Control or be

controlled?
Dystopian texts often carry a dark
mysterious message, they make us
ponder on the idea if we can make the
world a better place? Can you even
imagine what it would feel like to be a
character inside a video game?
Constantly being watched and
controlled. How would you feel?
Knowing that your every decision
was made for you and that you
couldn't be yourself? What would you
do? In our case study of dystopian texts
we have discovered that some texts
explore a better world whilst others
present a more darker society which
focuses on the extreme measures of
control and violence. Divergent, The
100, Elysium and our case study
Gathering Blue all provide us with a
glimpse of hope. Whilst The Maze
Runner and The Hunger Games have a
different view, as they show little hope
and most definitely do not show a better
future for their community. Even the
slightest amount of hope may not be
enough to defeat the control of one
society.

In the text Gathering Blue, the

improve each and every aspect

idea of an improved society is

of it. The village is under

both challenged and supported

immense control by the council

to a certain extent. This is

in an unsuccessful attempt to

evident through the controlling

improve their society. The

nature of the Council of Edifice.

protagonist Kira is left vulnerable

This disadvantaged society,

after her mothers death and falls

continues to fall down a never

into the protection of the Council

ending spiral of problems caused

of Edifice yet to see through their

by the presence of control, yet to

disloyalty.

be resolved. Without the will to

the Council of Edifice reveals

improve the standard of living in

itself to be a controlling and

this society, the world will never

misleading society, obsessed

become a better society, one

with maintaining the gifts of the

which allows each individual to

special individuals.

express their opinion, in a way

that will benefit the society and

As the story unfolds

This is shown in the quote The

huge bell in the tower of the
Council Edifice began to ring. The
bell governed the peoples lives. It
told them when to begin work and
when to stop, when to gather for
meeting, when to prepare for a
hunt, celebrate an event, or arm
for danger... This quote shows the
controlling nature they imposed upon
those who live in this society. The
continuous listing and repetition
shows the immense control over the
gifted. The use of short sentences
grabs the reader's attention and
allows the reader to ponder on the
sentence. The bell governed the
people's lives is a clear example of
the dominant control the council has
over the gifted. The Council of
Edifice decision to force the gifted
individuals to comply with the rules
that they believe will benefit
themselves, without taking into
consideration the advancing of
technology reinforces their need for
control and power. Furthermore, the
bell is a symbolic gesture in this
extract which represents order and
law within the community. The
symbolic gesture of a bell upholds its
powerful presence of control

and

obedience amongst society. It has

become our understanding that in
order to live in a structured society
controlled is forced upon individuals.
It is clear that in this text creating
levels of importance within society
confirms the presence and dominant
feature of control in all texts.

Linking The Hunger Games and

enjoyment in seeing young kids battle

Gathering Blue together they both share

and fight to the death, this is evidently

a common theme of being trapped and

shown when the game men quotes the

have no control in a society with a ruling

hunger games as it brings us all

class. Both rulers are very powerful and

together. This further explains to the

run the collections of societies and

audience that in The Hunger Games

districts amongst the communities. In the

there is a clear political and ruling class.

film The Hunger Games it is clear that

which show no sympathy to those

the way people live in this society is

battling out in poverty and worse those

definitely not a sustainable and healthy

fighting for their lives in the games. This

environment and will certainly not make a

highlights that the capital is very oblivious

better world. However for The capital that

to the fact they are cruel and controlling

is a different story. The Capital is seen as

as they think they are better than

the political and ruling class of the city

everyone else. In the scene where

and shows great amounts of control

president snow is talking to game show

towards those living in the run down

host he states Taking kids from our

districts. The capital not only shows

districts, forcing them to kill one

control through living condition it also

another while we watch this is the

give very harsh orders to those living in

Capitols way of reminding us how

the poverty of the districts by being

totally we are at their mercy. How little

forced to entering into the Hunger

chance we would stand of surviving

Games. The capital themselves live

another rebellion This quote clearly

freely from poverty, starvation and death.

