Category: Dystopia

A dystopia is a futuristic society, usually fictional, that is unpleasant and terrifying. the characteristics of a dystopian society are the use of propaganda to control, a person or concept worshipped by the citizens, the restriction of independent thought, information, and freedom, Citizens under constant surveillance, and dehumanization, and the citizen’s fear of the outside world. The novel The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins shows the apocalyptic version of what used to be North America now called Panem, a nation divided into 12 districts with the Capitol controlling it all. The nation of Panem possesses many elements of a dystopian society, the dehumanization of the citizens of Panem, the use of propaganda to control and the restriction of information and independent thought. It is these elements that are the most common of a dystopia and that prove that Panem is without a doubt, a dystopian society.

To begin with, the capitol dehumanizes the citizens of Panem. First of all, if one of the citizens of Panem rebels against the capitol that person gets punished. The punishment for going against the capitol is getting your tongue cut off and being a servant to the capitol. The traitors are known as Avoxes. making the citizens of Panem Avoxes is extremely dehumanizing because the capitol removes to ability to talk from these people and makes them servants to the people of Panem. They are treating these people like slaves and not like humans. When Katniss says she thinks she knows one of the Avoxes Haymitch says “She’s probably a traitor of some sort. Not likely you’d know her.” (Collins 76) This shows that the people don’t see Avoxes as humans but as traitors to the capital.

Second of all, the people of District 12 are starving and the capitol will only give them food if they add their name to the Hunger Games. In District 12 there is a big lack of food, and many people are dying from starvation, the capitol covers it with other explanations to make it seem like it isn’t a big problem. Katniss says “District Twelve. Where you can starve to death in safety” (Collins 6) which shows from someone on the inside of District 12 how unfair it all is. Also, Katniss has seen people die from starvation so this shows that starvation is a big problem in District 12. Some people like Gale and Katniss must hunt illegally to be able to put food on the table for the family that they must take care of. Also, in the district, there’s a place called the hob which is where everyone in District 12 buys and sells illegal items banned by the capitol, that’s their way of getting items they need. The capitol doesn’t help the citizens of District 12 unless they get a tesserae. a tesserae is a year’s supply of grain and oil for one person but in exchange, you must add your name to the glass balls at the reaping for an extra chance to enter the Hunger Games. So, the poor people must risk their lives to get only a year’s worth of grain and oil, this is dehumanizing because the poor people aren’t treated like normal human beings. Every human needs necessities like food, water, etc. but poor people can only get the necessities to survive by risking their lives.

Last of all, the capitol makes the citizens of Panem fight to death for the entertainment of the people of the capitol. Every year one boy and one girl from every district get selected to participate in the Hunger Games. To win you must be the last person standing. The last tribute is declared the winner and is showered in gifts and lives the rest of their lives in luxury. The games are highly televised and viewed by everyone in Panem, the games are for the entertainment of the capitol. The Hunger Games are extremely dehumanizing because the capitol turns the tributes into animals by making them kill each other. Many of the tributes become unhinged because of having to kill other tributes and by trying to survive in the insane conditions of the games. The message of the games is “Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch — this is the Capitol’s way of reminding us how we are at their mercy. How little chance we would stand of surviving another rebellion” (Collins 18), this shows that the capitol has no mercy for the young children being forced into the hunger games and that they don’t see them as innocent children but just one of the players in the games. The Capitol also dehumanizes people by restricting information and independent thought.

Second, the capitol restricts information from the people of Panem and doesn’t let them have independent thoughts. First of all, the capital punishes people if they say anything against them. in Panem, if you choose to speak against the capital you get punished as it is treated as a crime. When Gale and Katniss are gone to the other side of the fence to hunt, they will say things against the Capitol because the Capitol won’t hear them, it’s their only way to express their opinions without getting punished by the Capitol. Also, Katniss says “When I was younger, I scared my mother to death, the things I would blurt out about District 12, about the people who rule our country, Panem, from the far-off city called the Capitol. Eventually, I understood this would only lead us to more trouble.” This shows that in Panem you really can’t speak against the capitol. The fact that Katniss’ mother was scared shows that it’s a serious matter and that there are big consequences for speaking out against the capital.

Second of all, the capitol controls what is shown to the districts. The capitol has total control of all that is seen by the citizens of Panem, all information given to them is given by the capitol, so they don’t show any of the negatives from the capitol. An example of this is when they were showing the highlights of the games after Katniss and Peeta won, the capitol cut out the part where Katniss covers Rue in flowers after her death. Katniss says when watching the highlights “But I do notice they omit the part where I covered her in flowers. Right. Because even that smacks of rebellion” (Collins 355). The capitol cuts out that part because Katniss did it as an act of rebellion against the capitol, its purpose is to shame them, to show the capitol and the viewers that innocent children are being killed. If they didn’t cut that part out lots of people would get mad at the capitol and it could strike rebellion against them, also it shows the negatives of the capitol.

Last of all, the districts have very little information about other districts. the capital of Panem keeps the 12 districts separated. To begin with, the citizens can’t travel between districts, and the trains can only be used by the members of the Capitol and other people they authorize. Also, the capitol doesn’t show much on the inside of each district so the other districts only know the basic information about the other districts and this is shown when Rue and Katniss are talking about District 11, Katniss says “It’s interesting, hearing about her life. We have so little communication with anyone outside our district. I wonder if the Gamemakers are blocking out our conversation because even though the information seems harmless, they don’t want people in different districts to know about one another” (Collins 201). This proves that each district doesn’t know much about other districts, Katniss is interested to hear about Rue’s life in District 11 because she had no idea what life was in that district and how different it is from life in District 12. Plus, Katniss thinks the Gamemakers are going to block their conversation showing that they keep the information between the districts very limited. The restriction of independent thought is also shown in the propaganda because the capitol makes the games seem more innocent than they are and uses it as a way to control them.

Lastly, the capitol uses propaganda as a way to control the citizens of Panem. First of all, the capitol broadcasts the reaping and the games to the citizens of Panem and forces them to watch. The capitol portrays the Hunger Games as a fun yearly event, they make it seem like you’re lucky to be picked at the reaping since the winner gets showered in gifts and the chance to live the rest of their lives in luxury. The Capitol makes sure every household has a television and that there are some places in town to make sure that everyone’s watching the games, you can’t escape watching the games. That makes the people feel like it’s more of an important and positive event for Panem. Also, President Snow will broadcast live to the citizens of Panem and talk about how the Hunger Games are very important for Panem. After the games the capitol shows highlights of the games, during that time Katniss says “It’s time for the show. This will last exactly three hours and is required viewing for all of Panem” (Collins 354) this proves that everyone must watch during the hunger games and that it’s treated like such an important thing because everyone must stop what they’re doing and watch.

Second of all, the capital turns the games into a celebration and festivity. The capitol presents the gruesome Hunger Games as a special time of year that everyone should celebrate. Since the winning district receives food from the Capitol for a year, everyone from that district celebrates because they won’t starve to death for a year. Also, Katniss explains how everyone acts after the reaping, “Tonight. After the reaping, everyone is supposed to celebrate. And a lot of people do, out of relief that their children have been spared for another year. But at least two families will pull their shutters, lock their doors, and try to figure out how they will survive the painful weeks to come.” (Collins 10). this shows that people celebrate the fact that they live another year and do not have to be in the games but she also says that that’s what they’re supposed to do, the capital makes them celebrate it as a festivity.

Last of all, the capital makes the Hunger Games seem more enjoyable by having a talk show to interview the tributes. The talk show is hosted by Caesar Flickerman. The talk show is to distract people from the deaths of innocent people in the Hunger Games. Caesar interviews all the tributes before the games and the winner at the end of the games. he also adds comments during the games. the talk show adds more entertainment to the game so more people want to watch. The romance between Katniss and Peets started on the talk show, the romance made lots of viewers more interested in the games, and more people were watching. during the interviews before the games, Katniss says this about Caesar “I’ll say this for Caesar, he does his best to make the tributes shine. He’s friendly, tries to set the nervous ones at ease, laughs at lame jokes, and can turn a weak response into a memorable one by the way he reacts.” (Collins 124) This shows that Caesar is an entertaining person to watch, if the host is entertaining then more people will tune in to watch so more people will want to watch the games.

The nation of Panem in the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is without a doubt a dystopian society because of the dehumanization, the restriction of independent thought and information, and lastly the use of propaganda to control. It is very clear that in this story the capital of Panem controls everyone and everything in the nation and leads the dystopian society. Many wonder if the world we live in will one day resemble a dystopian society like Panem.

For what reason did the Hunger Games begin? The amusements began to stimulate and remind the general population who was in charge, that is the Capitol.

