In surreal worlds where lives are constantly at stake, motivation is key to overcoming obstacles. Both The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and The Maze Runner by James Dashner effectively provide insight on the struggles of a suppressed group versus their antagonist government. The need to endure the obstructions that approach these characters are meant to be solved in a variety of ways. The authors use the foundations of community, persistence and individual development, civilized behavior versus savagery, and sacrificial death to build up to the ultimate theme of survival. Their intuitive vision of probable futures demonstrates undesirable dystopian lifestyles which may not be so elusive from real life.
From the start of both novels, the readers are introduced to the communities of the protagonists. In The Maze Runner, it is evident that things cannot be accomplished alone because without a strong sense of community based on personal relationships, the Gladers would not survive. In a self-sustaining society, it is always better to work together than to fight about single decisions. This theme is shown throughout the novel when Thomas, the protagonist, finds a way to escape the maze. At first, everyone thought he was a felon when acting individually and entering it, but later the rest of the Gladers realize that he was just trying to find a way to free everyone. Thomas becomes friends with the head of the runners, Minho, which is a relationship that critically affects his ability to survive and find a way out of the maze that the creators developed. Minho “[nominates] this shank as keeper of the runners” (Dashner 158), which is proof that the community around the protagonist realizes that Thomas can be trusted. On the other han...
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...s an individual in order to survive the challenges trusted upon her by the Capitol. An example of this is how Katniss adapts to a different persona and pretends to love Peeta in front of the cameras for interviews during the games. She sells herself to the audiences throughout the world to obtain sponsors and to keep her family safe from the dystopian government. Despite the fact that Katniss does not truly love Peeta, "they are both wounded; they could die at any moment. Adrenaline is pumping through them. According to the misattribution of arousal, this physiological arousal could be mistaken for sexual arousal" (Goodfriend 7). This demonstrates that Katniss is capable of evolving her identity in order to survive the Hunger Games. It is evident in both novels that persistence and evolution of the individual is required to survive the suppression of a higher power.
Are friends the best resources when in need? Yes, no? Well in these stories they are. Like in Harry Potter, he used his friends all the time like when he is wondering Voldemort is still really still alive who are the people that he comes to…his friends. Or in The Maze Runner Thomas when thomas is wondering about if he should go out in the maze and face the greevier’s. Who are the people that he goes to...his friends! In these two stories Harry Potter and The Maze Runner there are some similarities, but there are also some differences.
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) written and directed by Guillermo del Toro is a dark fantasy film that uses fantasy and inspired true events of the after effects of the Spanish Civil War to create a symbolic parable that was influenced by fairy tales and myths. Even though this film is explicitly about the times during Franco it is also a film that can speak for any time period, past, present, and future. Through the use of phantasmagorical elements in the fantasy sequences del Toro uses doubling to reinforce the horrific events that have and can happen again in reality. The film takes place five years after the Spanish Civil War during Francisco Franco’s reign of terror. The story focuses on Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) as well as Ofelia’s evil stepfather, Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez). Both characters represent something bigger than they actually are; Ofelia is seen to represent Spain and the antifascists whereas Captain Vidal represents Franco and fascism. Ofelia has to complete three daunting tasks given to her by the Faun (Doug Jones) that is said to reunite her with her family, the King and Queen of the Underworld. Del Toro uses doubling of the mythical realm with the ‘real world’ throughout the film that emphasizes the underlying meaning of the film. The film also follows the story of the anti-fascists rebels that are hidden amongst the trees and mountains. The character Mercedes (Maribel Verdu) is able to fool Captain Vidal for most of the film and help the rebels. It is not until the near end of the film where Captain Vidal realizes that Mercedes has been helping the rebels the entire time and it is due partly because of his misogyny that he is unable to see her as a threat to his cause.
People do not have to fly to be hero, it takes much more. Many heroes of today are shown to have supernatural powers that makes them acquire amazing abilities, flying, super strength, skills to manifest anything, the list goes on. Our heroes in the present time are perceived by the audiences' mindset to have special powers but there are times where being a hero does not need to have all the extra tricks. Thomas, a character in The Maze Runner is thrown unconsciously with no memory into a place of the unknown called the Glades, consisting of only teenagers inhabiting the area. He would soon find out the whole place is bordered by a big wall that closes by night and day to protect them from the maze that are filled with demonic machines that will kill on sight. This begins his adventure, eager to learn what is out there and willing to become a maze runner which is equivalent to being a tribute for the greater good in their little homemade society. Having powers might help to become a hero, but in the dystopian novel The Maze Runner, by James Dashner, his protagonist Thomas demonstrates the hero journey in a more natural way by crossing the threshold, meeting a mentor, and lastly having tests, allies and enemies.
