Sargusingh 1

Faith Sargusingh

Mrs. Abraham

ENG1DR

May 13 2019

Dystopian Domination In​ The Hunger Games

Parties in positions of authority tend to often abuse their power in many ways, which

inflicts negative effects on the rest of society. In Suzanne Collins’ bestseller, ​The Hunger Games​,

each District suffers due to maltreatment from the country’s unjust dictatorship, the Capitol City.

The Capitol is abusing their rights of power over the Districts of Panem, treating the majority of

the population poorly in emotionally abusive and physical ways. The Capitol does as such in

three ways: by restricting the District’s basic human rights, by attempting to rearrange or change

their mindsets, and by making jurassic threats against them. Through closely analysing the ways

in which the Capitol abuses their power over Panem, it becomes evident the effects are nothing

but negative. This proves the Capitol’s leadership throughout Panem is an unrightful one.

The Capitol restricts the District’s basic human rights, which of course, greatly confirms

their negative image as the unethical rulers of Panem. The barbed wire fence encircling each

District, not only confines them, but rids them of their freedom. In chapter three of ​The Hunger

Games​, Katniss is greatly distraught over this subject, claiming it “[encloses] all of District 12...

a high chain link fence topped with barbed-wire loops” (Collins 4). As the Capitol insists on

utilizing barbed-wire and chain, it becomes clear that the Capitol is purposely trying to trap the

citizens of Panem within their proper Districts. This is paramount because the action of refining a

human to a specific confined space, is not only absurd and impractical, but also unjust. All
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humans should have the right to their freedom, just as the law currently states today. In addition

to the idea of basic human rights, food is an essential resource for all life and therefore should be

equally accessible and distributed among the citizens of a country, in order for it to run smoothly.

The fact that the country’s governors have all the food they desire yet can still sit by while their

society starves, is simply inhumaine. “The Capitol will show the winning districts gifts… while

the rest of us battle starvation,” remarks Katniss sadly, while pondering on the topic of the

Hunger Games and the rewards of becoming victorious (Collins 19). This implies the remainder

of Panem starves the majority of the year, and that in itself is not leading or governing with

proper purposes or emotions. It makes clear that the Capitol is not in the slightest bit concerned

about their citizens health or well being. Due to the fact that food, and all the other necessary

needs for survival have already been established in the past, the Capitol well knows what the law

should resemble, and they simply choose to ignore it. Therefore, by ridding the Districts of their

basic human rights, the Capitol shows themselves to be nothing more than an unfair minority

who call themselves “royalty”.

By meddling with their future generation’s minds’, the Capitol is encouraging and

unleashing violent behaviour throughout Panem. Their attempt to conquer the young minds of

children through violent manors, such as the games, is an example of how the Capitol City is

abusing their power over Panem’s habitants. While having a deep conversation with Katniss,

Peeta confesses to her, “I don’t want [the Capitol] to change me in there, turn me into some kind

of monster I’m not” (Collins 141). Peeta’s words reveal that he is frightened the games will

change him from the kind person he is, to a killing machine. Peeta’s statement proves that the

games is the Capitol’s way of trying to force the tributes into adapting to their hateful killing

ways. The Capitol’s mind manipulation could very well change anyone’s entire identity as a
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person. This is of importance, because forcing humans, even children, to kill each other against

their will, is certainly abusive and will cost some their lives! ​Consequently, trying to change

someone’s mindset or way of thought, is criminal. Katniss is an independent girl and hates owing

others, however, she is a girl of her word and would never break a promise, nor let any debt go

unpaid for. After the Gamemakers had announced there could only be one victor, Katniss’

actions surprises even herself, when she states, “Before I am even aware of my own actions, my

bow is loaded with the arrow pointed straight at [Peeta’s] heart” (Collins 343). The idea that

Katniss was not even aware of her own actions, was proof that the Capitol’s ways were

beginning to interfere with her head. This information is fact-based because despite the respect

and debt Katniss has for Peeta, the Capitol has made him appear as the enemy when they are the

real foe. It is significant due to the fact that influencing Katniss, (the girl who always repays her

debt) to almost go on to kill the boy with the bread, (the one whom she owes her life to) shows

the Capitol is indeed encouraging their hateful ways among children, and are also succeeding at

their scheme. Therefore, the manipulation of one’s mind, the way the Capitol has performed it

(through encouraging and supporting violence), is inhumane, and is not the proper way to gain

authority among a country.

The Capitol sustains their leadership by governing the country through threats and fear,

which is not just to the citizens of Panem. The Capitol has not only created muttations that can

“hunt down anyone… and attempt to kill them” for the purpose of the war, since after the war,

“the Capitol destroyed the nests surrounding their city but the ones near the districts were left

untouched” (Collins 185). The Capitol’s behaviour and choice to only remove the killing

machines which threatened their city, proves that they are indeed purposely leaving the nests

near the Districts unharmed, in order to scare the citizens of Panem and remind them of who is in
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charge. This is significant, due to the fact that the Capitol is therefore using the muttations to

scare all of Panem, in order to raise themselves into power. Therefore controlling humans

through fear, especially fear such as death by mutated animals, is certainly not the right way to

rule a country. The games are also another way in which the Capitol threatens the districts into

obeying their rules and laws. “In punishment for the uprising, each of the twelve districts must

provide one girl and one boy, called tributes… the competitors must fight to the death” recalls

Katniss, while she remembers the rules of the Hunger Games. These segments reveal that the

Capitol is fearful of a rebellion, and the Hunger Games is their way of threatening the districts so

that they are too feeble to repeat the past uprising against them. This is important because by

trapping 24 kids in an arena, and sentencing 23 of them to their death each year for the faults of

another generation, is simply not right. As a result, making threats in order to maintain a position

of power over a population, is simply wrong and unfair to those being governed.

The Capitol’s way of ruling has negative effects on the Districts and has been proved to

be unfair and unjust. By restricting the population’s basic human rights, attempting to manipulate

their citizens' minds, and by threatening their own country to obtain a position of authority, the

Capitol has shown over and over that they are treating the residents of Panem unfairly. ​Therefore

the Capitol is abusing their rights over the people of Panem, which affects the majority of the

country in negative ways. In conclusion, this empowering novel demonstrates how those in

power over a country are not always ruling in their nation’s best interests, and it is vital to always

be aware of those abusing their rights of authority, and to take a stand against unjust leadership.