The Hunger Games is a yearly occasion in which one kid and one young lady aged 12– 18 from every one of the twelve districts encompassing the Capitol are chosen by lottery to contend in a broadcast Battle illustrious until the very end.

In anticipation of the amusements, there is an occasion called the harvesting where one kid and a young lady called Tribute mature from 12-18 browse every one of the 12 locales. In this year’s harvesting katniss, Everdeen’s sister Tidy is picked to contend in the recreation, anyway katniss volunteers instead of her sister. How might somebody become a tribute? You become qualified for harvesting the day you turn twelve. That year, your name is entered once. At thirteen, twice. Etc, etc until you achieve the age of eighteen, the last year of qualification, when your name goes into the pool multiple times. That is valid for each resident in every one of the twelve regions in the whole nation of Panem.

Be that as it may, here is the trick. Let’s assume you are poor and starving as we were. You can pick to include your name on more occasions in return for tesserae. Every tessera merits a pitiful year’s supply of grain and oil for one individual. You can do this for every one of your relatives too. In this way, at twelve years old, katniss had her name entered multiple times. Once, because she needed to, and multiple times for tesserae for grain, and oil for herself, Prim, and her mom. Truth be told, each year she expected. What’s more, the sections are combined. So at sixteen years old, her name will be in the harvesting multiple times!

In the wake of picking the tributes, each of the 24 is doled out to an individual beautician to have them dressed and prepared for any occasion paving the way to the beginning of The Hunger Games.

Amidst this the legislature and additionally state house are occupied with picking the field. At that point there are the gamemakers, They structure the fields and decide the obstructions one of a kind to each Hunger Games. Before the Games, the Gamemakers invest energy concentrating on the tributes amid their preparation and allocate every tribute an aptitude positioning of one to twelve. To help set up chances for wagering and establishing enthusiasm for specific tributes. The Gamemakers likewise track the area of every tribute amid the Games with the utilization of a gadget embedded in the skin. This enables them to make occasions that will compel tributes together if the activity backs off.

At the point when the diversions are just days from the beginning numerous residents of Panem begin putting down wagers on who they believe is going to win the challenge. A significant number of the rivals in the recreation get support. Supporters can send a wide range of things. Sustenance, and medication to the tribute that they supported. A Lot of the time a few contenders will shape coalitions with different players, however, you see that when times get harsh amid the game those collisions don’t dependably stick, But the bond that Katniss and Peeta who is the male tribute from the twelfth locale have made, just as them making a union not to kill each other regardless, is significant and key to their survival in the recreations.

At long last the opportunity arrives. From a little room underground Katniss is raised into the field and the Games authoritatively start. Every one of the tributes are there, and before her is the Cornucopia, which houses the plenitude of provisions. As opposed to battle, she flees. She climbs throughout the day preceding making camp. After dull, somebody begins a flame close by, and it isn’t long before a pack of Career Tributes arrives and kills the individual. To Katniss’ stun, Peeta is with them. The following day Katniss goes looking for water. She strolls for a considerable length of time and crumples from depletion, yet she at last finds a stream. She’s woken in the night by a mass of flame moving toward her, and as she flees one of the various fireballs falling around her touches her leg, harming it.

That night, while she conceals in a tree from the pack of Careers beneath, she sees a young lady named Rue from District 11 in another adjacent tree. Lament calls attention to a home of tracker jackers, which are wasps built by the Capitol to be dangerous. Katniss cuts the branch holding the home, dropping it onto the Careers. Two of them pass on from the stings and the rest disperse. Katniss is stung a couple of times too, however as she’s fleeing, she recollects that one of the young ladies who kicked the bucket had a bow and bolts, the weapons she’s turned out to be capable of chasing. She keeps running back to recover them, and Peeta happens to touch base as she’s getting the bow. He hollers at Katniss to run similarly to Cato, an extensive and perilous Career from District 2, appears. Peeta stops him so Katniss can get away, and she goes out in a discord not long after.

Katniss experiences Rue once more, and the two rapidly structure a bond. They can get nourishment chasing and searching, and Katniss understands that the Careers would experience issues making do without the provisions at the Cornucopia, so she and Rue devise an arrangement. While Rue lights distraction fires, Katniss sneaks up to the Cornucopia. The provisions are in a pyramid far from the fundamental camp, and after the Carers depart to research the flames, Katniss figures out how to explode the provisions by cutting open a pack of apples with her bolts, which sets off the mines set to ensure the pyramid. At the point when Katniss doesn’t discover Rue at their gathering spot, she goes searching for her and discovers her similarly as another tribute is cutting her with a lance. Katniss murders the other tribute, and when Rue kicks the bucket, she covers her body in blooms.

Katniss is discouraged the whole following day until a declaration is made that there has been a standard change: Now, two tributes from a similar region can be pronounced victors. Katniss goes searching for Peeta, and it takes her daily however she discovers him. He’s seriously harmed from his battle with Cato and can scarcely walk, however Katniss causes him to a cavern where they’ll be covered up. Thinking Peeta may pass on, Katniss kisses him imprudently. After a minute she hears a commotion outside and finds a pot of stock that was sent from Haymitch. She understands that Haymitch will remunerate her for playing up the sentiment between her and Peeta, so that’s what she does. The following morning Katniss sees that ‘Peeta’s leg is gravely tainted and he’ll pass on soon without treatment. Another declaration is made, this time saying every tribute will discover a thing they urgently need at the Cornucopia. Katniss realizes that implies a prescription for Peeta’s leg, however, Peeta believes it’s excessively perilous and doesn’t need Katniss to go. Utilizing the rest syrup sent from Haymitch, Katniss offers it to Peeta consequently it thumps him out. She at that point takes off to proceed to recover medication for him. While on her approach to recover the prescription she keeps running into a portion of the a portion of different contenders. The fundamental one is Clove who begins discussing Lament’s demise which upsets Katniss, however then all of a sudden region 11’s tribute murders Clove saving Katniss’ life. She comes back with the prescription and controls it to Peeta which spares his leg. Now another gunshot goes off showing another contender has passed on and now there are just three remaining. The main individuals left are Katniss, Peeta, and Cato. The crane releases hereditarily altered monsters. They execute, Thresh, and power Katniss, Peeta, and Cato onto the Cornucopia’s rooftop. There, the last survivors must battle to a stalemate. Cato gets Peeta in a wrestling hold and uses him as a human shield against Katniss’ bow. Peeta coordinates with Katniss to shoot Cato’s hand, empowering Peeta to toss him to the monsters beneath. As Cato is shot in the hand and tossed to the brute he is destroyed, Katniss murders him with a bolt in a demonstration of kindness as opposed to leaving Cato to endure a progressively horrendous passing. Also, as of now, there were 2 victors in light of the standard change enabling two individuals to be co-victors. All through this experience they need to figure out how to get by with what they have, and the penances they need to make. I think it is imperative to understand the things we underestimate. Even though the appetite amusements is anecdotal, I believe it gives a solid message. In life, numerous families throughout the world make appalling decisions consistently to sacrifice. In the story, katniss penances herself to secure her sister. Katniss is risking her life to shield her sister from experiencing the hardships of the craving recreations. She likewise had her name put in the drawing twenty times to have the capacity to give sustenance to her family. That is one reason I don’t concur with the restriction of this book. It is very beneficial for children, adolescents, and a few grown-ups to comprehend that in life not all things go as arranged. Some of the time we need to sacrifice something to pick up something. I believe that by prohibiting this book we could truly restrict people’s capacity to understand the message of this book, and may not be able to relate it to a situation that they are experiencing throughout everyday life, and numerous individuals attempt and relate. In relativity to the prohibition of this book, I do think we should boycott any books, anyway, I do trust we should actualize age restrictions for specific books and genres of books. There is an individual someplace that could truly need to or need to peruse a book, and they will most likely be unable to peruse it since it is prohibited. By restricting books we can truly confine someone’s future. A few guardians may not need their tyke or youthful adolescents to peruse books, for example, the yearning games, Which is fine, But when we boycott a book since somebody has a negative yield on it, It’s destroying it for other individuals to appreciate. 

It could suggest that the past is not ‘dead’, due to its emphasis and depth of portrayal, as well as its common reoccurrence throughout both texts. Ishiguro and Williams both use their first-person narratives to explore themes and central character depictions, by creating a retrospective, backward-looking tone, reflecting the strong emotional attachment characters have to their past. ‘Never Let Me Go’ a dystopian novel was largely influenced by the events of violence that occurred in Britain, following the major cutbacks of public services. T.G.M. was a play set during the climax of the great depression, where central themes revolve around the pursuit of economic prosperity.

