Blog Post #29: Catching Fire and Philosphy

In my book Catching Fire, the citizens of Panem are isolated in this controlling world of the rich and the extremely poor. That's it. There is no middle. In the book the people of Panem have absolutely no freedom, they shall do as the President says or face severe consequences. You can try to agree that the citizens still have freedom and is just punished if they do, they technically may still have freedom but they will be punished, so I wouldn't consider that freedom.

In Panem, freedom is a big issue because in every district every year two tributes are forced to fight to the death with twenty two other tributes and it isn't a choice, they can be executed if they choose not to. I believe The Hunger Games takes away their freedom, its not like they even have a choice its just that it's that this is their punishment for doubting the government centuries ago. But I believe the government doesn't have the right to take away their freedom because if the government haven't made such harsh rules before none of this would have happened, Panem would still be a happy place where the citizens weren't in poverty. I believe that since Panem is the only piece of land left on the earth that The Hunger Games can prevent overpopulation which may be a good thing, but also forcing kids to lose sanity and kill each other because they have to, is cruel and not the way to punish the country. 


Another way I think freedom may be a huge issue and concern in Catching Fire is because in this book the citizens of Panem have absolutely no freedom at all. 
Some people may think yes yes, some people say they can see the future so then you don't have freedom they just have options but they aren't really options since the choice was already chosen for them, but in terms of rights and having democracy and all that good stuff, the citizens have none of that. They can't vote for a president, they cannot know what goes on outside of their own districts, and only the richest people in the world can have access to the Capitol. If they want to change all this and get freedom, their only choice is to either start an uprising or runaway and live in the woods, and both of those choices would be punishable by death if any person of authority like a peacemaker, are to find you.


In conclusion, in The Hunger Games trilogy freedom is a huge issue, and not having freedom is one big part of the story and series in general. The reason why Panem even has a Hunger Games and districts and stuff is because the government don't allow the citizens to be free.