Jun Yoon

Professor Marsh
English 114B
26 March 2016
The Hunger Games
It would be no exaggeration to say that the novel The Hunger Games represents the
society or country that is ran by absolute power and authority. Throughout the book The Hunger
Games many themes are displayed such as power, love, competition, and so on. Out of many
themes that are presented, theme of society and class seems to be the overall and main theme
according to many scenes and the way novel is written. The story mainly revolves around the
Capitol of Panem and citizens of each District. The main character named Katniss Everdeen from
District 12 goes through the cruel game created by the government of Panem. Through
conflictions, struggles, and competition that Katniss experiences, the novel shows the
dictatorship and absolute control of the government towards innocent and powerless citizens. For
instance how Panems capital is shown in the novel is similar to todays North Korea in terms of
dictatorship and power that is centered on a person or group of people. Both government of
North Korea and Panem seem to be very ignorant of their citizens but only care about their own
interests and power.
President Snow the main antagonist is the ruler of the Capitol and Panem. He is imaged
as brutal and a total dictator having all the power and control over every citizens and districts. It
is hard to deny the presence of President Snow and it would be no surprise to say every word that

comes out of him is considered as rules and orders in the Capitol. Even the annual Hunger Game
in which competitors compete and kill each other in order to survive is under the control of
President Snow. Citizens in districts are required to treat the Hunger Games as a festivity and the
novel states the twenty-four tributes will be imprisoned in a vast outdoor arena that could hold
anything from a burning desert to a frozen wasteland. (Katniss 18) This whole idea of the
Hunger Games comes from the President Snow and it seems like that is one of the ways of
President Snow to put citizens under the impression that they are in control of the Capitol. It is
also shown how he uses military forces to have citizens under the control and violence if anyone
goes against him for any reason. Similar characteristics of President Snow could be found in Kim
Jung-un the current dictator of North Korea. Kim Jung-un after death of his father has given the
power and authority of the whole North Korea. Just like his father Kim Jung-un is using his
power with no regulations to achieve what he wants and rules the country in his ways. Just like
President Snow Kim Jung-un as well uses military power to harm innocent citizens and punish
those who show any rebellious actions towards him.
System of Panem is very simple but very cruel at the same time. Citizens in each district
must produce certain amount of resources decided by the government and if they fail to do so
they are under trouble and consequence by military forces. Another problem shown in the novel
is the huge difference in class of the citizens in Capitol and citizens in districts. As described in
the novel, the Capitol is urbanized and developed city of Panem compared to the rest of districts
in which the many of poor and powerless citizens live. Everything such as food and resources are
sufficient in the Capitol. Compared to the Capitol, citizens in districts suffer from starvation and
lack of care of the government. Katniss going over the prohibited electrified to haunt food for her
family even though trespassing in the woods is illegal(Katniss 5) shows how serious and

harsh the struggle is for those citizens in districts. The same situation is happening in North
Korea. Pyongyang is the capital of North Korea and also where all wealthy people are gathered
together. Pyongyang is not allowed for everyone but only certain people usually those with
wealth and authority. Just like the Capitol Pyongyang is the only city in North Korea that has
been advanced, urbanized, and developed. It is also stated that there is a huge difference in class
in North Korea and those people who fall into the hostile class are discriminated against in
terms of employment, food, housing, medical care, and place of residence. (Oh Page2)
Freedom of expression and speech does not seem to be available by individuals according
to the novel. The scene takes place when Rue from District 11 dies after her reunion with
Katniss. After death of Rue Katniss sends hand signals to her district so show gratitude,
admiration, and good bye to Rue who had sacrificed her life and helped Katniss during many
circumstances. What happens when Katniss sends hand signals is the government prohibits the
hand signals and forces execution over those people that refused to do so. The government feared
the rebellious force motivated by the hand signals sent from Katniss and tried to stop any
opposing force from rising and gathering for a rebellion. North Korea is no different. It is not a
new fact that North Korea is ignoring many of personal rights including the freedom of
expression. Citizens in North Korea are not allowed to state their opinions or thoughts by any
means but just to obey what Kim Jung-un does and say. Not following the rule or ignoring to be
obedient often put citizens in harsh punishment or even execution at the most. Not only the
freedom of expression but many of human rights are being abused at the moment and people
who rebel usually end up at secret prison camps, known as kwanliso, where hundreds of
thousands of North Koreans are believed to have died through starvation, execution or other
means. (Walker Page 2-3)

