The Paradox of Hope Between Control and Resistance in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games trilogy

Abstract

When authoritarianism thrives in a dystopic world, the duality of hope functions as a manipulative tool that sustains manufactured spectacle, while simultaneously serving as a catalyst and a silent promise. Previous researchers have shown that hope is often associated with utopian fiction, owing to its pure and innocent nature; therefore, some studies have emphasized hope’s significance in Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy and Gary Ross' movies released between 2008 and 2015, overlooking that it is a double-edged weapon. This dissertation aims to study the twisted nature of hope in dystopias, a nature that swings upon a controlling tool and a liberative force, to see if hope can survive/win against oppression. Through a deep textual analysis of the novels and the cinematic script of the movie adaptations, the findings revealed that, under a compulsive abuse of spectacle and the politics of visibility, hope lead towards destruction; hence, a whimsical, quixotic feeling remains eternal and immaculate, often leading towards the awakening of consciousness and mental freedom.