i
THE EFFECT OF TOTALITARIANISM GOVERMENT
SYSTEM TOWARD THE SOCIETY AS SEEN IN SUZANNE
COLLINS’ THE HUNGER GAMES
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
Siska Syofian
Student Number: 114214012
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
ii
THE EFFECT OF TOTALITARIANISM GOVERMENT
SYSTEM TOWARD THE SOCIETY AS SEEN IN SUZANNE
COLLINS’ THE HUNGER GAMES
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
Siska Syofian
Student Number: 114214012
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
vii
viii For
My Beloved Family, My Crazy Friends,
ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my higher gratitude to the Lord for His
love that strengthens me along my path. I thank Him for the guidance and blessing
along my college life.
I also would like to thank my thesis advisors, Dr. F.X.Siswadi,M.A. and
Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka,M. Hum. for their patience and kindness in guiding me
to complete my thesis. I thank them for the advice and enlightenment. My
gratitude also goes to my co-advisor Harris Hermansyah S., S.S M.Hum. for his
willingness to read and give suggestions that helps me to improve my
undergraduate thesis. I would also like to thank to Sanata Dharma University for
giving me the opportunity to learn and develop myself in English Letters
Department.
Furthermore, I dedicate this thesis to my family and my sunshine for the
love and for the support. Finally, I would like to thank to all my friends who never
get tired to encourage me and listen to my story over and over. I thank you Astri,
Maya, Oxky, Koh Erhat and my sunshine for being by my side through my
hardest time. You guys rock!
x
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE……… ii
APPROVAL PAGE………..iii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE………....iv
LEMBAR PERYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH…...v
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY………vi
CHAPTER II : REVIEW OF LITERATURE………8
xi
CHAPTER IV : ANALYSIS………...23
A. The General Characteristic of Peeta, Katniss, Effie Trinket and
President Snow ………23
B. The Representation of the Government system through Peeta, Katniss, Effie Trinket and President Snow………...36 C. The Effect of the Totalitariansm Government System Toward the
society in The Hunger Games………...…………...43
CHAPTER V : CONCLUSION………..46
xii ABSTRACT
SYOFIAN, SISKA. The Effect Of Totalitariansim Government System
Toward The Society As Seen In Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger
Games.Yogyakarta; Departement of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata
Dharma University, 2017.
Government system is one of the important things that many people do not realize. Government system has a big impact to what happened to the society. The writer in this undergraduate thesis discusses this through Suzzane Collins’s The Hunger Games.
The main focus of this undergraduate thesis is in the government system. There are three problem formulations in this undergraduate thesis. The first is what are the characteristic of Peeta, Katniss, President Snow and Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games?
The second problem formulation is how do the characteristic of Peeta, Katniss , President Snow and Effie Trinket represent the totalitarianism government system in Panem? And the last is what is the effect of the totalitarianism government system to the society of Panem?
Method of the study in this undergraduate thesis is the library research. The main sources are The Hunger Games by Suzzane Collins. The second sources is from the books and articles that related by the theories that uses in this study. The theory that uses in this undergraduate thesis is the Character and Characterization by Murphy and The New Criticism or Close Reading.
xiii ABSTRACT
SYOFIAN, SISKA. The Effect Of Totalitariansim Government System
Toward The Society As Seen In Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games.
Yogyakarta; Departement of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2017.
Sistem pemerintahan adalah salah satu aspek penting didalam kehidupan yang tidak banyak orang menyadari hal itu. Sistem pemerintahan menentukan aspek aspek apa yang akan terjadi didalam kehidupan masyakaratnya. Peneliti mengangkat hal ini melalui novel Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games.
Berfokus pada sistem pemerintahan, ada tiga rumusan masalah yang akan dibahas pada penelitian ini. Rumusan masalah pertama adalah bagaimana karekteristik dari Peeta, Katniss, Effie Trinket dan President Snow? Rumusan masalah kedua bagaimana karakteristik dari keempat karakter menggambarkan sistem pemerintahan yang totalitarian? Dan rumusan masalah ketiga adalah apa efek dari sistem pemerintahantotalitariansm?
Metode penelitian dalam skripsi ini adalah penelitian pustaka. Sumber utama yang digunakan adalah The Hunger Games, karya Suzzane Collins. Sumber sekunder yang diambil dari buku buku dan artikel artikel yang berkaitan dengan teori teori yang diterapkan dalam penelitian ini. Teori yang digunakan dalam penelitian in iadalah teori Character and Characterization oleh Murphy dan teory
New Criticism atau Close Reading.
live. Political system control and affect the society in the country, so people life
depends on how the political in their country are.
Each political system has its own advantages and disadvantages. There are
several types of government system; according to BBC article (http://news.bbc.co.uk
20 June 2015), there are 12 types of government systems. The types are Anarchy,
Capitalist, Communist, Democracy, Dictatorship, Federal Low, Monarchy, Regional
or Local Government System, Republic, Revolutionary, Transitional, and the last is
Totalitarianism.
