Political Theories in Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins

Political Theories in Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins Karamveer Lalh From the beginning of Mockingjay, we are confronted with the prospect of a brutal conflict between the Districts and the Capitol for control of Panem. For both parties, the conflict is critical. For the capitol it is an opportunity to extinguish the flames of rebellion, and for the districts, it is an opportunity to win their freedom. In order to achieve these ends, control of the country is critical in order to either maintain, or acquire the power necessary to achieve their objectives. Power can be most simply defined as the influence that A has on B in order for B to do a task b that B would not ordinarily do without the influence, whether consciously or subconsciously of A. In Mockingjay, the interactions Collins develops all use power in its most basic form, and this effects every major interaction between the societies, individuals, and governments presented in the novel. These two societies, The Capitol, and The Districts (primarily District 13), provide the framework for the power structures within the novel to exist. District 13 is a highly regimented autocratic society, with each citizen having responsibility and purpose. It is unknown to us the exact government structure and mechanisms of District 13, but it is known that President Coin exerts near unlimited executive power over District 13. We are introduced to the makeup of this society when Katniss and the other refugees from District 12 arrive at District 13 where they are immediately instructed to conform to their new role. German sociologist Max Weber suggests that classes, status groups, and political parties are considered to be associated with power, attempting to achieve one’s will, even in the face of opposition from others. We see that District 13’s power structure is imposed on the newcomers rather swiftly, and met with mixed reactions. Most, such as Katniss’s mother, are grateful for District 13’s ‘generosity’ and conform quickly falling into the status group of â€Å"nurse† which is a valuable to the functioning of District 13, and is then accorded the privileges of that group as a reward for fulfilling her responsibilities. Others, such as Katniss, are more reluctant to do so. In the case of Katniss, we know that she does not need to conform to the expectati ons imposed on her by District 13, because she has power as a symbol. For Coin, being able to control or influence Katniss by winning her favour is more valuable to her goals than the possibility of alienating her by forcing her to conform to the societal expectations that would otherwise be imposed on her. It is important to consider why the District 12 refugees conform to the expectations of their new society. Weber argues that status honour is a more important source of group social action than is class or relation to markets. Status groups can do this in various ways. Status may be a means of maintaining the position of a group that does have privilege. The status group may be closed, with privileges available only to those in the group, and denied to those outside the group. Further, a status group may lead to the development of parties to further some specific interests of the status group. Thus, status groups may become the means by which power or authority is exercised. Social honour may be accorded those who behave in the manner considered desirable by the status group. In this way, the ends of a status group may be furthered. Social approval is a means of achieving the ends of the group while social disapproval may be used as a means of disciplining those who do not behave in the approved manner. (Weber 1920) Therefore, in order for the citizens of District 12 to be accepted into their new society, they must act in a way that would gain them entrance into new status groups within District 13. Due to Katniss’s privilege as the Mockingjay, and the alignment of Coin’s goals, Katniss finds herself in a far higher status group that affords her more freedoms that would not normally be available to most other citizens of Districts 12 and 13. The premise of the story is that there is a brewing civil war between the rebelling Districts (led by District 13) and the loyalists (led by The Capitol). The rebel vs. government relationship is important when discussing traditional vs. revolutionary power, which was outlined by Bertrand Russell. For Russell, all topics in the social sciences are merely examinations of the different forms of power – chiefly the economic, military, cultural, and civil forms. (Russell 1938, 35) Although Russell discusses many aspects of power in his book, a couple concepts stand out when discussing the power dynamics in Mockingjay. One of these is the concept of traditional power. By traditional power, Russell has in mind ways in which people will appeal to the force of habit to justify a political regime: traditional power is psychological and not historical. For many of the districts, rule by the capitol is a given, and their rule had gone more or less unquestioned since the first rebellion, with the apparent destruction of District 13. As Russell claims, traditional power need not be based on actual history, but rather be based on imagined or fabricated history. This falls in line with Capitol propaganda, which suggests District 13 was destroyed for disobeying their