A Look at the Individual Versus the System in the Hunger Games Trilogy
Warning: May Contain Spoilers.
In The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, Katniss Everdeen and her family live in an impoverished dystopia; one of 12 districts under control of the Capitol, their totalitarian government system. The Capitol randomly selects two children from each district annually to enter the Hunger Games, which is a fight to the death. The last survivor wins, according to the rules, until Katniss and her fellow District 12 contestant Peeta Mellark defy them and both make it out alive.
Since the first novel, Katniss and her family, friends, enemies and other district residents have fought against the Capitol and in most cases, defeated them. However, like in any war, there were losses. Family and friends of the main character were killed; players in the Games have been mentally scarred. So who ultimately won? We approach the sociological question of individuals versus social systems.
As to which side is more influential, Dr. Killian Searles, sociology professor, said, “To me, this is sort of like this question: which is more a fruit an apple or an orange? ‘Society’ as a social system has a life of its own. One cannot chop down half of the trees and declare that the forest doesn’t exist anymore.”
From one perspective, the Capitol has controlled the District and forced individuals to fight against each other to the death in the Hunger Games for years. Clearly, at this point, the government had control. And by pitting the individuals against one another, the society was unable to change the system themselves. Only when Katniss became a contestant did anyone try to rebel against the capitol.
Alyssa Gray, first-year student, said, “It’s the reactions and ideas of these people that spur the Capitol’s every move. The social system’s governing power will go to any stretch in order to maintain their hold on society.”
By having read the trilogy, Gray believes that both the individuals and social systems have equal opportunity and may influence each other exponentially. Dana Martin, first-year student, agrees that individuals are not powerless.
“Without citizens, there is no society, no matter how hard leaders try and control their people,” she said.
What motivates citizens, in the novel or in real life, to initiate a change? Besides the obvious drive to support and protect her mother and sister, Katniss displays strong traits that spark a rebellion. Searles said that bravery, motivation, “stick-to-itiveness,” perseverance, vision, and compassion can drive a person to act. When more people join the cause, it will then create a snowball effect and have more of an impact.
In the third novel, this along with personal motivation makes Katniss a leader in a war against the Capitol.
Even before the Hunger Games she participated in, she had to go to drastic measures to feed her family, such as trespassing on illegal grounds to hunt. The only interaction that she had with fellow contestant Peeta Mellark at this time was an incident at his family’s bakery in which he purposely burned a loaf of bread so they could not sell it and Katniss could take it. He was then punished by his mother for his actions. As the readers, we feel sympathy for Peeta because his wrongdoing seemed morally justified. Gray said, “Despite the fact that he intentionally burnt the bread in order to give it to Katniss, his overall intention was good and pure, which would overshadow the harm of the deed.”
Martin, however, said, “I feel as though it was alright for him to be punished. Plus, the bakery business was the only way Peeta’s family was able to make a living in District 12, so to his father and mother it was not just a simple mistake. He essentially wasted profit.”
The justification of Peeta’s wrongdoing is emphasized to make the reader take the side of district citizens. This is what they have to go through because this is what the Capitol forces. They provide no help.
Searles said, “It is hard to imagine a society without proscriptions for what is legal and illegal. Understanding a crime still does not excuse it. The response can certainly shift, however. The ‘punishment’ could be a creative response such as helping others.”
The Capitol uses fear as a way to persuade the districts to do as they want. In the annual Hunger Games alone, they kill young adults and torture the others until they are permanently scarred. It is effective in Suzanne Collins’ trilogy, and in real life. Searles said it also helps to define a leader.
She said, “Fear is so powerful, particularly when unacknowledged. It influences any of us to change our behavior, to act or not act for fear of what could result. Often those we admire most, the leaders who rise to prominence, are risk-takers who don’t respond to their fear in the same way others do.”
Katniss responded to her fears much differently than most others. After the death of her sister, disappearance of friends, and jeopardy of love interests, she still defeated the Capitol; whether she won what she was looking for, however, is a matter of opinion. She loses her family, best friend, and her home is destroyed. Almost everything she was fighting for is gone. The trilogy does, though, end on an optimistic note, and most readers, including Martin, believe that she has won the war for the rebels.
She said, “Even though many of Katniss’ loved ones were killed off, I feel as though she had won because she had shown the Capitol that she will continue toward rebellion without stopping. By not slowing down to mourn she is giving inspiration to other members in other districts to someday take her place or start their own rebellion.”
PHOTO COURTESY of thedome.ua.edu
