Sociological Analysis of “the Hunger Games”

Sociological Analysis of “The Hunger Games”

Desiree Brown

SOC 305

Professor Saimbert

The study of sociology can help one obtain a better understanding of society. In order to understand this study, theorists have come up with many diverse theories. The movie The Hunger Games demonstrates sociological concepts of social stratification, class and caste system, stereotypes, social mobility as well as wealth inequality. The Hunger Games is a movie, which was originally a novel, which follows Katniss Everdeen as she enters, participates in, and wins the Hunger Games Tournament. The tournament consist of 24 contestants are forced into a gigantic arena to battle to the death. In the film The Hunger Games, the nation of Panem, which was once made up of 13 districts, centered around The Capitol, until the thirteenth district protested. They were quickly put down and as retribution the remaining 12 districts would supply two citizens, known as tributes, to the Capitol each year to compete in the Hunger Games, a brutal fight to the death. The winner is then rewarded with multiple gifts, as well as their home district receives a surplus of food for one year. The government of Panem holds these annual tournaments as a reminder of the power they hold over its citizens. This film can be studied sociologically because there are many examples of sociological concept that we have covered throughout the course.

In Panem, wealth is heavily portrayed through the people living in the Capitol and certain other districts, and the result is a massive gap between their lives and the lives of the poor. This district system validates Panem's own system of class, where The Capitol is the upper class, with the most money and technology, who consumes the resources from the 12 districts. District's 1, 2, 3 or 4 are the upper middle class, while the rest of the districts are probably less wealthy, with District 12 being considered the poorest district. Because they have the greatest...