Totalitarianism is a system where the power is in the hand of a single political
party. Totalitarianism government system in Panem controls all aspect of their people,
and people are supposed to do what their government tells them. Usually, government
only controls in the politic, education, economic, but in the case of totalitarianism, the
government controls all aspect, starting from the important things down to the small
things, for example their people personal life.
The article from fire light source is one of the works that inspired the writer of
this undergraduate thesis to discuss the totalitarianism Government system. This
article stated that people in America thought that the full freedom that they have is not
fully a freedom.
reached the tipping point where there can only be only one of two ends. Either we will end up with total absolute dictatorial rule, or we will have a citizen's revolt. I see no middle ground. The freedom of the press is not really free without the ability of reporters to protect the confidentiality of those who have the moral courage to make public the abuse of power. Those few individuals inside government (like Snowden) who have dared to speak out against the system of mass surveillance have been charged as spies under the espionage act or hounded into exile.” (http://freshlightsource.com) 15 July 2016.
From this article, people do not belief anymore in their government. They
start to think that the real freedom is not fully a freedom. They believe that the
politician party and press are being controlled by the government. People are made to
believe that they have a full freedom, but they are not. The government already takes
control over everything, but they make people thought that people have control, when
it is actually not.
This article is a voice from people who live in America. The writer of this
undergraduate thesis sees the urge to discuss the totalitarianism government system. It
is important to understand and discuss the totalitarianism government system.
The article from NYTIMES, “North Korea‟s Atrocities.June20
2015.(http://www.bbc.com), is one of the works that also inspired the writer of this undergraduate thesis to discuss the Totalitarian Government system. This article stated
that North Korea is a family dynasty based on government system.
North Korea is a country, whose the whole power is in the hand of the
The power is in the hand of a single person, and that person is the one who rules the
country.
Totalitarian Government system is not as famous as the other systems, some
countries still use it, but the way they use the system has gone wrong. Therefore, the
urge to discuss and to understand this type of government system is needed.
The first born ideas of Totalitarianism appear in 1920's by Italian fascists,
Giovanni Mendoza. Totalitarianism itself has been applied in a many form of
government system. North Korea is a country that since 1948 ruled by a family based
on the concept of self-reliance. Totalitarianism controls nearly all aspects of the state
from economical to political to social and cultural. The government has limitless
power over everything. Actually, Totalitarianism is a good political system, because
the power is in the hand of a person and makes the good rules, good arrangement and
have a full control over everything, so everything is under control, but people need
their freedom and their own life, if the government already controlled over everything,
even control their life, where the problem are.
Many literary works talk about politics, but only a few discuss the
totalitarianism goverment system. In this undergraduate thesis, the main focus is about
the effect of the totalitarianism from the novel The Hunger Game. The Hunger Game
is a first novel from a trilogy novel that published in 2008 by Suzanne Collins is one
one of the most popular fiction novels. This novel has been filmed and gets a lot of
attention and appreciation from everyone. From the introduction in her novel, Collins
talks about survival.
The Hunger Game, the first novel of this trilogy by Suzanne Collins indeed is
the novel that talks and makes us understand about love, survival, freedom and power.
In this book, the main character Peeta and Katnisss go through a lot of things because
of the rules of the government system.
In the first book, the writer describes about the Panem government system and
the society responds toward the government system. It is very clear how society thinks
about their government system and how they seem so obedient while they are actually
not. People of Panem start to ask about the government system and fight for their
freedom and equality. The society start to realize that they are not the one who takes
control and they start to fight for their own freedom and for the better government
system.
B. Problem Formulation
1. What are the characteristics of Peeta, Katniss, President Snow and Effie
Trinket in The Hunger Games?
2. How do Peeta, Katniss, President Snow and Effie Trinket characteristic
3. What is the effect of the totalitarian government system to the society of
Panem?
C. Objectives of the Study
Based on the problem formulation, the main goal of this undergraduate thesis
is to see the effect from the totalitarianism government system that has been used in
The Hunger Games. In order to know the effect, the first aim from this study is to
understand the characteristic from Peeta, Katniss, Effie Trinket, and President Snow.
These four characters are the representation from all classes in the society at The
Hunger Games. They are the chosen character because the writer of this undergraduate
thesis thought that they are enough to represent all of the Panem society because in the
story, they came from different classes and different stories. From Peeta, Katniss Effie
Trinket and President Snow characteristic is enough to represent the society.
After analyzing the character and characterization, the next aim from this
novel is to see the totalitarian government system from the four characters by
explaining how this four main character represent the Panem society and the
totalitarian government system by split it into two point of view that represented from
the character. There are two point of view that the writer of this undergraduate thesis
uses, which is from the government point of view and from the society or the people
point of view. The last aim of this undergraduate thesis is to see the effect of this
D. Definition of Terms
In this part, the writer wants to give an explanation to the reader about the key
terms used in this undergraduate thesis to avoid the misunderstanding.
