capitol views the Games as entertainment, betting, voting and rooting for their favourite tribute. The original trilogy follows the journey of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen as she volunteers as tribute for the Games once her younger sister gets chosen. The franchise explores Katniss’ development from innocent teen to a symbol of rebellion as her decisions place her in a position of open defiance of the Capitol and all it stands for.

There are multiple layers and analyses that can be unpacked within The Hunger Games franchise regarding its commentary on our existence in a capitalist society that is still relevant long after the books have been published and the movies have been made. This is probably what makes the series so vivid and jarring in our minds due to its close relation to the way our world works. Apart from its apocalyptic setting, Panem is essentially a polarized version of our current reality. An overlooked, yet equally impactful, detail in the franchise is the way the districts are divided and controlled by the Capitol. Essentially, the districts have no say or impact on their lives at all while the Capitol plays us for their own satisfaction. If that sounds familiar, you should look no further than the student-lead protests this past April after the Covenant school shooting. Marching straight into the Tennessee state capitol, several students, parents and teachers spent the day screaming for stricter gun laws due to the overwhelming number of violent gun crimes in the first quarter of 2023. As it mirrors so much of our current reality, The Hunger Games makes a resounding effort in depicting our dystopian future.

As social mobility is virtually nonexistent in Panem, those in the districts have very little opportunity to move up the social ladder and better their lives unless they win the games. Even then, as we find out in Catching Fire (book two), they are not immune to punishment from the Capitol and will always be reminded of their lowly position in society. Collins does an incredible job at reflecting our social inequalities with this narrative - touching on the idea of nepotism, privilege and how the wealthy keep each other wealthy throughout generations. We really start to see this echochamber within the Capitol population more in the prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. For those familiar with the original characters in the trilogy, it’s evident that the most influential families in the Capitol have remained at the top of the social hierarchy for decades. The prequel establishes this by spotlighting characters from the Snow, Heavensbee and Crane families who act as the ancestors for the main villains in the original trilogy. This suggests that the Capitol’s ideology is maintained through nepotism and the reiteration of elitist mindsets; much like the top 1% in our reality. 

This echochamber pretty much shapes all of Panem’s barbaric laws thus, suggesting that our world will turn out the same should we fail to hold those at the top accountable for their impacts on us. Whether that be about pay gaps, opportunities, wellbeing or laws that won’t impact those in power because they are not the ones experiencing it. This speaks to the long-standing generational inequalities we experience in our world. Although social mobility is possible, we tend to forget that climbing the ‘corporate ladder’ or working for our children’s ‘better future’ all depends on who we know, what we were born into and the opportunities we encounter. When you are wealthy and privileged, you tend to gravitate towards others who are the same. This applies to the success in your career, education, living conditions, working conditions and so much more. The Hunger Games makes these inequalities more apparent in the themes surrounding old money and nepotism thus, reminding us to recognize the privileges we do have and do better.

Another frightening aspect of The Hunger Games franchise that correlates to our world is the abuse of power and technology by the Capitol to create a police state of endless surveillance on Panem’s citizens. Panem is kept in control and order by ‘Peacekeepers’ which are essentially the military and police. Throughout the series, Peacekeepers are known to be the ones who do the dirty work of President Snow to ensure that he rules the country through fear rather than cooperation. The name of ‘Peacekeeper’ itself portrays Capitol brainwashing and propaganda to justify the use of the military on Panem’s citizens. After revisiting the series recently, I saw that this premise runs true with the way we perceive our own military and police, especially with the All Cops Are Bastards (ACAB) slogan that emerged with the death of George Floyd in 2020. This tragic incident has not been the only time we have seen the over abuse of power from the police but it truly mirrors the actions of the Peacekeepers that Collins writes about. The flogging of protestors, media blackouts and the abuse of civilians done by the Peacekeepers have all been seen before in our reality. The only minute difference is that we don’t live in a complete police state… yet.

As we’ve established, this division of the districts does reflect how we perceive labour in our reality and the classification of working classes. District 1 remains the most ‘powerful’ of the districts due to its proximity to the Capitol but also, because they prioritise the production of luxurious goods. On the other hand, District 12 is seen as the poorest and least important as their primary resource is coal. This reflects our inclination towards materialism and the prioritisation of trivial items that keep us ‘distracted’ whilst ignoring something we can’t live without such as coal, agriculture or livestock. The same desire for the trivial is portrayed in the way the Hunger Games is televised and viewed in the Capitol which, in turn, reflects the way media can sometimes be used to ‘distract’ us from real issues that need to be addressed. 

If we look at reality shows like Love Island, the series eerily imitates how we contribute and participate in the show. Similar to the Games, contestants on Love Island can volunteer or apply to go on the show in hopes of securing a brand deal or social media fame. Us, the public, can also influence how each season of the show plays out by voting for our favourites or publicly insulting the “villains” of the show. We even encourage producers to incite drama to make the show more enjoyable for viewing; determining the popularity of a season by how many fights contestants can get into. This emotional manipulation we can encourage from a reality show is so close to how the Gamemakers create traps, obstacles and struggles for the tributes in The Hunger Games. Therefore, showing us that we are no different to those in the Capitol when we participate in the distress of others.

Although the central argument in The Hunger Games usually revolves around the notion of power and privilege, I would also like to discuss its portrayal of race. This theme is more subtly discussed in the books and implied in the films and yet, it still speaks volumes to who the Capitol is and what cohort they represent in our reality. We can explore this narrative further when we look at District 11 and its population. In the books, the people who reside in 11 are described as having “dark hair and dark skin” which suggests that racial minorities have been grouped together in this dystopian society. Our hunches are confirmed further in the movies where District 11’s population is largely comprised of African-American individuals. Knowing that 11 is one of the poorest districts in Panem known for agriculture, most commonly cotton, it's evident that Collins alludes to the history of slavery in America. In a dystopian world where order and control is dictated by the Capitol - a city made up of those from old money - it’s no surprise that they have decided to divide the country by race as well; placing racial minorities in one of the poorest districts in this ‘new world’. The production of cotton in 11 drives cements this legacy of slavery and exploitation further due to the plant’s racialized history.

After almost 15 years since the first Hunger Games book was released, it’s shocking how relevant the franchise still is to this day. At times, it seems as though we are edging closer to experiencing Panem in our reality which can feel hopeless and frustrating. However, despite its connection to the inequalities and dystopian elements we are currently experiencing, there is also the symbol of the Mockingjay that stands for rebellion and a life beyond the Capitol’s control. Much like our social justice movements, the hopefulness that comes with the possibility of change deserves more credit that we give it. There will always be people fighting for what is right and no matter the result, a little bit of change is better than nothing at all. Panem found a way to navigate the chaos and incite this change and I trust that Gen Z, having grown up reading books like these, have found inspiration to stand up for themselves and their peers.