In the novel, ‘Never Let Me Go “ by Kazuo Ishiguro, a central focus is built around the narrator, ‘Kathy’, who heavily draws upon her memories. Her direct conversational tone throughout the novel, using adjectives such as ‘vivid’ and ‘beautiful’ presents an idealized version of her childhood and formative years as well as setting the structure of the novel. Furthermore, Kathy’s narrative style conveys themes such as ‘memory’, which can largely be viewed as a way of her reliving her past experiences and relationships. In the opening chapters, she introduces herself and references her childhood at Hailsham. Ishiguro draws heavy emphasis on her fascination with the past, therefore demonstrating its significance to the story. An example of this presentation is strongly signified in the second chapter where she revisits events with her childhood friends. She states “This was all a long time ago so I might have some of it wrong”. The use of past tense can ultimately imply the degree of interest Kathy has in her previous experiences as she has a strong inclination to constantly convey her past to the reader. Similarly, It’s important to consider Ishiguro’s fascination with his past, as it may have served as a possible influence on his writing. Having moved from Nagasaki to England at the age of 5, he comments on adjusting to life in Western society, however draws pride in his origins and nativity. He states “ Nagasaki is not just a few hazy images” and he “remembers it as a real chunk of life”. Conclusively Kathy’s evocative outlook symbolizes a sense of wishfulness to relive the past as her current lifestyle may be unfavorable. It’s also evident in ‘The Glass Menagerie’ how the characters can refer to the past as an apparent haven and place of solace to use it as an escape from reality. For instance, the character of Amanda comforts herself with recollections of her earlier and gracious life where she was pursued by ‘gentlemen callers’. She states “Women knew how to entertain their callers”. This could exemplify her emotions regarding the past, as it serves as a source of comfort to her lone parent status in her current life.

There are conflicting ideas about the portrayal of the past in both texts. For instance, Amanda reminisces on the past by recalling her experience with ‘gentlemen callers’, which may be an attempt to project her visions onto Laura. For example, by stating how “Girls in those days knew how to talk, I can tell you,” Williams may be implying the significance Amanda holds to the past, as she attempts to reflect her notions onto her daughter. It’s also worth noting throughout the play, Amanda’s constant obsession in tainting Laura’s presentation to be that of her ideal figure of a woman. Furthermore, it could ultimately be argued that Amanda attempts to portray this image to her daughter to relive her past. In a similar respect, Williams also draws similarities with the character depiction of Jim. For instance, in scene seven, Jim is initially displayed as a source of confidence and almost as an emissary of the world of normality to the family. In his conversation with Laura, he becomes engrossed in his past, through reminiscing on his high school years. This is reinforced through the repetition in which he recalls his pers for Laura, “Blue roses, my gosh yes-Blue roses”. The excitement in his tone could therefore symbolize his eagerness to relive his past role as a symbol of infatuation for girls such as Laura. Overall it’s significant in understanding how the theme of the past is integrated by Williams in other aspects of the play, in the idea that it may present false perceptions to the characters. This is reinforced towards the end of the scene; Jim’s for Laura reflects both characters’ naivety in recreating their past. Moreover, Williams also exposes these flawed hopes through the reflection and symbolism of the fragility of the glass ‘Unicorn’ and that of Laura’s nature. This is made evident at the end of the scene, where Jim shatters Laura’s rose-tinted perception of a future relationship, through the revelation of his association with ‘Betty’, his fiance.

The characters in ‘Never Let Me Go’ grow up in ‘Hailsham’, where they are made aware of their position in society and what has been set out for their lives. Therefore their predetermined paths reflect external control over their intellectual and physical freedom. Shameem Black suggests that ‘Hailsham’ builds a virtual barrier through the emphasis on artistic production, due to the creativity expected from the clones. This could serve as a strong reflection of the dystopian society the novel takes place in. Here, it could be articulated that Ishiguro was influenced by the fast-moving period of

development in the biological and medical sciences. In the 1990s, scientists in the Western world began work on cloning—the first “clone” ever created was a sheep named Dolly, therefore these research findings serve as a huge societal phenomenon in this period. Through Kathy’s narration of the contrast between life at Hailsham and as an adult in chapter seven, “The earlier years, I can’t help feeling some sort of glow”, she almost portrays a degree of regret whilst looking back at her past. Stephen Dilley comments, stating themes of “Holding on and Letting Go in the Tangible World ”, ultimately indicating the value of the reminiscent aspect of the novel. Similarly, this outlook on the past possibly relates to Tom’s perception in The Glass Menagerie. It is evident at the start of the play how Tom conveys his remorse associated with leaving his family to join the Navy. He especially implies a strong sense of guilt towards leaving Laura, ‘I tried to leave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I intended to be!’. It’s also important to consider the possibility of Tom suffering a strong emotional strain, over guilt that he may feel responsible for Laura’s shattered dreams with Jim. Overall, this contributes to the view that the past can be interpreted as an emotional burden for the characters.

However, a distinctive edge in portrayal is showcased through Williams presenting Tom as having the desire to escape the past to fulfill and pursue his adventurous life. The desire for his ideal lifestyle is evident and reinforced throughout several instances of the play. For example, he seeks poetry and movies as a means to fulfill his lust for an escapade, to free himself from his unsatisfying job at the warehouse. He declares his motives for such activities to his mother, “Adventure is something I don’t have much of at work, so I go to the movies’. Additionally, he finds poetry as a way of orchestrating his creativity by nature, being able to illustrate his world where he feels a sense of freedom. Perhaps Williams reflected on events from his personal life, in which he describes his position in a shoe factory, where he classified his time there as “the most miserable” two years of his life. Ultimately, the past could strongly be interpreted as an ideal that is regarded as an emotional burden, and the only alternative to counteract its misfortune is the mere desire for a more pleasant future.

However in contrast to this perspective, in ‘Never Let Me Go’, Ishiguro also portrays his characters, most notably Kathy, to have a lack of emotions, such as an absence of guilt when reflecting on the past. This is depicted through the blunt tone of her narration throughout the entirety of the novel. As readers, we can also critique the understanding of how the central characters are portrayed by Ishiguro. Through Kathy’s reminiscing narration of her friends, It’s crucial to consider the obliviousness of the characters to the events that occur around them, which symbolizes their lack of freedom, and great naivety. Ishiguro also implies that a sense of control was indoctrinated in the characters at the early stages of their lives. Overall, even though the central figures of the novel have predetermined destinies, Kathy’s narration of the past does not convey any remorse or guilt, but in contrast, perceives it as a source of comfort and aspires to relive her years.

Alternatively, it could be suggested that both Ishiguro and Williams show characters reviewing the past as a means of escaping thoughts of mortality. Dilley suggests that “characters are unable to face their mortality”. This is emphasized through Kathy’s passivity and almost propagandized tone when constantly using euphemisms through terms like ‘donation’. Therefore, the past can be used by the characters as a coping mechanism that prevents her from facing the dark reality of her complicity in her friend’s death as well as the other donors. Similarly, this idea is also presented through Amanda’s resolution to financially secure her family as well as to provide “provisions”.

In contrast, characters in both novels may also experience contrasting attitudes towards their past ambitions. It’s clear through Kathy’s remark, “I won’t be a carer I’ll welcome the chance to rest – to stop and think and remember” She clarifies that her eagerness in aspiration to contemplate the future now supersedes her reminiscent outlook. For instance, the subtle euphemism implied in that she ‘ welcomes the chance to rest’ voices her immense passivity at possible indoctrination.

The multiple listing also underlines the juxtaposition towards previous attitudes where Kathy was heavily drawn to her role as a carer. Like much of Ishiguro’s literature such as in ‘Remains of the Day’, the narrator ‘Steven’ experiences a great extent of control which governs his life choices. Ultimately, Ishiguro may be connoting the idea that character development occurs through contemplation of one’s life. In a similar respect, Jim in ‘ The Glass Menagerie’ comes to terms with reality, grasping the sense that he won’t be able to marry Laura as he already is engaged. Here the critic Hartley comments that “The past is another country”, heavily implying its contradiction to the future aspirations of the characters.

