Dehumanization In The Hunger Games

How would you try to survive in a world that is never in your favor? A world where you are not an individual but a cog in the machine. Freedom is not guaranteed in this world; you’re constantly trying to survive the tribulations of where you unfortunately live. Does that sound familiar? That’s because it is. There are many examples of this dystopian idea in real life: books, poems, games, and even music! It’s most notable in a young adult novel by Suzanne Collins, "The Hunger Games." The Hunger Games is a dystopian novel about the tyranny of Panem’s ruling government, the Capitol. The 12 districts in Panem are ruled by the Capitol. After the 13 districts rebelled against the Capitol, they destroyed the 13th District and created the Hunger Games.

Dehumanization is the process of depriving a person or group of positive human qualities. This means treating a human as anything other than a human: a pet, an alien, or a slave. "The three step back and admire their work. ‘Excellent! You almost look like a human being now!’ says Flavius, and they all laugh" (Collins 62). When Katniss is given a makeover by the stylists at the Capitol, they objectify and belittle her. She’s called hairy and filthy, and they try to change her because she doesn’t fit the Capitol’s norms. "How many roads must a man walk down / Before you call him a man?" (Dylan, "Blowin’ in the Wind"). Bob Dylan is referring to the harsh racism of the 1960s in the United States of America, but this applies to any case of dehumanization. It talks about how some people aren’t considered even human and how much they must do before that point of view is changed, similar to how the Capitol views anyone other than their own. "But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams / his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream / his wings are clipped and his feet are tied / so he opens his throat to sing" (Angelou, "Caged Bird," lines 27–30). Maya Angelou uses metaphor in that the caged bird represents African Americans being subjected to harsh racism and dehumanization in the 1960s. African Americans weren’t allowed to drink from the same water fountains or be in the same schools as

'Whose idea was the hand holding?’ asks Haymitch. ‘Cinna's,’ says Portia. ‘Just the perfect touch of rebellion,’ says Haymitch." (Collins 79). During the opening ceremony, Katniss and Peeta, the tributes from District 12, held hands as a sign of rebellion against the Capitol, their oppressors. "The answer my friend, is blowin’ in the wind / The answer is blowin’ in the wind" (Dylan, "Blowin’ in the Wind"). The song asks questions about how long it must take to stop and challenge the oppression of African Americans in the 1960s. "A free bird leaps / on the back of the wind / and floats downstream / till the current ends / and dips his wing / in the orange sun rays / and dares to claim the sky / But a bird that stalks / down his narrow cage / can seldom see through / his bars of rage / his wings are clipped and / his feet are tied / so he opens his throat to sing" (Angelou, "Caged Bird," lines 1–14). In the poem, there are two birds: one is free, and the other is trapped. The cage represents oppression, and the caged bird wants to escape that oppression, so he speaks out. When you are oppressed, you lose your freedom, so it makes sense that you’d want to fight for the right to