shows the ruling and control the capital

Throughout the film hope is also

has over the other districts and show no

conveyed to be an underlying core theme

sense of hope for change. In conclusion

of the film which gives characters the

it is clearly highlighted that in this society

comfort of believing in a better future

there is a controlling class which gives

when in fact there is no better feature for

and shows no hope for a better feature

those living in the districts. In the

whilst The Capitals in charged.

opening scene of the film we are

introduced to The Capital who portray
themselves as rulers and controllers of all
the districts. There approach to The
Hunger Games highlights there pure

To answer the question can we make

example of this idea of control in

the world a better place? In my

Divergent is when the leader of

personal opinion I believe we can

Erudite, Jeanine Matthews uses a

make the world a better place as the

mind control chip and serum in the

film Divergent has outlined warnings to

Dauntless in order to twist their way of

us suggesting what we shouldn't do in

thinking and obey the Erudite

our society otherwise there will be

commands (Mind Control Scene).

why this film suggests that we can

Hope was also a very important

make the world a better place is that

concept in these two texts as it fuels

the human relationships between

the characters lives and ambitions of

characters give a sense of hope and

improvement and equality. The human

self worth to the people in this society.

relationships in Divergent also give a

Divergent also focuses on the strive for

sense of hope as the characters have

life and how people can change the

emotional attachments with each other

problematic things in society to

and possess responsibility for their

hopefully have a better outcome. This

lives and safety.

and have economic value and equal

worth to each other. This idea of self
worth and unity allows us, in a modern
day world, to realise our mistakes and
be united as a community to achieve
the peace, appreciation and freedom
that our nations need to function as a
safe and secure society. Comparably,
Gathering Blue and Divergent both
share the same answer to the question
can we make the world a better
place?. The reason for this judgement
is that the novel Gathering Blue gives
the community within the text a sense
of hope and ambition to go on living as
there is the option of leaving to go live
in another community that is accepting
and trustworthy. This accepting and
trustworthy environment is also
evident in Divergent as the characters
strive and hope to change their society
into a better and united one.

are formed, whilst directing its means

towards the protagonist who chooses to
compromise their own beliefs, going
against the authoritarian power. Who we
are and who we need to be to survive
are two very different things So its

awful consequences. Another reason

allows the community to live in unity

P
. erceptions of morality and compromise

clear to say were viewing a society living

by the theory of survival of the fittest and
thicken by fear. The authority is often
compelled to sacrifice the few in order to
save the many. Through these actions an
adverse and repulsive society is
formulated, leaving outliers whom contain
a secure sense of hope, as they are
consumed by the desire to reach a city,
which contains this very sense of hope and

__________________________

unity whilst disregarding the existence of

any controlling figure. Well, this occurs

Its interesting to say that hope is not

whilst half of the society keep a closed

embedded within the many, in fact very

mindset continuing to typically follow the

few choose to adopt the idea and

controlling figures forcing them to comply.

attitude hope gives us. The idea can

So, for the hopeful few I pose a question,

often be disguised by the element of

does this so called society the city of light

control put into place.Im guessing you

really exist? Or is it just a perception

all know that as we grow we often

masked by the sense of hope each

being to formulate our own views on

individual forces themselves to uphold. So,

society, stepping away from what the

if hope embedded within in the few exists,

controlling figures in our lives have

we can make the world become a better

taught us. Well, the 100 halves into a

place. A warrior does not worry about

level playing field, with individuals

what they cant control so clearly control

consumed by hope, whilst disregarding

is an overarching theme and a force to be

control and the typical remaining who

reckoned with, the emphasis on the word

follow the controlling figures, in fear of

control correlates with the basic theme

having to fend for themselves and

involved in dystopian texts .In a similar

make their own selfless decisions.

way, Gathering blue draws from this sense

These people are confronted with a

of hope and will to improve the standard of

moral dilemma, one that seems

the existing society, the text also

realistically consequential.

this society in the sense of division in both

societies.