On the other hand, it could ultimately be speculated that both texts place stronger emphasis on the suppression of individual freedom, possibly drawing reference to the idea that both the lives of Ishiguro and Williams, were extensively dictated. Many reviewers have classified both texts as ‘ distressing’ where characters are repressed through ideological measures both socially and culturally. It is thoroughly implied in ‘ Never Let Me Go’, that characters have their lives predetermined as their sole purpose is to complete the ‘donation’ process. This is made evident when the students are informed by ‘ Miss Emily’ that “their fates have been set out” for them. The reinforcement of both euphemism and figurative speech connotes deceitful motives. Therefore, it could overall be argued that the novel places stronger value on themes such as societal oppression and inequalities. Despite some similarities, it’s valid to claim that ‘The Glass Menagerie’ differs from this portrayal on the basis that it emphasizes the cultural inequality of class and gender. For instance, Amanda’s obsessive desire for Laura to find a suitor exemplifies both female dependency and inferiority, thus reinforcing the norms of patriarchal Western societies. Ideals of female entrapment are also noticeable when Amanda states, Girls that who aren’t “cut” out for business careers usually wind up “married” to some nice man. The negative connotations derived from the verb “cut”, could allude to how her life choices are ultimately restricted. Therefore, to a large extent, this perspective demonstrates greater prominence in the play than the theme of the past, as it mirrors the realism of society during this period. Here, Tony Coult’s claim that Williams doesn’t write plays that are “isolated from the real world,” would ultimately support this critical viewpoint.

In conclusion, there is sufficient evidence in both texts to speculate that the ‘past is not dead’. It predominantly serves as an imperative factor in shaping the futures of characters, however, It’s more comprehensible to claim that both writers convey stronger messages of social inequalities.  

Karl Marx, a German philosopher, believed in two dividing classes in a capitalistic society: the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. He emphasized that the bourgeoisie is the ruling class or oppressors and the proletariats are the working class or the oppressed. To maintain this power structure, they exploit the working class to maintain revenue. The novel, The Hunger Games, takes place in a dystopian society called Panem and follows 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen who lives in District 12. The ruling class of Panem lives in the Capitol, where they control the other Districts. One way in which they maintain their control is with the Hunger Games, a ritual in which one male and female are chosen from each of the 12 districts and are forced to compete until there is just a single survivor left. The power structures are a major component in the novel, as they are influenced from a Marxist perspective in retaliation to capitalism. The cultural artifact The Hunger Games, by Suzane Collins aims to disrupt the dominant narrative of capitalism by using Marx’s ideology through the classism depicted in the novel and the character development of Katniss; as well as highlighting her critique of our modern world by creating a parallel between the novel and reality television shows.

Collins disrupts capitalism by emphasizing Marx’s ideology, the necessity for the proletariat to revolt against their oppressors. The citizens of all the districts, as Marx would say, are proletarians and the individuals in the Capitol are the Bourgeois. There is a common theme of classics throughout the novel, where the ruling class oppresses the working class. The districts supply the Capitol with countless products, and while they are constantly working to produce these goods they do not have any ownership. The Capitol controls production as it controls the districts. This oppression causes Katniss to be reluctant to criticize the Capitol, similar to individuals in other districts, she understands the danger criticisms bring. Katniss explains that her safe space to express her true feelings is in the forest. However, her fear is so deeply intertwined that when she describes her frustration she must “glance over [her] shoulder even in the middle of nowhere”(6). The hegemonic power that instills this fear spreads far beyond Katniss and District 12. The socio-economic division causes this constant fear, nevertheless, Katniss transforms this fear into strength to rise against the Capitol. Katniss becomes a symbol of rebellion during the reaping, a ceremony to choose the tributes for the Hunger Games. When her sister, Prim, is called she has no choice but to volunteer in her place. As she took her place on stage, the unexpected happened, each member of District 12 lifted three fingers to their lips and then to Katniss. Katniss explains the gesture “means thanks, it means admiration, it means good-bye to someone you love” (24). Her simple and courageous action began an uprising in District 12; the proletariat rebelled against the social constructs the bourgeois used to oppress and marginalize them. In addition to this, the districts are separated and don’t communicate to ensure any social change. As Katniss became Rue’s ally during the games, they discussed the differences in their districts: “It’s interesting, hearing about her life. We have so little communication with anyone outside our district. I wonder if the Gamemakers are blocking out our conversation because even though the information seems harmless, they don’t want people in different districts to know about one another” (203). This is an example of Marx’s philosophy where if the proletariat were united and acted as one, they’d be able to revolt against their oppressors. Like the separation of the districts, the Hunger Games is a mechanism used by the Capitol to prevent a revolution; However, Katniss uses the games against them. When Rue is killed by a boy from District One, she has a realization “To hate the boy from District 1, who also appears so vulnerable in death, seems inadequate. It’s the Capitol I hate, for doing this to us… Rue’s death has forced me to confront my fury against the cruelty, the injustice they inflict upon us” (236). She gives Rue a funeral and in doing so she units Districts 11 and 12. District 11 expressed their gratitude when they sent Katniss a piece of bread: “For whatever reason, this is a first. A district gift to a tribute who’s not your own” (239). In doing this, Katniss has become a symbol of the proletariat’s revolution.

Collins uses this dystopian society to critique our modern world, more specifically, reality TV shows. The audience of the Hunger Games are individuals from the Capitol who prioritize entertainment, and the districts, who are obligated to watch these barbaric games. The ruling class is insensitively coldblooded, about the situation for the Tributes, who are mainly adolescents chosen from their underdeveloped impoverished district, and involuntarily made to take an interest in this bloodsport for the entertainment of their prosperous oppressors. The objectification demonstrated through the oppressor’s actions emphasizes classism as they detach from the tributes: “The people of the Capitol are going nuts, showering us with flowers, shouting our names” (70). The tributes are essentially used as objects in exchange for what or how much they are worth. They are forced to assimilate into the Capitol’s culture to survive in the games. the Hunger Games develops a connection with consumerism, it has likewise spread voyeurism, an insidious type of consumerism; in the manner in which it uncovers what used to be private parts of human life to general visibility. The game maintains this give-and-take by exhibiting advanced showcasing to tailor the games to what the audience sees as interesting. The Capitol ensures they make the most economic profit by providing Gamemakers with the means to maximize entertainment for the audience. For instance, the arenas are carefully built to prolong the game and engage the audience. In a past game, the arena had no wood and many of the tributes died from hypothermia, since then, “there’s usually been wood to make fires” (39). Not only do they control the structure of the arena but the weather patterns or natural disasters during the game. Katniss finds herself fleeing from a fire, during this she explains “The flames that bear down on me have an unnatural height, a uniformity that marks them as human-made, machine-made, Gamemakers-made. Things have been too quiet today…The audience in the Capitol are getting bored, claiming that these Games are verging on dullness” (173). Since the individuals in the Capitol detach themselves from the tributes they can view the games as entertainment. The Capitol is a parallel to individuals who display equally detached and voyeuristic qualities watching reality TV. The audience watches these individuals as if they aren’t real human beings and the suffering they may endure is insignificant. Reality TV shows are controlled by the producers to appeal to their audience and maintain a sufficient profit. For instance, the reality TV show Survivor follows a group of individuals who are placed in an inaccessible location where they must compete with one another to survive. They face physiological and psychological challenges and every week go through the elimination process of voting one member off of the show. The last individual wins $1,000,000. In doing this, the producers appeal to their audiences’ need for drama and excitement, and while the audience is intrigued and watching, profit not only cycles to the producers but the contestants as well as they are motivated by capitalistic values. On an economic level, it embraces glorifying money and fame. Socially, it implies that being part of a capitalistic society one must aim to win no matter what. Quite frankly it’s a manipulative and shallow game that we as the audience perpetuate.

In all, The Hunger Games provides us with a complex lens into our current society’s capitalistic values. While Collins offers these critiques, she ironically perpetuates capitalism herself. Collins made millions of dollars off of both the book and film series. This is a form of impossibilism, Collins is in the machine of capitalism and while she may disrupt it she further perpetuates it through this profit. To truly relinquish capitalism one must completely deconstruct the system and start anew. 

Dystopian Literature’s function stems from the fear that a utopic change can cause a dystopian future. Novels such as Orwell’s “1984” and Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” present this concern over the present of their novel’s time but also for the present of modern readers.

Both Atwood and Orwell reflect the conditions of their time in their creations of totalitarian governments. In ‘1984’ Orwell creates “Ingsoc” which is an extreme example of fascism as the contemporary audience at the time would have been familiar with the actions that ‘Ingsoc’ had made and would have made parallels to Nazi Germany as World War Two had just passed. The creation of this novel was to warn the citizens to not allow a totalitarian government to dictate over language and infiltrate propaganda into the minds of the citizens. From a very young age children are supposed to join the Party’s youth group “Junior Spies,” and are open to violence by watching hangings and playing violent games that desensitize them. This is similar to the programs done in Nazi Germany, especially when Orwell mentions “hiking” and “drilling with dummy rifles” which are part of the activities the Junior Spies program does. He references the Hitler youth program’s idea that these young men would eventually become soldiers, so they were taught more about physical training. This is done to critique the way that the government is using children to establish their followers and to further brainwash the public into following the party. Atwood also critiques religious rights in the 1980s such as the New Right movement (which favored the more conservative approach) that allowed Ronald Reagan to win the presidency by accepting the principles of the New Right that allowed the anti-abortion movement. Her novels are rather “speculative fiction” than dystopian as she was predicting what would have happened in her present time when writing the novel, that the government would turn into theocracy just as Gilead is. So dystopian literature creates a government that parallels the governments and ideologies expressed at the time, to predict the outcomes if the issues were not dealt with.