rule. Thus, the districts are quite content to submitting to Capitol rule. When District 13 deems itself formidable enough to wage another war, it quickly gains the support of many of the districts. With this, the traditional power of the Capitol begins to end alongside a corresponding change in creeds, heavily influenced by Katniss as the Mockingjay, and President Coin. If the traditional creeds are doubted without any alternative, then the traditional authority relies more and more on the use of naked power, or power by coercion. For the Capitol, this is presented as the games during times of peace, and as force used to supress the dissenting elements of the population in times of turmoil. Where the traditional creeds are wholly replaced with alternative ones, traditional power gives rise to revolutionary power: the goal of the rebel forces. Russell also tackles role of leadership within power, which is especially relevant within Mockingjay as it explores the dynamic between two powerful leaders, Snow and Coin. Russell claims that this impulse to power is not only explicitly present in leaders, but also sometimes implicitly in those who follow. It is clear that leaders may pursue and profit from enacting their own agenda, but in a genuinely cooperative enterprise, the followers seem to gain vicariously from the achievements of the leader, or at least believe the propaganda that is being fed to them. The existence of implicit power, he explains, is why people are capable of tolerating social inequality for an extended period of time (Russell 1938, 16). To extend upon this point, Noam Chomsky suggests that individuals use their individual agency to abrogate their responsibility to think and will actions for themselves. (Chomsky 1999, 53) Although this definition is very broad, it can be used to explain the popular uprisings that occurred whenever the District 13 armed forces entered into a new district, where they were generally greeted as liberators instead of conquerors. Chomsky asserts that authority, unless justified, is inherently illegitimate, and that the burden of proof is on those in authority. If this burden cannot be met, the authority in question should be dismantled. After the introduction of District 13 propaganda, this begins to reflect the view of the majority of the districts. This damages the legitimacy of the Capitol in the eyes of the districts, despite the once effective Capitol counter propaganda proclaiming that they bring security and stability. Institutions such as the hunger games and repressive rule primarily promote this illusion of security. The name of the country: â€Å"Panem†, itself is an allusion to the doctrine of the Roman Empire: panem et circenses, (bread and circuses) which suggests that a distracted populace that’s well fed and entertained will not be willing to rise against the existing power structure, despite any other greivances. (Collins 2010) While the form of government Panem had prior to President Snow is not stated, it is clear that Snow is a demagogue and likely the office of President grants Snow absolute power. Mayors within the districts act simply as governors, ensuring the districts fulfill their quotas of goods to the Capitol and serve no representative roles as a parliamentarian or senator. As a result, the massive poverty, starvation, and brutality witnessed in the districts is either enforced, or ignored. This concept of direct power that Snow expresses is the one-dimensional view of power. This is called the pluralist approach and emphasizes the exercise of power through decision-making and observable behaviour. Robert Dahl, a major proponent of this view, defines power as occurring in a situation where A has power over B to the extent he can get B to do something that B would not otherwise do (Lukes 1974). As power therefore is defined in terms of B and the extent to which A prevails is determined by its hi gher ratio of successes and defeats over B. This kind of overt power is the most observable by an outside party. In the context of the novel, it describes almost all interactions between the governments and their people, be that between Snow and his troops, or Coin and her apparent influence over Katniss. This critique of the behaviourial focus and the recognition of unobservable factors of power is discussed in the two-dimensional view of power developed by Bachrach and Baratz by which power is exercised not just upon participants within the decision making process but also towards the exclusion of certain participants and issues altogether (Lukes 1974). The first dimension claims there is an open system and although admitting that political resources are not distributed equally, they are not centralized in one group’s hands. The second approach however, sees a monopolistic system of inequalities created and maintained by the dominant power. The elite have the means and the political resources to prevent political action that would not benefit themselves. Therefore, the elite determine the agenda of both decision-making and non-decision making. In doing so, they establish their dominance and the subordinance of those on the bottom of the power hierarchy. The capitol, and more directly, Snow, was able to maintain power via use of both legitimate, and during the war, illegitimate means. The government made extensive use of propaganda during the conflict, and maintained the doctrine of panem et circenses to pacify and control the