Hunger Games vs Red Scare

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Recommended: Various themes in the hunger games

In the book The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins displays a variety of topics that most readers neglect to consider. One of key aspects she displays is the restriction against individuality. This is a similar theme that dominated the 1920s in America during the Red Scare. During this era many Americans were fearful of expressing views that were not in sync with the government’s perspective; likewise the capitol creates methods that inhibit the citizens ability to voice any opposing views. Most of the time, when controversial opinions were spoken, the punishments put in place were not worthy of the crime, such as the Sacco Vanzetti case in the 1921 and the imprisoning of the Avox girl. In order to keep this power as many people were imprisoned as possible during the Palmer efforts, similarly the reaping is held every year to show the citizens of Panem that they have no power whatsoever. Consequently, when a government provides strict standards, it hinders a person’s ability to be an individual.
During the Cold War, America was the main leader in the anticommunist movement also known as containment. With this being said, if you were an America citizen you were expected to support the government with this fight or you were considered to be a traitor. This movement led to the Red Scare, which was essentially the fear of being considered to be a communist. “The nation was gripped in fear. Innocent people were jailed for expressing their views, civil liberties were ignored…”(Burnett). Americans changed their personal beliefs and increased their nationalism just to prove they were not a communist to avoid, judgment, isolation, or even punishment. Similarly, in The Hunger Games each district is forced to promote how amazing and beneficia...

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...n a government is the group that states what is to be socially acceptable and what is not, it greatly hinders a person ability to act as an individual. Whether it is the fear of being classified as abnormal, false or unjust imprisonment, or making a show out of large groups of the abnormal people, it is all in order for the government to maintain control. Within both of these contexts it is more important for there to be a strong central government than to allow a person to truly be an unique, which in return takes away what is considered to be a persons right.

Works Cited
"47a. The Red Scare." The Red Scare [ushistory.org]. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
Burnett, Paul. "The Red Scare." The Red Scare. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
"The Red Scare in the 1920." The Red Scare in the 1920. History Learnig Site, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.

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