Both Atwood and Orwell also reflect concerns over the present by including issues that are also prevalent in modern society. When Donald Trump became the US President, it fuelled debates on whether the events in the novel could happen in the future since similarly to Ronald Reagan’s tactic, Trump’s win had to do with his supporters who were similar to characters such as Serena Joy who advocated in removing women’s rights to be more traditional. She would promote her anti-feminist views that were “about how women should stay home” which would have garnered support from the far right just like Trump’s supporters. The fact that the novel is currently made into a serial television show, “Handmaid’s Tale” just shows its importance to the 2019 audience. Orwell also expresses the issues of a totalitarian state which cross-links with the situation in North Korea who are currently ruled over by a dictatorship under Kim Jong Un. The Ingsoc and the Workers Party of Korea (Kim Jong Un’s party) both enforce programs that reinforce the greatness and ‘love’ for their leaders. After the “Two-Minutes of Hate” when Big Brother’s face is shown, the reader can see how the people worship him, by expressing hatred towards the enemies in the public. In North Korea citizens are forced to cry if their leader is dead, or else they are forced into labor camps, which shows a pattern of totalitarian governments that need to be deified so that order is maintained. Thus dystopian literature’s concern over the present also applies to the current reader’s present time.

Yet both authors emphasize the importance of reflecting on the past to showcase the concerning elements of the present. Atwood inclusion of the “Night” chapters portrays Offred reflecting on her past life before the Gilead world, where she is significantly alone and is allowed to regain her individuality which during the day, she is unable to show. It not only expresses her desire to produce her thoughts but also presents the flaws her current government has although she has the “freedom from” any other dangers which Aunt Lydia expresses to justify and support the current treatment of the handmaids. Yet they are unable to divulge the “freedom to” do the actions they were allowed previously such as securing a job, which is exposed when Offred as it had become the law that women were not allowed to work.

Similarly, Orwell shows that the past is significant to create a pretense through manipulating the past. When Winston gets interrogated by O’Brien, “‘Then where does the past exist, if at all?” Winston replies that there are two ways it exists. Firstly it is present in “Written Records” in which Orwell showcases Ingsoc taking over by establishing the “Ministry of Truth” which rewrote history to showcase the government in a desirable light. This is similar to the tactics the Soviet Union had used by rewriting history textbooks to remove information about politicians who were no longer supported by the Soviet Union, which the Ministry of Truth does to politicians or people who are deemed as “unperson”. Another way that the past can exist is through “the mind”, specifically thoughts that the party can also eradicate by making it a “thoughtcrime” to think ill of the government. This therefore shows that the past is also another theme concentrated in dystopian literature.

In conclusion, Orwell and Atwood conare cerned with the present rather than the future to present the contemporary issues that need to be addressed and addressed. There are still issues that still relevant to the present of the 2019 audience and can be used to warn us that it should not become the future. However, Dystopian Literature as a whole could use the past as well to create a better outcome for the near future. 

Many people have questioned the importance and production of dystopian novels, along with the overall reality and impact it has on today’s society. However to grasp the true importance of dystopian novels, one must know what the term dystopian means. Most people refer to dystopias as a utopia gone wrong, a utopia is an imagined place or society in which everything is perfect. Dystopia is an imagined world or society in which people lead wretched, dehumanized, and fearful lives. In other terms, it is an imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice, typically one that is totalitarian or post-apocalyptic. The overall understanding of both of these definitions is that the word dystopia is negative and describes a life and or society that most people do not want to live in. This is where dystopian novels come into place; Dystopian novels show the fictional future of a society that has gone wrong and bring up controversial issues that take away basic human rights.

Dystopian literature has gained a massive amount of recognition and has increased in popularity as it brings up the attention of many critical issues and or ideas that most people do not want to face in the future. The overall idea is to show that the world is not perfect and that controlling every aspect of a society can cause terrible things to happen. The purpose of a dystopian novel is to highlight and explore the themes and ideas that we do not think about on an everyday basis, whether it be in a social or political sense. Common examples of dystopian themes are a restriction of freedom, constant surveillance, a loss of identity, religious control, and governmental control.

The dystopian novel “The Handmaid’s Tale” published by Margaret Atwood in 1985 is a prime example, as it is about a near-future New England, that is now in a totalitarian state which has overthrown the United States government, now called Gilead. The novel is told in first person and is narrated by the main character Offred, who tells her story and challenges she now has to face. This novel resembles a dystopian society by showing a theme of loss of identity and individuality, power, and religious/governmental control.

The theme of identity highlights a dystopian society by showing how basic human rights were stripped away from everyone following the change in government and society. For example, Offred was never the narrator’s real name however it became her name following the formation of the Gilead society. Offred once lived with her husband and lived a normal life with a normal job and once the Gilead formed her bank account was frozen, her husband was shot, her daughter was taken from her and she was thrown in a prison to be re-educated as a handmaid. Once the new society was formed the life that Offred knew was stripped away from her and she no longer had a name other than what they named all the other handmaids. The narrator shows the mental challenge of not having a real name by stating, “My name isn’t Offred, I have another name, which nobody uses now because it’s forbidden, I tell myself it doesn’t matter… but what I tell myself is wrong, it does matter” in chapter 14. This allows the readers to feel the immoral act of taking away someone’s name and the emptiness of losing one’s identity. However, not only was Offred’s name taken away but so were most of everyone else in the society. Names are limited in this novel as the only real names that were mentioned were Rita and Cora who were the kitchen workers but other than that mostly everyone is referred to by their status as the Commander, wife, doctor, and so on. Also as the society was separated into different classes; each class was given a different uniform that was a specific color for instance all handmaids wore the color red and wives wore the color blue. Without a choice of clothing, the individual’s appearances are minimized and they are restrained from wearing clothes that express themselves. This shows dystopia as one’s basic rights were swept away from them and the immoral, brutal reality of not having your own identity and individuality from everyone else.     

Tennessee Williams and Kazuo Ishiguro both depict the theme of ‘ loss and damage ‘ and the idea of the past not being perceived but rather alive. Repetivlety throughout their novels. Perhaps both authors foreshadow their damage. past through the central characters, Kathy and Tom. Kevin Catchpole states Tom is the personification of Williams himself. [1]Similarly, both novels loiter around the motif of the past, however, share two perspectives on the idea of the ‘past’, on one side we see Kathy sharing an unhealthy obsession with the past whereas Tom does his all to escape the past that haunts him continuously. A key message through ‘ Never Let Me Go’ could be expressed as a burdensome way to take one’s leave of the past especially when the past is your only source of comfort and motivation, the idea that there is still light at the end of the road no matter how dark life seems during the present.

It can also be argued that ‘The Glass Menagerie’ was set during the era of The Great Depression, the pressure of the Great Depression could perhaps be a further cause of why Tom abhorred his past. He was desperate to move away and find better opportunities and to heal from his distressing past which refused to let go of him. Furthermore, it could also be avowed that perhaps the life that you live during your childhood determines how you will be living in the future, maybe the life you are desperately trying to escape is the life that is written for you. Tom often ‘goes to the movies’ to get away from friends and family during the play.

Possibly, William is representing his personal life through Tom in this manner. Williams fixates his attention on the cinema for consolation, as a way to break free from the agonizing events in the family. It is fair to say that Tom moves aside physically and emotionally, he states’ further than the moon’, which highlights Tom’s agony and his desperation to flee. In addition to this, this reveals Tom’s willingness to travel beyond the moon, suggesting that even being just on the moon will not help him escape his history, therefore he suggests ‘further than the moon, hoping that maybe he will discover a way of escaping his past.’ to find a sense of peace and tranquillity while being so far-flung. The past should feel distant to him, Moreover, this brings more attention to how disturbing Tom’s past may have been for him to be this eager to break free. The emphasis on the noun ‘moon’ shows the length would go to create distance between his damaged past. Nevertheless, Tom’s past is unable to leave him and continuously lingers around with him, this is seen when Tom states ‘ Oh Laura I tried to leave you behind but I am more faithful than I intended to be’, once again this implicates the idea that Tom is unable to leave his past behind, no matter how far how travels the past persistently gets thrown onto his face. Tom uses the theme of loyalty as an excuse to carry around his past, no matter how hard he tries to leave it all behind, the past always seizes hold of him.