populations. In order to maintain order during the second rebellion, the 13th district, at least in the view of the Capitol, deployed an array of conventional weapons, using unconventional tactics, in order to attack capitol forces and loyalists representing illegitimate power. Although the two dimensional approach to power delves deeper than the first into the nature of power and powerlessness by involving analyses of potential issues, grievances, nondecision-making and non-participation, Lukes finds that it is inadequate because it emphasizes observable conflict only. Nonetheless, an affinity between the two results in their belief that where there is conflict, there is an element of power in both decision-making and nondecision-making. Barach and Baratz (Lukes 1974) states that if there is no conflict, overt or covert, the presumption must be that there is consensus on the prevailing allocation of values, in which case nondecision-making is impossible. Here, there is no consideration of latent conflict or attention as to how interests not consciously articulated may fit into the power relationship. Lukes identifies manipulation and authority as two forms of power, which do not necessarily involve evident conflict. People abide by the power of authority b ecause they either respect or accept its legitimacy. Compliance to the power of manipulation often goes unrecognized by the conformer because focus is placed on irrelevant matters and the key aim is downplayed. In neither is there observable conflict, but latent conflict occurs because the individual may be agreeing to something contrary to their interests without even knowing. The example that best illustrates this in the novel is that the Capitol government is aware of the citizens of the districts suffering, and primarily enforces suffering, (ex: The Hunger Games), as a means of control, and to essentially use the district citizens as slaves to provide for the Capitols exorbitant greed. District 2 is of particular note, as they are viewed favourably by the Capitol and typically are more receptive to Capitol policies than other districts, and earnestly believe in serving the Capitol loyally, despite the repressive and subservient nature of their relationship with the Capitol. This is likely not in their interests. The third dimension of power seeks to identify how A gets B to believe and choose to act in a way that reinforces the bias of the system, advancing the cause of A and impairing that of B, usually in the form of compliance. (Lukes 1974) Such processes can take place in a direct and intended way through media and communication. A takes control of the information channels and B is socialized into accepting, believing, and even supporting the political notions instilled by A. The shaping of individuals conceptions can also take place indirectly or even unintentionally through ones membership in a social structure. Patterns of behaviour, norms and accepted standards apparent in the action and inaction of the group are automatically adopted. This is relevant when examining the District 13 government and what power it holds. President Coin holds significant executive power over the citizens of 13, as well as other rebel forces. In essence, Coin mirrors Snow especially in regards to the power structure of both governments. Both rule over largely ignorant societies who assume that their leaders have the best interests of the entire nation in mind when they follow them. This, according to Lukes is the highest form of power: one where the subjugated do not consciously realize they are actively being controlled by a higher power. In contrast, Katniss retains power in herself in this form as she has the ability to influence the opinions of the populations of other districts, in her role as the Mockingjay. These districts follow Katniss because she symbolizes their cause: freedom from oppressive rule. As for what Collins views as the most effective form of power, it is quite clear that her purpose in writing the novel is by no means a treatise on power, rather a soft sci-fi thriller with an otherwise strong and complex female lead. Collin’s inclusion of power is instead a reflection of Russell’s perspective that all relationships and conflicts can be viewed as a power relationship. With that in mind, Collins chose Katniss to be the primary agent in the novel, thus she is the individual that wields the most power, especially as a propaganda tool, as the war is one where the legitimacy of both governments are called into question. Both sides in the conflict are aware of this, and by using primarily Peeta as a pawn, they are able to have an influence over Katniss. Another potentially useful example is the influence that Snow still had on Katniss immediately before he was scheduled to be executed, or the huge influence Katniss as the Mockingjay had over the general popul ation by appearing as a symbol to unite behind. Therefore, it can be said that Collins implicitly demonstrates that the third dimension of power, or power over shaping opinions, is the most significant form of power. References Chomsky, Noam. 1999. Profit over People: neoliberalism and global order. New York: Seven Stories Press. Collins, Suzanne. 2010. Mockingjay. New York: Scholastic. Lukes, Steven. 1974. Power: A Radical View. Palgrave MacMillan. Russell, Bertrand. 1938. Power: A New Social Analysis. London: George Allen Unwin LTD. Weber, Max. 1920. Politics as a Vocation.

