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You say you want a revolution? Well, you know… we all want to change the world.
Okay, so maybe the Beatles said it best. But when things aren’t to our liking, a
revolution is sometimes in order. In Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy,
the people of Panem have gotten sick and tired of being treated like garbage.
They don’t like having to sacrifice their children to the Hunger Games, and they certainly
don’t like the “Capitol” forcing them into poverty.
So…they organize… …and attempt to overthrow the government.
For the face of their rebellion they choose Katniss Everdeen, co-winner of the last Hunger
Games. Because of her defiance to the Capitol, she
now symbolizes Panem’s mounting frustration. But is this chain of events how a revolution
begins here in the real world? How plausible is Panem’s coup?
Well let’s take a look at another Revolution and compare…
How did the gears of war get started in the American Revolution?...
So, pretty much everyone in the colonies was unhappy with the British.
People would get together in small groups to express their dissatisfaction and organize
revolts, however they couldn’t exactly send out chain emails to all of their friends.
So all they could do was rebel on a smaller level.
Their hope was that their actions would create a spark that would light a fire.
And the courageous acts of a few colonists inspired the rest to fight.
But things go down much differently in the Hunger Games trilogy. First thing, the whole
revolution happens pretty much at once, rather than sporadically and in different locations.
Secondly, while they are just as much under the thumb of their government as the colonists…
…the citizens of Panem have a place called District 13 to prepare for battle.
All in all, it is a much more organized plan than any other Revolution in our world’s
history. So have we concluded that Collins’ depiction
of revolution is unrealistic? Or is it a sign of the times?
With the growth of technology, everything in the world is changing, and war is no exception.
Today, you can create a website promoting a cause, and before you know it, you have
a million hits. Even Egypt created a large number of pro-democracy
protests that merely began as a Facebook page. Because the Hunger Games takes place in the
future, the people of Panem have access to the same types of technology that we have.
So this begs the question. Is the uprising in Panem credible? Or are you a cynic?
Shmoop amongst yourselves. And may the odds of arriving at a conclusion be ever in your
favor.
YouTube blurb:
You love The Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen is your hero. You might even organize a revolution
yourself, if you didn’t get quite so queasy at the sight of blood. But hey – you really
don’t have it so bad. About the only thing you’re randomly selected for is a Best Buy
gift card. (Careful – it’s a scam.)