It could be argued that Tom’s attachment to the past is simply because of his addiction to Laura. It is through this addiction that he never lets go of his past and remains damaged throughout the novel.

‘The Glass Menagerie’ was set during the great depression, the pressure of the Great Depression could perhaps be a further cause of why Tom abhorred his past. Desperate to move away and find better opportunities and heal his injured past.

One source of damage, according to both authors, is the characters’ refusal to let go of memories. In William’s play, Tom is physically and emotionally stuck by his past experiences as a result of the restraint that prevented him from pursuing his aspirations. When Tom escapes in the final scene, he feels both liberated and burdened by Laura making him feel as if he is trapped and unable to move beyond the past. Although one could argue that Tom’s recollections will always haunt him no matter how far he runs, Williams’ main point is that no matter how far you run physically or psychologically, you will never be able to escape from your memories. Williams continues to depict the illusion of freedom and the false promise of escape, demonstrating that memories will never truly allow you to escape the past.

Some have undoubtedly contended, that Kathy utilizes her recollections to distract herself from her reality in Ishiguro’s story, because of the devastation the clones suffered in their youth, they are unable to go forward with their lives, so they reflect on their past. They can filter out the truth that they have no future by reminiscing on former memories Kathy pales in comparing everything in her environment to her past, ‘Hailsham,’ the buildings, and the green space around her, even when she drives, she is constantly reminded of her past. Comparable to Tom from ‘The Glass Menagerie,’ both characters have an undesirable linkage to their past, which inhibits them from mending and facing new opportunities, they are unable to let go of their earlier days. In ‘Never Let Me Go,’ K Richards says that the past is significantly more positive, as seen by Kathy’s description of her history as a ‘golden time.’ The adjective ‘golden’ implies that Kathy admires her past, therefore she seizes any opportunity to recollect and hang onto that. She is, perhaps, it is fair to say that she is most content when looking back at the past. Being in the shadows of her past is significantly more pleasant and fulfilling than being in her presence. The past provides solace and reassurance, reminding her of all the positive memories that she endured. Kathy’s past has not died down as she does not let it pass by.

However, this contradicts Tom’s past, in which he would do anything to escape it. Ishiguro grew up in Nagasaki, Japan, before moving to. He too had many memories of Nagasaki, whilst staying in the UK like Kathy. Ishiguro presents Kathy as someone who admires the past obsessively putting in minimal effort to let go of his history but ultimately fails, whereas Williams plays Tom as someone who is eager to let go of his past but is unable to do so. Amanda appears to be thoroughly devastated by the events of the past and unwilling to go on. Similarly, we see Ruth breaking down throughout the play as a result of her prior guilt.

Amanda shares an addiction to her past, simply one reason being her spouse. It is said in the novel that Amanda retains a ‘larger than life-size photograph’ of her husband. To put it differently, hangs over the family, making it difficult for Amanda to forget about him. Perhaps Amanda does not want to forget him and uses the picture as a way to feel comfortable and closer to him emotionally and physically for herself and her kids. Dominic Maxwell states ‘ It is a guilt play as well as a memory play’.[2] Perhaps Amanda feels guilty about moving on after her husband’s death, she may feel that if she moves on and leaves the past behind, she will forget about him completely, hence she has a larger-than-life-size photograph ‘of her husband.

Amanda wears a ‘girlish gown of yellowed voile with a blue silk ribbon’ as the play develops; she wears the same one when she first met her husband. This illustrates that Amanda is not willing to let go of her past and uses any excuse to remind herself of him. Amanda is portrayed by Williams as a tenacious woman who refuses to let go of her past, even though it is tearing her apart and causing her harm. Like Kathy, Amanda does not let her past die down.

Comparatively, Ruth can be seen as another character who desires to cut all ties with their past. This is shown when Kathy asks ‘Do you remember’, she puts on a blank face with no emotions, acting as if she does not remember Hailsham. This powerfully demonstrates her rejection of her past, and the lengths she would go to avoid bringing up the past. Kathy is describing her ‘memories’ of the ‘golden time’ at Hailsham for more than half of the novel, although she is narrating in the present. Kathy, like most other characters in Ishiguro’s novel, is fascinated with her past, unwilling to let go of her memories of Hailsham.

Presenting a strong theme of past and memories. Either way, the past remains alive. Ishiguro is implying that the clones have nothing to look forward to in the present, so they turn to the past as a means of escaping their harsh circumstances. As Lewis put it, ‘You get a sense of pity for all persons at Hailsham throughout the work because there is a dramatic irony that they are unaware of their tragic existence.’ The way Ishiguro switches back and forth between the present and the past demonstrates the past’s overwhelming impact and reflects the characters’ intense commitment to their past, confirming that the ‘past is not dead, it is not even past.’ Williams, on the other hand, assigns Tom to be the narrator of the past, demonstrating the past’s impact and power right away. It is evident that the ending of both ‘Never Let Me Go’ and ‘The Glass Menagerie’ portrays a key message about the past. The idea that perhaps there is no escaping the past, Maybe all the running away we do from the past is what we are predetermined for in life, Furthermore towards the ending Kathy states ‘ This was the spot where everything I’d ever lost since my childhood had washed up’, In this fashion, Ishiguro portrays the idea of memories or how they will always be with you in some manner or another. Ishiguro has a strong image of an imaginary Japan in which he constructs his adventures and recollections, despite the reality that he resides in. Kathy perceives Tommy approaching her from the horizon, signifying her loyalty to the past and how she perceives the past as current. Ishiguro treats the past as a pity that the characters can’t let go of, and he separates them from their memories. In The Glass Menagerie, on the other hand, Williams concludes the play by harkening back to the past; Tom desires ‘anything that reminds him of the past. ‘In The Glass Menagerie,’ Williams concludes the play by referencing the past once more; Tom desires ‘something that you can blow your candles out,’ which could be a reference to the past. The ‘candles’ are a metaphorical representation of the past; Tom is unable to forget Laura and, as a result, is looking for anything to blow out his past like the candles. The idea of blowing out the candles and having the past blown away with it, with no prospect of returning. ‘Never Let Me Go’ depicts a brilliant past that provides comfort and peace to the characters, but ‘The Glass Menagerie’ depicts an unforgiving and unhealthy past, implying that no matter what happens in the future, nothing will be the same as the memories left behind will continuously find ways to haunt you. This very much links back to the idea that the past will never die down and the past may stick with you as these are the good memories you have as you are suffering in the present, so you hold onto the past extra tight as it makes you feel good about yourself, and brings your mind a sense of peace.

Overall, the past is a powerful and recurring topic in both texts; we can see that the past is not dead and yet very much alive via the characters of ‘Never Let Me Go’ and ‘The Glass Menagerie.’ All of the characters can’t seem to let go of their pasts. Attached to their past, some find comfort and satisfaction in not being able to forget the past, and others try to escape the past that lingers around them. Both Williams and Ishiguro exploited the past’s effectiveness as the central theme and heart of their novels.

Never Let Me Go is set in a dystopian world of late 1990s England, in which human clones are created, so they can donate their organs as young adults. It gives a thought to the issue of organ donation. The organ donors are obtained from human clones. Never Let Me Go – tells about the lives of cloned children, who have to donate their organs when they are adults. All donors receive care from designated ‘carers’, clones who have not yet begun the – donation process. The clones continue to donate organs until they ‘complete’, which – is a euphemism for death, after the donation of three or four organs. The novel explains the time at which the world legalized organ donors of human clones. Although Kathy’s narration is often nonlinear, the novel’s three parts roughly align with three stages in Kathy’s life. In part one Kathy remembers her childhood at Hailsham. She describes her friendship with Ruth, whose temperamental personality contrasts with her quiet demeanor. At Hailsham, Ruth often annoys Kathy by pretending to have special knowledge and privileges. Kathy also describes Tommy, a student known for throwing violent temper tantrums. Tommy is initially an outcast among his peers because he lacks artistic ability, which the Hailsham staff and its students value highly. Part 2 covers Kathy’s two or three years at cottages from age 16 to about 18 or 19. Part three comes up to the present and covers the latter stages of Kathy’s caring years. All of this 03 counted with frequent time shifts asking at the seams to sort and share her memories, although Ishiguro is being very selective as she drives backward and forward across the years.

