Panem Pros And Cons

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In spite of finding Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games in the young adult section of any bookstore like Barnes and Noble, this book series has captured an audience much larger than the one it was written for. The story has enthralled individuals of all age and genders since its publication in 2008 (Collins). Perhaps so many people are drawn to the series is due to Collins’ revitalization of dystopian fiction, and the amount of creativity and intricacy in the dystopia of Panem. Many adult readers could be drawn to distinguishable traits that Panem resembles to the real world, or Collins’ discussion of socioeconomic inequalities that run parallel to one's current existing in reality. Not only has Collins’ reached outside of her intended audience …show more content…

This same inequity that is observed in America everyday. Collins made a point that Panem is post-apocalyptic America, and distinguished the two classes that existed in this world. Capitol citizens or District citizens whichever socioeconomic class an individual was born into would be the one they stayed in. When Katniss described the electric fence that surrounds District 12 and trespassing out of it was illegal (Collins 4-5). The fence is the first indicator of the social control the Capitol has over the Districts. Keeping them divided and prohibited them from ever communicating with each other in order to inhibit their cooperation and reliance on the Capitol. The same underlying social division exists in the very nation that The Hunger Games was written in. Hardworking adults see paychecks disappearing to taxes and into the pockets of billion dollar corporation that are not required to pay the same …show more content…

And those who have the fortune of being born into the Capitol are completely unaware of the suffering that occurs in the Districts. Much like how Effie reacted to the past tributes from District 12 and was completely oblivious to the starvation and poverty that they endured.
“At least, you two have decent manners,” says Effie as we’re finishing the main course. “The pair last year ate everything with their hands like a couple of savages. It completely upset my digestion.” The pair last year were two kids from the Seam who’d never, not one day of their lives, had enough to eat. And when they did have food, table manners were surely the last thing on their minds. (Collins 44

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