The focus of control is evident in both

Divergent and the Gathering Blue. An

mirrors

Life is not a blessing for those who live on

conveys their dominate power and

Different techniques used by film

Earth; in fact its quite the opposite.

masculinity. This shows their extreme

producers allow the audience to engage

Citizens on Earth yearn to live aboard

power and dominance causes the mother

and understand the nature and issues of

Elysium, an advanced society which is

to feel threatened and vulnerable by the

the film better, for example, the dark

situated on a luxurious spacecraft.

agents. Throughout the scene

intimidating music that is being played

However Elysium explores whether we

suspenseful, eerie music is accompanied

while the focus is on the authority figures

can really make the world a better place

this provides the audience with a sense of

and their controlling power really conveys

by trying to control individuals?

uncertainty and fear. However, this scene

a sense of evil and destruction to the

also explores the sense of hope as it

audience. An example of the immense

Throughout the text we explore the sharp

provides comfort and reassurance for the

control is the quote 'now every morning,

division between two polarised societies

mother as she cradles her daughter in her

when those doors open, they run the

and the attempt to secure the longevity of

arms. Much like the protagonist Kira in

maze, mapping it, memorizing it, trying

Elysium by controlling citizens on Earth.

Gathering Blue she also continues to

to find a way out. this quote shows that

Special agents and officers controlled by

linger to sense of hope as her world

the daily routine that takes place in the

Elysium roam the streets of Earth forcing

crumbles around her.

community revolves around the desire of

civilians to comply with certain rules and

j u r i s d i c t i o n s . S i m i l a r l y, m u c h l i k e

freedom and to escape the maze, this

________________________________

Gathering blue, The Council of Edifice

controls their lives and becomes a part of

attempt to build a secure environment

What do you get if you cross the maze

that protects the vulnerability of gifted

runner and gathering blue? Well... Lets

individuals. The protagonist Max DeCosta,

just say it's not all sunshine and roses.

a man who has committed

several

felonies seems to attract trouble wherever

he goes. After highjacking a prestigious
company, Armdyne Max poses great
threat to loved ones and friends, as he
becomes a prime suspect on the run.
Throughout this scene there are various
camera angles, which speaks of the
mastery of the film. These camera angles
explore the intense interrogation of Maxs
childhood friend and daughter. We
understand from this scene that these
agents thrive off control and power. They
use their masculinity and control in order
to be viewed as more superior figures. By
using this advantage they are able to
belittle their victims in order for them to
feel inferior when compared themselves.
The low angle shot over the mother and
child, conveys that they are vulnerable
and afraid. Hence reinforcing these
agents extreme control thus portraying the
mother and daughter as helpless and

proves that the characters imprisonment

If your looking to learn about the struggles

and destruction of the lives of fictional
characters youve come to the right place
because that's exactly what these two
texts are about. Between the overbearing
authority figures and the imprisonment of
people, these characters cant seem to
catch a break, so based on these two
texts I pose the question, 'can we make
the world a better place? I wouldnt count
on it. Both the Maze Runner and
Gathering Blue have something in
common, they are both trying to make a
change or improvement to their
community, but can you really make the
world a better place through control and
imprisonment?. In the Maze Runner the
entire movie shows the characters
constant struggle to try and survive in this
dystopian society.

their daily routine, robbing the characters

of a normal life. By using the technique of
listing the events that take place each day,
it further reinforces the idea of a set
routine and lifestyle that the characters
have been accustomed to for quite some
time. The underlying theme of control
throughout dystopian texts is evident in
both the Maze Runner and Gathering Blue
and it makes viewers rethink their answer
to the question being presented, think
about it logically, if there was a group of
people controlling your every move and
you are forced to live in captivity for the
rest of your life what would possess you to
think the world could be improved?

It would be fair to say that each dystopian

text carries a common theme of control
which is constantly challenged by the
emerging sense of hope. However, hope
sometimes isnt enough to override the
powerful sense of control, hence the
reason some dystopian worlds will never
be able to become a better place.