Societies in which people have no voice where the government rules everything and anything. Where life and the conditions of living is a form of deprivation. You might just think of this place in our world as North Korea or Cuba. Now if you’re an average reader you would compare these societies to those in the Hunger Games or the society in Fahrenheit 451. These societies are types of dystopian societies. In Catching Fire the natural world is literally fenced off. The ruling power does not want citizens beyond the limits of their own district. On top of that, the fence is powered by electricity around the clock. The high authority might be doing this because they don't want anyone to feel truly free.
In the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury the protagonist Guy Montag is a firefighter in what is perceived at the time “the future.” the reason why I say “the future” is because this book came out in the 1950s. This book is supposed to predict what is known as today’s day and age. In this future although these firefighters aren’t the ones that you think they are. Instead of stopping fires they’re starting them. You might think they are just burning down houses and stuff, but what they really are burning is books. Yes you read it right. BOOKS. It’s not like you read them anyways, am I right. The government has these men burn books so people can’t have a higher knowledge.
Guy and Katniss are both part of a rebellious to stop the people in power and make a difference.
“If I had just killed myself with those berries, none of this would’ve happened. Peeta could have come home and lived, and everyone else would have been safe, too.”
“Safe to do what?” he says in a gentler tone. “Starve? Work like slaves? Send their kids to the reaping? You haven’t hurt people - you’ve given them an opportunity. They just have to be brave enough to take it.”(Collins, 99)
“We had to save you because you’re the Mockingjay, Katniss,” says Plutarch. “While you live, the revolution lives.”(Collins, 386)
Katniss is the voice of the voiceless people. She is the revolution and the Mockingjay is the symbol for a rebel and a new life. The three finger a salute that Katniss and the residents of District 12 used the sign to pay respect for Katniss and Peeta before boarding the train for the Quell. In District 11 during the Victory Tour, the crowd used the District 12 respect sign for Katniss, which was the last goodbye that she gave to Rue in the arena. The old man that had started it during the speech in District 11 was then publicly killed. Katniss symbols are what the whole revolution is about. People in these districts use these symbols to let them know they’re on their side.
“We must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the Constitution says, but everyone made equal. Each man the image of every other; then all are happy. So! A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon, Breach one man’s mind” (Bradbury, 58).
Books provide an outside knowledge to people. This knowledge could make one person more educated than another. This can be a problem because they do not want people to realize that they are forced to be in a, somewhat, perfect society due to this new knowledge. To prevent this, they would burn books to prevent new people from achieving this knowledge to rebel against the society. This rebellion will ruin all of the work the government did to make this society perfect.
Montag had to go burn an old ladies books in which he did, but whiling doing so he stole what is known as the last bible. When the fire chief found out by his wife who snitched on him he had to burn down his house. Then when the chief tries to arrest him he then smokes him up like a roasted turkey. He then goes to see his buddy who was an English professor and he tells him about a group that dedicated themselves to remembering books to rewrite them when society is ready for them. So Montag joins them with part of the bible in his mind
These two protagonist are people who are rebels for the good in a dystopian society. They want to make differences in their world so everyone is truly equal and have the right to an opportunity whether it be higher knowledge or to be truly free.
-J.L
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