There are in total 13 districts in Panem which are very different from the Capitol. The
novel reveals many scenes where those 13 districts are being treated differently and unequally.
Citizens in each district do not seem to have any happiness but only fear, pain, and struggles. 13
districts resemble those prison camps in North Korea. Conditions and environments of 13
districts from the novel are quite similar to those 14 prison camps in North Korea. Citizens in
North Korea are sent to prison camps for various reasons. Attempting to escape the country,
criticizing the leader, being a Christian, and showing any rebellious movements are the main
reasons for them to be sent to one of the prison camps. In prison camps people are forced to work
and get tortured in various ways. Living conditions are very poor in prison camps. People there
get almost no food, sleep, rest, or even a chance to wash. Starvation even caused people in
prisons to eat live worms or snakes caught in the field to feel something in their stomachs.
(Park Page 3-4) Similar images could be seen in those 13 districts. Citizens of 13 districts are
always watched by the government just like those people in prison camps which is to make sure
that they are living only according to the rules that the government has created. 13 districts just
as well suffer from starvation, torture of oppression, and personal rights that are abused.
The agitation through media seems to be taking place in both the novel and North Korea.
In terms of dictatorship media seems to be a very important factor for many reasons. The Capitol
of Panem and also 13 districts all own televisions and often are forced to gather and watch as a
whole group. When people of District 12 gathered for the event, the event was on screens as its
televised live by the state. (Katniss 17) The Hunger Game that Katniss joined was also streamed
over media for everyone to see. The point here is that there is an extortion of obedience of the
government through the media. It is almost like the government of Panem is using televisions to
brainwash and put those people in district 13 in control. It is no different in North Korea. The

government of North Korea uses the media to brainwash people to respect, obey, and praise the
leader which is Kim Jung-un. Media in North Korea is usually focused on the topic of Kim Jungun most of the time and is only used for governments benefits. Apparently most of North
Korean news reports consistently deny the chronic famine conditions exist in North Korea
despite evidence that mass starvation and crop failures have occurred. (Schemer Page 4) Media
such as radios, televisions, and newspaper have been great tools for dictators and they are still
being used for benefits of those ones in power and control.
There are many similarities and resemblances in many aspects, features, and conditions
of living between Panem and North Korea. In both countries many of personal rights are taken
away, lives of low class people are harsh, and the government works for themselves not the
people of its country. . For instance how Panems capital is shown in the novel is similar to
todays North Korea in terms of dictatorship and power that is centered on a person or group of
people. Both government of North Korea and Panem seem to be very ignorant of their citizens
but only care about their own interests and power. North Korea is not the only country that
represents such government portrayed in the novel and it is hard to believe that a country like
Panem from the novel actually exists. The Hunger Games does a great job of representing
todays corrupted government and society in many ways. Interactions between the Caipitol and
13 districts and cruel Hunger Games which is the main event of the novel all add up to create
reflections of todays country similar to Panem.

Work Cited
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
Kongdan, Oh. "Political Classification and Social Structure in North Korea." The Brookings
Institution. Brookings, 05 June 2003. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.
Park, Madison. "North Korea: 'We Were Forced to Eat Grass and Soil'" CNN. Cable News
Network, 17 Feb. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.
Schemer, Elizabeth D. "Press Reference." North Korea Press, Media, TV, Radio, Newspapers.
Press Reference, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.
Walker, Peter. "North Korea Human Rights Abuses Resemble Those of the Nazis, Says UN
Inquiry." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 18 Feb. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.