Comparing Dreams in Of Mice and Men and A Raisin in the Sun :: comparison compare contrast essays

Of Mice and Men and A Raisin in the Sun   Dreams Make What Life Is    In the novels Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and the novel Out of the dust by Karen Hesse, dreams are viewed in different perspectives. John Stenbeck is telling you to strive for your goals and to work towards them because your dreams can get deferred and destroyed. When the opinion of Hansberry is implying that dreams can come true if you try hard, even if you're going through tough times. Karen Hesse is reiterating that you should not let anything interfere with accomplishing your goals.    Dreams deferred usually end up being diminished from existence. In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck the characters dreams, which are put on, hold all get destroyed. Lennie's dream was to live on the land in which he owned and to tend the rabbits (pg.14). He finally was almost about to achieve his dream in a month but after working in a ranch for a few days he killed Curly's wife by accident (pg.94) so he dies and also loses all his dreams so his dreams are pessimistic. Also with Lennie's dream being destroyed also George's dream was which was also to live on a ranch so (pg.7). This happens because he can't make his dream reality without Lennie showing pessimistic out view on dreams. Dreams only can bring you so far it all depends on what your destiny is. This is because even though Lennie and George's dreams were crushed even though they tried there hardest to reach them also Candy, Crooks and Curly's wife dreams were ruined too.    Candy didn't have anything so he wanted grow old on the ranch with George and Lennie (pg59-60) but then Lennie kills Curly's Wife and his dream dies (pg.94). Candy's dreams end in a pessimistic outlook because all he wanted got destroyed leaving him with nothing. Crooks dream was to be respected and not looked at for his color and wanted to live on the ranch with Curly Lennie and George (pg.64). Even though he wanted this he noticed by what Curly's wife said to him that his dream will never be achieved, so he changes his mind (pg.

Indoor and outdoor environments and services Essay

1.1.Describe the factors to take into account when planning healthy and safe indoor and outdoor environments and services. It is important to take into account the health and safe requirements of all pupils before planning or starting any activity, ensuring that the environment is free of hazards and the children can play and learn safely. There are many factors to take into consideration, when planning and preparing the setting for healthy and safe indoor and outdoor activities. The main factors fall into the following categories: †¢The individual needs, age and abilities of the pupils When setting up the environment, should be taken into consideration the age and the abilities of each individual child, particularly to those with special educational needs and children with EAL. Staff-to-pupil ratios should be adequate to the number and the individual needs of the children. †¢Specific risks to individuals It should be considered if there are specific risks to individuals. For example if there are members of staff, who are pregnant; children or members of staff with sensory impairments or any other physical impairment. In cases of such impairments, the environment should be made suitable to their needs and they should be provided with the necessary assistance when and where needed. †¢Organisation All equipment and materials should be stored in places, where they would not obstruct the fire exits. Drawers, cupboards and boxes should be clearly labelled, so it is clear where different equipment is stored and pupils and staff are able to find them easily. Rubbish bins should be emptied regularly, making sure they are not left overfilled. Water tubs should be labelled if there are with drinking or not drinking water. Cleaning and other hazardous chemicals should be stored safely and locked. First aid boxes should be refilled regularly and use by dates checked regularly. †¢Furniture The furniture should be the appropriate size for the age of the children, so they could sit comfortably and not having to spend time in uncomfortable position. Furniture should be arranged suitably for easy access and not over  crowded in one area. Space should be used wisely. †¢Light, noise and temperature There should be sufficient light for children to work without discomfort. Harsh lighting for long time should be avoided and day light should be used as much as possible. Noise levels should be considered and if there are any temporary causes for noise (maintenance work or other), children should be relocated to a suitable place, where they can work in quiet environment. The temperature of the rooms should be monitored to make sure it is not too cold or too hot. Fresh air should be provided by opening of windows