Reaction Paper: Catching Fire | A Crooked System

Catching Fire, the second installment of The Hunger Games trilogy written by Suzanne Collins, skyrocketed in the box office; even surpassing its predecessor and other blockbuster movies. The film begins as Katniss Everdeen, along with fellow victor Peeta Mellark, comes home safe after winning in the 74th Annual Hunger Games. As they embark on their Victors' Tour, the spirit of rebellion kindles in the people of the districts. President Snow, astute as he is, then prepares the Quarter Quell, the 75th Annual Hunger Games, to get rid of the districts' Mocking Jay.

Panem, the setting, exists in a dystopian future which makes the movie sci-fi by default. Science Fiction, basically, is based on imagined future scientific or technological advances (as stated in the Oxford dictionary). Unlike other sci-fi movies (e.g. Avatar, The Lord of the Rings trilogy), Catching Fire has made every element more realistic in such a way that you could envision it might happen hereafter. The technologies mounted in the film appear to be quite similar, conceivably just a few years ahead to what we already have today. Some of which are the force fields enclosing the battle arena, the hovercrafts sending the tributes to the games, the high-speed Capitol trains travelling at around 250 miles per hour, and the sophisticated control center manipulating the games.

By all odds, the storyline depicts what transpires in the society at present. The situation of the people both in the Capitol and the districts is somehow similar to the situations today; the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Discrimination and social imbalance exists. The people living in the districts only serve as work forces to supply the luxuries of the lavish Capitol. Worse, these indigent people are being seen by the Capitol as mere objects of entertainment in the Hunger Games. Moreover, there are people like President Snow who abuse their power to gain more power. Just as what's happening in our government now, the leaders exploit the country's resources for selfish reasons. As a result, the whole system fails; the nation fails.

Despite its towering technological advancements, Panem still falls short of attaining success. First, science and technology are mainly used for the betterment of the Capitol and its people, the "rich". They make use of the resources in the 12 districts giving them only little in return. This just proves that they have no sense of a humane society. The Hunger Games, the boundaries among the districts, and extreme poverty are just few evidences that their society is flawed. As long as science and technology are not used for the common good, Panem would remain an awry, glitched up human civilization.

Jennylyn S. Cancejo
2013-45570
STS THX