In the beginning, Kathy. H merely introduces herself as a 30-year-old carer. She has been a carer for nearly 12 years. She was trying to boast about herself in the name of her job. She says that her patient’s recovery times have been impressive and hardly any of them have been classified as ‘agitated’ even before the fourth donation. When driving around the country, she still sees things that will remind her of Hailsham. Then, she recaps those memories. At first, she reminds their sports pavilion where they used to hang out with their friends. The pavilion was big enough to take two separate groups without bothering each other, a third group could hang out on the veranda. Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy stayed at the cottages. They also lived with two other donors named Chrissie and Rodney. They had already been living at the cottages. Although the students learn vaguely about the donation program, their guardians shield them from a full understanding of their future. A guardian, named Miss Lucy disagrees with this indirect approach, and often exhibits strange behavior in front of the students as a result, in one instance telling them explicitly about their future. After Miss Lucy speaks with Tommy about his artwork, he and Kathy theorize that creativity may be connected to donations. They speculate about Madame, a woman who visits Hailsham to collect the best student artwork. Madame’s rumored to keep this art in a personal gallery. Kathy later encounters them in the girls’ dormitory, While Kathy dances to the song Never Let Me Go. The song is Kathy’s favorite track on Songs After Dark, a Judy Bridgewater album that is one of her most prized possessions. when the song ends, Kathy sees Madame Crying in the doorway. Shortly afterward, Kathy loses her tape. Tommy’s temper returns during their last summer at Hailsham. Kathy thinks that he’s upset about his recent breakup with Ruth, Whom he has dated for six months. But Tommy is upset about Miss Lucy, who recently told him that he was wrong to dismiss the importance of creativity. Miss Lucy departs Hailsham abruptly and Tommy mends his relationship with Ruth.

In Part 2, Kathy moves with Ruth and Tommy to where transitional housing facility known as a cottage. They are just to their new lives, becoming acquainted with the ‘veteran’ students living there already. Ruth Often ignores Tommy and Kathy in her efforts to blend in with the veterans, who are not from Hailsham. Kathy notices that the veterans regard the Hailsham students with awe. One couple, Christy and Rodney, are especially interested in Hailsham. They convince Ruth to go with them to Norfolk, where Rodney claims to have seen Ruth’s ‘possible’ in an open-plan office (a ‘possible’ is a human that resembles a specific clone and from whom that clone’s DNA may have been copied). Kathy is skeptical of Rodney’s story, especially since it features Ruth’s ‘dream future’ of working in an open-plan office. In the end, Kathy, Tommy, Ruth, Rodney, and Chrissie – all drive to Norfolk.

In Norfolk, Chrissy and Rodney ask about a rumored exception allowing Hailsham couples in love- to defer their donations. Ruth pretense do you know something about deferrals, which surprises Kathy and Tommy? The students eventually find the open-plan office. Rodney points to a woman in the window and they all agree that she could be Ruth’s legitimate possible. They follow her to an art gallery, where they realize that the woman does not resemble Ruth. In her disappointment, Ruth says that the students are modeled only on ‘trash’. Ruth – goes off with Chrissie and Rodney. Meanwhile, Tommy and Kathy find a copy of Kathy’s lost tape in a second-hand store. Tommy tells Kathy that he has begun drawing pictures of imaginary animals. He thinks Madame uses the student’s artwork to determine if couples applying for deferrals are truly in love. Tommy shows his drawings to Kathy who finds them puzzling but captivating. Meanwhile, Kathy’s friendship with Ruth grows increasingly tense. Ruth reveals that she knows that – Kathy likes Tommy, but says that Tommy will never return Kathy’s feelings. Shortly afterward, Kathy submits her application for carer training and departs.

Part three focuses on Kathy’s time as a carer. While Kathy is good at her job, – the work is both difficult and lonely. She unexpectedly runs into a Hailsham friend named Laura, who is also a carer. They talk about Ruth, who had a bad first donation. They also talk about Hailsham, which has closed. Kathy becomes Ruth’s carer, but their relationship is strained and guarded. One day, Ruth expresses a desire to visit a beached fishing boat near Tommy’s recovery center. They pick up Tommy on the way to the boat, which they find bleached and crumbling in a marsh. The marsh reminds both Tommy and Ruth of Hailsham. – They also discussed Chrissie, who completed- her second donation. On the return trip, Ruth apologizes for keeping Tommy and Kathy apart. She encourages them to pursue a deferral, revealing that she has discovered Madame’s home address. In the weeks that follow, Kathy and Ruth reminisce – peacefully about Hailsham and the cottages. Ruth also encourages Kathy to become Tommy’s carer.

Ruth completes after her second donation. Tommy gives his third donation, and Kathy becomes his carer. They spend their days reading and talking at his recovery center. Eventually, they also begin to have sex. Hoping to pursue a deferral, they go to visit Madame at the address Ruth provided. Madame invites them inside and listens to their request, after which Miss Emily appears from the next room. Miss Emily says that deferrals do not exist. She explains that Hailsham was – part of a progressive movement committed to raising clones more humanely. Madame used to exhibit the student’s artwork to show the outside world that clones had souls. Although the movement once had many supporters, changing public opinion eventually forced Hailsham to close. On the drive back to his recovery center, Tommy asks Kathy to pull over. He walks into the woods and begins screaming. Kathy goes to Tommy and holds him. Soon after, Tommy gives his fourth donation and completes it. Kathy drives to a field in Norfolk, where she allows herself to imagine Tommy on the horizon. Then she drives away. At the end of the story, Kathy said that although she lost both her friends, she would never lose their memories with them in Hailsham.

Never Let Me Go – is – an amazing novel with Ishiguro explaining the relationships of individuals under a short time limit, with the knowledge that they do not have long to live. Even though the characters Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth know their fate, but they fall in love and hope for an extension of life. But neither love nor art can redeem them from the inevitable fate that the supremely sophisticated medical science has invented for Kathy’s friends are now all dead and she will embark on her path to the same fate in just a few months – nearly 12 years as a carer means that she knows precisely what the final stage of her life involves. The last paragraph of the novel reveals the absurdity of the days gone and of the vagueness of the days – yet to be lived. Never Let Me Go is charged throughout with a sense of the fragility of life.

Introduction:

The Hunger Games is an action and science-fiction adventure film based on the novel by Suzanne Collins. The story takes place in a dystopian post-apocalyptic future in the nation of Panem (North America). Panem is separated into 12 districts that help support the Capitol. Each year the Capitol “hosts” the Hunger Games, where a boy and a girl are each chosen from each district to participate (24 tributes). The Hunger Games is a televised event in which the tributes are required to fight to the death until there is only one remaining victor. This is where we find Katniss, it is time for the reaping (selection of the tributes) and Katniss’ sister is reaped, but she volunteers to save her sister. Now, Katniss is trapped in an arena where she needs to kill 23 tributes to be crowned victor of the Hunger Games, but things change when she is faced with young love.

I chose this movie because during my childhood I was obsessed with reading the Hunger Games trilogy. This was very unusual for me because back then I hated reading, it just was not fun for me. I was so excited when the first movie came out that I watched it a million times. I wanted to re-watch it for this project because I just enjoy watching it. I know that every movie has sociological concepts in it, but this project reminded me of this movie, so I decided to watch it again to see the concepts we learned about in class. After watching, I realized that there were a lot of concepts portrayed throughout the movie that were the base for the story.

Sociological Concepts

Deviance: The Hunger Games deals with the concept of deviance in the protagonist, Katniss. Deviance is the violation of social norms in a society. An example in the movie is when Katniss decides to volunteer as tribute, instead of her sister. In this society, it is not common for someone to volunteer from this kind of district (usually only in districts 1 or 2). Another example is when at the end of the movie Katniss and Peeta win the Hunger Games by defying the capitol by committing suicide, so instead of one winning they both do.

In and out-groups: In the Hunger Games you can see that the people of Panem are distributed into in and out-groups. An in-group is a group that shares a sense of identity that typically excludes and devalues outsiders, while an out-group is a group that is viewed and treated negatively because they have different views than those of an in-group. An example in the movie of an in-group is anyone who lives in the capital. People in the capitol are superior to the ones that live in the districts and do not have to participate in the Hunger Games. While, the out-group is, of course, the districts they are treated poorly and must participate in the games, even if they do not wish to do so.

Ascribed status: In the Hunger Games, ascribed status is shown through Katniss and the relationship between her family and the capital. Ascribed status is a position that one is born into, such as gender, kinship, etc. An example of this is Katniss to her family who provides for them by hunting and trading with the people in District 12, while the capitol views her as someone from District 12 who was thrown into this annual event and is destined to die because of her status.

Achieved status: In the Hunger Games, achieved status is shown through Peeta and Katniss at the end of the story. Achieved status is attained through effort or assumed in a society. An example of this is when Katniss and Peeta win the Hunger Games. They are crowned victors and are now seen as “royalty” in the capital. They are given a new place to live, riches, and a status that changes their lives forever.