and doors, making sure that this doesn’t create a safety risk. †¢Desired outcome for children The place of the activities should be planned in consideration of the desired outcome. Outdoor environment should be considered whenever possible if the type of the activity and the weather allows it. †¢Duty of care Usage of equipment should be monitored constantly and children should be given instructions of how to use it. Equipment should be stored safely and should be checked and maintained regularly. Any damaged equipment should be removed, repaired or made unreachable if its condition creates a risk of hazard. †¢Adequate space, according to the number of children and adults The size of the premises and the outdoor space should be planned according to the number of pupils. If the outdoor space for example is not enough to be used by all children at once, rotation plan could be made for usage by different classes in different time frame. †¢Accessible materials and equipment All materials and equipment should be accessible by the children. For this it should be taken into consideration the height of the children and their abilities (ex. Drawers should be able to be open without effort by the children). For younger children, who cannot read yet, labels should include pictures or be from transparent material, so children can find them easily. †¢Secure boundaries Making sure children are not able to go out of the school and outside people are not able to enter the school from anywhere, but through the specified doors and in specified times. Visitors should be wearing badges or be accompanied by a member of staff and signed in and out accordingly. Fences and security doors should be checked regularly. The area around the fences should be checked for any litter and cleaned. †¢Cleanliness and tidiness Carpets should be hovered regularly; other flooring should be cleaned regularly with suitable disinfectants. All areas should be clean and tidy at all times. Any cases of broken glass or any other hazardous matter should be reported and cleaned immediately. Appropriate signs should be put in place, for example when the floor is wet in process of cleaning. Example from my experience: In the play area for the Nursery and Reception classes in our school there were clear boundaries where the children can cycle to avoid bumping into other children, as well as for learning the road regulations. Suitable soft surface is in place where there is climbing equipment. Shaded area provides with outdoor space even when is raining. Etc.

George Orwell s Brave New World - 938 Words

Comparison of Two Governments What are the main differences and similarities in how the government in the novel 1984 and the government in the novel Brave New World control the citizens of their society? Both government are tyrannical types of governments with total control over their people. The two novels have many differences and similarities in the methods the government uses to control the people, they use methods such as psychological manipulation, torture, emotional oppression, and t. The first method of control is torture. Torture is defined as inflicting severe pain on someone. This is mostly relevant in George Orwell’s 1984. The reason why the government in 1984 uses torture as a method of control is because it is a way for them to change a person’s behavior and even thought process. In the novel the person being tortured is Winston Smith, and the reason they torture him is to get a confession out of him. In the end the torturing wins as Winston confesses to e verything and eventually betrays his lover Julia. The only real torture in the novel Brave New World is self-torture done by John the Savage to try to cleans himself of corruption. So, the government in brave new world does not actually use torture as a method of control. When Winston Smith is tortured it shows that physical harm is a way that the government can manipulate and control their people. The second method of control is psychological manipulation. Psychological manipulation is the act of changingShow MoreRelatedGeorge Orwell s Brave New World1601 Words   |  7 Pagesto predict what the future holds for our society. If one was to narrow their focus on the past century they would see the works and predictions of Aldous Huxley and George Orwell. Both Huxley and Orwell, as one could infer, composed novels that describe future societies and their inner workings. Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World, where members of society originate from a lab and who’s lives are pre-determined by the controllers. The controllers of Huxley’s futuristic society’s fundamental goalRead MoreAnalysis Of George Orwell s Brave New World Essay1704 Words   |  7 PagesIn the novels ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ and ‘Brave New World’, George Orwell and Aldous Huxley present the conflict between individuality and conformity as a key theme of their dystopian societies, inspired by the totalitarian governments of the early twentieth century. This idea is reflected in critic Jenni Calder’s argument that ‘the striking feature of society in both the novels is uniformity and lack of individualism’. In the novels this conflict is presented through the portrayal of state controlledRead MoreGeorge Orwell s Brave New World1279 Words   |  6 Pagesa generation. George Orwell wrote â€Å"1984† in response to the impeding totalitarianism of the Soviet Union over Europe on the cusp of WWII after having experience t he regime first hand in Spain. â€Å"1984† displays the fears of living under a totalitarian society along, warning readers not to become mindless followers to the government and to question authority figures along with the order of things. Similarly, â€Å"Brave New World† by Aldous Huxley was written partially in response to the new improvementsRead MoreGeorge Orwell s The Brave New World1791 Words   |  8 PagesIn both texts, Nineteen Eighty-Four and Brave New World it is clear from the start the societies show a heavy reliance on state control as a means of maintaining the dystopian civilizations. George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is a powerful presentation of a dystopian society under the influence and control of a totalitarian government. Orwell uses the character of Winston as a vehicle to explore the extent of the governments’ oppressive techniques. Through clever use of free indirect speech asRead MoreGeorge Orwell And Aldous Huxley s Brave New World1621 Words   |  7 PagesIt may be hard to imagine what the future may seem to hold, but George Orwell and Aldous Huxley were able to do so and show us by basing their futuristic stories loosely on the history of the two diverse societies of The United States and Soviet Russia. Yet, the societies in each book disavow history for the most part. Psychological manipulation and physical control as a means of maintaining its power over the people is explored in both books. They also forewarn about the dangers of totalitarianRead MoreGeorge Orwell s Brave New World And 19841537 Words   |  7 PagesAldous Huxley and George Orwell address the major oppressive issues by composing futuristic dystopian novels. Their societies, whether it be London or Oceania, were created in order to emphasize humanistic values. In the novels Brave New World and 1984, the authors display the resemblances and disparities of modern ideals. Both of Huxley and Orwell’s viewpoint of relationship s, technology, and brainwashing reveal the underlying theme that a totalitarian state is dangerous; displaying them in variousRead MoreAnalysis Of George Orwell s Brave New World 1447 Words   |  6 PagesThe three books, â€Å"1984†, â€Å"Brave New World†, and â€Å"Candide† all encapsulate similar dystopian elements but attack the issues at totally different angles. In â€Å"1984,† Orwell uses Big Brother and the thought police to keep control and reins on the middle and upper class, while the proles are left to themselves because they are not feared to rebel. In â€Å"Brave New World,† the citizens of the World State are scientifically created and programed to be happy and content with their status in the society. SomaRead MoreAnalysis Of George Orwell s Brave New World 1087 Words   |  5 PagesTotalitarianism diminishes the idea of individuality and destroys all chances of self-improvement, and human’s natural hunger for knowledge. In George Orwell’s famous novel, â€Å"1984†, totalitarianism is clearly seen in the exaggerated control of the state over every single citizen, everyday, everywhere. Totalitarianism can also be seen in the book â€Å"Brave New World† by Aldous Huxley, in which humans are synthetically made and conditioned for their predestinated purpose on earth. The lack of individualismRead MoreSummary Of George Orwell s Brave New World 1537 Words   |  7 Pagesnovels, 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley both showcases how the futuristic totalitarian governments take complete control of their societies. In 1984, the government does it by putting fear of Big Brother and the party into the people. Whereas in Brave New World, they control them by having people take soma, a drug which does not allow people to feel emotions or really anything. The views on love are similar but yet differ between the novels, in Brave New World, John, a savageRead MoreAnal ysis Of George Orwell s Brave New World 2696 Words   |  11 Pagesinterpretation. In such societies, responsibility is almost universally placed on an oppressive and inexorable state, denaturing what defines one as human. This can be applied to both the settings of ‘Brave New World and ‘1984’. However, both authors approach their respective dystopian visions in different ways. Orwell envisioned INGSOC, a state based on security and repressive surveillance, utilising totalitarianism forms of control. Whilst Huxley depicted a society held captive by profligate consumption