In addition, at the end of the Games, Katniss and Peeta are left with the question of either killing each other or both killing themselves. Collins says that after everyone is killed, the decision of the victor of the Hunger Games lies between Katniss and Peeta, both tributes from District Twelve; even though either tribute would be willing to give up their life for the other, they both decide to kill themselves after becoming fed up with the Games (344-345). Peeta and Katniss are so emotionally unstable from everything they have experienced with the Games that they both choose to die with each other. Furthermore, if an adolescent manages to survive the harsh war environment, they must still continue to fight the mental effects of the
In the novel, Katniss and Peeta, used the strategy of showing fake love in order to win hearts of the people and get attention of sponsors in order to survive the competition. Katniss’s on-air romantic relationship with Peeta, which helps her to survive throughout the course of the series, echoes the overtly dramatic romantic tensions at the center of so many reality shows, ranging from The Real World to The Bachelor. (Wright 102)
As an impoverished resident of District 12, the priorities that have shaped Katniss’ identity are those of survival. Whether is it in hunting the fields with her trusty bow and arrow, or trading her catch at the illegal hub, Katniss’ society has enabled her to hold many attributes and attitudes that would traditionally be considered as masculine. Her characteristic plait is done so for functional rather than fashionable purposes; she is a surrogate father over her sister Prim since his death in the coal mines; she is the main provider for her family; and her ‘romantic attachment’ to Gale has developed through his respect for stubborn and resilient nature rather that her looks or dependence upon
Hey you, Yeah… YOU! Would you want to live in a society where you live in a box for your entire life, and mean absolutely nothing to the just about anyone? For science right? NOPE! Obviously, Societies fall as a result of a corrupt government, Failing Social Structure, and Sickness. It is due to these factors that many great societies such as Greece, Rome, and the society depicted in the book Maze Runner fall.
In The Maze Runner, Thomas and a bunch of other guys from the glade are stuck in a giant maze with no way out. Thomas is the main character and this is how he follows the hero’s journey and becomes a hero. Reasons are Call to adventure, Ordeal, Death\, and rebirth, Crossing the threshold.
The Hunger Games was a critically acclaimed movie when it came out; however, some critics would argue that the movie can be sometimes too violent for its intended audience. In this essay I would dissert Brian Bethune’s essay “Dystopia Now” in order to find its weaknesses and compare the movie Battle Royale with his essay.
In the novel The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins a new country is created. Panem is born in place of North America, were the Hunger Games began. In the Hunger Games, there are 24 tributes. Tributes are people who live in the districts. The tributes in the Hunger Games are all the same. They kill one another and become the Capitols puppets. The tributes become violent, emotionless puppets. Then there is Katniss. Katniss is an excellent hunter and becomes lethal during the games. However, she has not lost her compassion. Katniss does not think of herself as a good person. When in reality she is a good person with a large heart, who puts others before herself.
Underestimated by her competitors, she was able to rise her way to the top by pulling out he secret weapons. Her hunting abilities, problem solving skills, and ability to think on the spot may not seem like super powers; however, they helped her survive and win the hunger games. Like Tris, Katniss also had a supernatural aid. Peeta was able to help Katniss make it through the games and they both made it out alive. Two to protagonists , Tris and Katniss, are alike in many ways and they both have the self-respecting, strong, smart, and independent qualities that one would expect to find in a
In The Maze Runner, Thomas recalls nothing of his life except for his name. He finds himself surrounded by a bunch of boys. Like all the other Gladers, Thomas appears in the Glade terrified and disoriented. However, he senses a powerful bond to the Maze. He quickly exhibits courage and confidence when he saves Alby and Minho from the Grievers after they had to spend the night in the Maze.
Since she is the female victor from district 12, she is in the 74th Hunger Games. She sees how painful and scary it is and so she tries to stop the capital which is who is controlling everything. She doesn’t want that to happen to anyone else. She rebels against President Snow in plan of eventually killing him to take over the capital and change the world. Teens can relate to this because a lot of the time we feel controlled. It might be by a parent, teacher, grandparent or someone else but all of us are controlled by someone. A lot of teenagers end up rebelling because they feel as if they have no choices. They go against the rules of who they are rebelling against. That persons rules and values are not necessarily right. Who decides what is right? It seems as if we have entered into a state time where there is no right and wrong. Katniss breaks free of that control and does her own thing. Another way teens can relate to the hunger games is through the love triangle. Some of us might have a similar situation of where we might like two people. In the movie it says, “What I need is not Gales fire, kindled with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself. What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. And only Peeta can
In The Hunger Games, the main character named Katniss finds her own way around the games. Katniss is not the person who likes to kill, she tried her best to kill as few people as possible, yet not get herself killed. Katniss hated the idea of the hunger games, so she wanted to try to find a way to stop it. Over the course of many books/movies, Katniss was able to go her own way and rebel against the rich people. She was unique, Katniss was able to get many people to respect her and help her fight against the rich. Like any other person, Katniss could have just followed the instructions given to her to be safe. However, this is not who she is, Katniss stuck up for what she believed in. She had a decision to defeat the rich and try to end the games, and she stuck to it. There are many movies and books in the arts that show people not following the crowd. So many show how people can be unique and be there own person. Any body can take there own road, just like
The Maze Runner is a 2014 mystery/science fiction film that can be viewed from an archetypal perspective. An archetype can be described as a pattern that can and is copied and recurring symbols or characters. The concept of archetypes came from Carl Jung a psychiatrist who believed that all cultures use archetypes to build stories without communicating to each other about them. Two groups of archetypes are the character and symbolic archetypes. The film The Maze Runner should be analyzed through an archetypal perspective because it has character and symbolic archetypes.