Norms: In the Hunger Games, norms are shown throughout the movie, especially when it comes to the games. Norms are specific rules of right and wrong, usually unwritten, implicit, or explicit, and can change over time. An example in the movie is that the games (killing children for entertainment) are something normal and that if someone goes against this, then they will be punished, probably killed.

Conflict Theory: In this movie, conflict theory is shown between the capitol and its 12 districts. Conflict theory is where life is a struggle between those in power and those who are deemed as “worthless”. An example from the movie is the capital controls everything in Panem. They put everyone into classes and make the districts supply them with resources, while the districts struggle to survive.

Functionalism: Functionalism is shown throughout the movie using the games as a tool against the capital. Functionalism is where a society is ordered by mutually dependent parts and each part depends on one another to make a stable society. An example from the movie is that the capitol uses the games to keep the districts in check, so it creates a society that runs smoothly without any conflict (other than the games). The capitol also creates a sense of inequality to make the districts depend on the capitol.

Socialization: In the movie, socialization is shown throughout the society of Panem. Socialization is the inheriting and learning the views of a culture appropriate to their social position. There are many examples of this throughout the movie. One example of this is that the people of the capital raise their children to see the games as enjoyment and something to be a mere game. Another example is that the districts raise their children to do the work in their districts and obey the laws of the capitol.

Nonverbal Communication (Gesture): In the Hunger Games, nonverbal communication (gestures) is shown by Katniss when she is in the arena during the Hunger Games. Nonverbal communication is a silent language that conveys people’s real feelings. An example of this is after Katniss “buries” one of the tributes that were her ally, she gives a hand gesture to the people of the tributes district. This gesture is where Katniss touches her middle three fingers to her lips and holds it to the “camera” in the arena. This gesture means “thanks”, “good-bye”, or even admiration to the person or a group of people.

Symbols: In the movie, there is only one huge symbol throughout the entire movie. It is shown by Katniss throughout the entire movie. Symbols represent something important or hold a specific meaning within the culture. The most important example in the movie is of course the Mockingjay, it represents hope and revolution. At the end of the movie, it becomes a symbol of rebellions throughout Panem against the Capitol.

Conclusion

The Hunger Games is a film about the dystopian apocalyptic world of Panem, where two boys and two girls are each chosen from the twelve districts as tributes to compete in the “Hunger Games”. This movie revolves around many sociological concepts that when I watched it as a child would probably have never realized. This has opened my eyes to see that every movie has sociological concepts in them and that is what makes the movie. I am now going to analyze every movie I watch from now on to see if any of the concepts we learned about are in them. The Hunger Games and sociological concepts go hand-in-hand with one another and teach us many lessons that can help us throughout our daily lives.

Utopia and dystopia are genres of hypothetical fiction that dive deep into social and political structures. Utopian literature visualizes a perfect society where everything is butterflies and rainbows. Sounds too good to be true? It is. In literature, utopias hardly ever last long but, instead, they turn into complete dystopias. And come on, dystopias are way more entertaining. Dystopian societies are at a dysfunctional state where there is great suffering or injustice. Dystopias are claimed to be the opposite of utopias, but Literature has shown us how much they can be similar. Literature has helped shape fantasy and the real world by using utopias and dystopias. Although utopian societies are “perfect,” utopian and dystopian societies have many differences, but they seem to all end up in the same poor conditions.

“The English writer Sir Thomas More coined the term utopia, a Greek word meaning ‘no place,’ in Utopia, a short book he wrote in 1516. More’s utopia was an island nation in the newly discovered West Indies. People in his imaginary society enjoyed much better living conditions than those on Europe at that time”. Thomas More made a huge impact with his book, Utopia. The book largely influenced Europe. It was a work of satire, and indirectly criticized Europe’s political corruption and religious hypocrisy. A statement made in More’s Utopia states, “Now in a court composed of people who envy everyone else and admire only themselves, if a man should suggest something the other courtiers would think their reputation for wisdom was endangered unless they could find fault with his proposal”. This quote is saying that in a Utopian society pride is a big issue. Ultimately, a utopian society is supposed to be “perfect.” There are different types of Utopian societies including: ecological utopias, economic utopias, political utopias, religious utopias, and science/technology utopian societies.

In an ecological utopian society, there is an organic way of life in harmony and with nature. Economic utopian societies include equal distribution of goods and wealth. Citizens enjoy their work which is for the common good, leaving them ample time for the cultivation of arts and science. In political utopian societies, there is world peace, global oneness, in other words, a world without war. Religious utopian societies embody peace, harmony, understanding, and enlightenment. Science/Technology utopias are usually set in the future where there is an absence of death and suffering; there are extreme changes in human nature and the human condition. Literature has provided us with many novels, poems, books, plays, etc. that show how impossible it is to maintain the perfect environment. The real world alone has shown how unrealistic it is to even think there could be a society that was perfect.

The utopian society idea is indeed great, but it ultimately ends up having flaws just as a dystopian society would. From a philosophical or political viewpoint, utopias just do not work. Everyone has their own version of perfect, so trying to meet everyone’s standards of perfect is simply impossible. Another quote from Thomas More’s, Utopia, states, “We made no inquiries, however, about monsters, which are the routine of traveler’s tales. Scyllas, ravenous Celaenos, man-eating Lastrygonians and that sort of monstrosity you can hardly avoid, but to find governments wisely established and sensibly ruled is not so easy”. More is unfolding a pretty desolate political landscape here. In this case finding a well-governed country was more exciting than a rare monster. These very factors show how utopian societies show dystopian qualities.

Dystopian literature is a genre of fictional writing used to explore social and political structures in a defective world. Dystopian societies have been defined as, “A futuristic, imagined universe in which oppressive societal control and the illusion of a perfect society are maintained through corporate, bureaucratic, technological, moral, or totalitarian control. Dystopias, through an exaggerated worst-case scenario, make a criticism about a current trend, societal norm, or political system”. Dystopian societies in literature have had horrible government systems. Citizens are usually in a dehumanized state. In dystopian societies, propaganda is used to control citizens and information, independence, and freedom is usually restricted.

Dystopian associations have such unusual structures. The purpose of dystopian societies is to be as unstructured as possible. “A dystopian society is structured around a social rating system that judges its citizenry based on daily behavior, leading to abuse and marginalization”. Utopian structures differ from dystopian because their governments are supposed to ensure safety and general warfare for everyone. Suzanne Collins introduced the start of her troligy, The Hunger Games, in 2008. The Hunger Games is a dystopian series about an individual trying to overcome the power of her society’s tyrannical government. This novel showed a great example of how dystopian societies are depicted in literature.

A quote from the novel says, “All I can think is how unjust the whole thing is, the Hunger Games. Why am I hopping around like some trained dog trying to please people I hate? The longer the interview goes on, the more my fury seems to rise to the surface, until I’m literally spitting out answers at him”. This statement was said by a character in the novel named Katniss. While saying that quote, Katniss had to hide the fact that she knew their government was unjust and terrible. This novel gave so many incites on how bad a dystopian society could get. Dystopian societies are very divided. The people in the communities are divided with a class system.

Veronica Roth is an American novelist and short story writer, known for her debut New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy, consisting of Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant; and Four: A Divergent Collection. Divergent is a dystopian novel about a young lady named Tris Prior who lives in a futuristic world in which society is divided into five factions. As each person enters adulthood, he or she must choose a faction and commit to it for life. Tris chooses Dauntless — those who pursue bravery above all else. However, her initiation leads to the discovery that she is a Divergent and will never be able to fit into just one faction. Warned that she must conceal her status, Tris uncovers a looming war which threatens everyone she loves. This novel showed how dystopian societies use a class system to divide their people. The novel states, “This is where the factionless live. Because they failed to complete initiation into whatever faction they chose, they live in poverty, doing the work no one else wants to do. They are janitors and construction workers and garbage collectors; they make fabric and operate trains and drive buses. In return for their work they get food and clothing, but, as my mother says, not enough of either” (Roth). This quote gives a better look into the lives of people in dystopian societies that are separated by classes.

“It is this tension between utopian hopes that global capitalism gives rise to, and the dystopian reality to which it often leads, that this article considers ‘corporate social responsibility”. Utopian societies are somewhat like dystopian societies. They usually start off the way they are planned, but a perfect society to some may not be perfect to all. The people that create the utopias make it in their vision of perfection. The problem is everyone’s perfect is not the same. There will never be a society that fits all.

Authors have had a hard time at creating utopias in literature. There are some clothes that say, “one size fits all,” but, that is not true. People do not come in one size, the clothes will either be too small or too big. That is how utopias are, the society that is perfect to you may not be perfect to someone else.