Totalitarian is a political system that controls all aspect of the society, start
from the bigger until the smallest part of their people lives. Totalitarianism is a
government system that the power is in the hand of the single person. (Gregor,2009-
In his second chapter, he analyzes The Hunger Game, the first book. He
discussed The Hunger Games itself is the symbol that indicates entertainment in the
power control. The game itself, which is an entertainment according to Hamre, is just
a symbol or a warning to the people to remain them that the government is the one
who takes control about everything and to strengthen the government itself.
Government in this novel tells as the one who control every single thing. Hamre, in
this chapter also discussed about Katniss and Peeta rebellious. These two characters
know their position, and they did not want to a toy, so they do rebellious act in the
hunger game are. Also, Hamre said about the mood, which is from the beginning in
the novel, the mood is already in the negative setting could, rough, bad dreams and
reaping.
Hamre also talks about the Catching Fire and Mockingjay. He states again
that the three novels are a one unity and difficult to analyzed part apart. In this
chapter, Hamre highlights about the food, which in the capitol, people eat and then
vomit so that they can eat everything they want, and compare them with the people in
the district 12 that so hard to get food. In this chapter, Hamre also talk about war. He
said that in the first book, war is not something that needs to be discussed and there is
no such a thing that indicates as war, but not in the other books. In the second and
third book, war is something essential because people start to realize the truth.
What are the differences between Hemre article with this study is that this
study only analyzes and seen through the first book, which is The Hunger Games.
the character and characterization theory and then applies the close reading theory to
see and analyze the character and then uses the totalitarian theory to see the impact of
that government system difference that causes the rebellion.
The second article which is used in this undergraduate thesis titled Politic in
Panem, challenging genre by Sean P. Connors talks about dystopian.
“The Hunger Games trilogy clearly belongs to a long literary tradition of dystopic novels. Literally defined as a “hard or bad landscape,” the first use of the term dystopia in English occurred in England in 1868 when John Stuart Mill created a neologism from Thomas More‟s 1551 term “utopia” to describe how ill-conceived ROBERTA SEELINGER TRITES 18 the British government‟s Irish land policy was (“Dystopia, n.,” 2013.” Connor, 4: 8
Dystopian, talking about real world problem such as war, violence and
economic is one of the main points that Connors tell from the beginning of his article.
He said that control, power, and privilege are the common thing when the situation is
a dystopian. When the reader read or study these three books, which is The Hunger
Games, Catching Fire and Mocking Jay, the reader or the teacher is need to related
that point to the real world point and glasses.
Connors says, that in these three novel, the people in Panem especially people
that did not live in the Capitol, they cannot have or do their will, especially to speech
freely, to move or go freely, cannot get the freedom to work that they want to do, and
to safe their family. They cannot do that, because the government already takes
control of every aspect, while people who live in the Capitol enjoy their live with
Connors in this section tells that, people from the first until the third book is
develop. People starting to know what happened, they realize what they will do and
staring to rebel.
The differences between Connors article with this undergraduate thesis is that
Connor analyzes all of the three novels together, the writer of this undergraduate
thesis use The Hunger Games, but Connor make a statement that include all of the
novels. This undergraduate thesis uses the first book, and applies the close reading
method in order to analyze the text deeper. After applied the close reading method,
the writer from this undergraduate thesis see the effect from the totalitarianism
government system that used in The Hunger Games.
B. Review of Related Theories
First the writer needs to apply the character and characterization theory,
because from this theory we can see the character clearly.
1. Theory of the Character and Characterization.
Character is one of the most important elements in the literary work. From
the character, the reader can see and understand the story.
Using theory of characterization by M. H Abrams, which says that character is
a person represented in a dramatic way and being interpreted by reader, this paper
“Character are the persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as possessing particular moral, intellectual, and emotional qualities by inferences from what the persons say and their distinctive ways of saying it-the dialogue- and from what they do the action.”M.H ABRAMS page 42.
Character is divided into two types, flat and round character. Flat character is the
common character in the literary work. Flat character is a character, which in the
story remains stable and unchanged from the beginning until the end of the story.
Round character is a character with more complex story. Round character may
change as a result of a development along the story. According to Kennedy Theories,
flat characters tend to stay the same throughout the story, but the rounds characters
often changes or became enlightened or grow along the story.
According to Murphy there are several ways to describe the characters.
1. Personal Description
The writer describes the character by analyzing the physical appearance in such a
detail explanation. For example, the writer describes the character skin, face, hair, and
physical appearance. By analyzing the physical appearance of the character, the
writer can describe the personalities of the character.
2. Character as seen by another
In this method, the writer does not give any direct descriptions, but the
writer gives description by showing other character opinion to the character that the
writer wants to describe.
3. Speech
The writer describes the character by what the character said or by their
speech. The character personalities can be understood by analyzed the character
speech or said in the story.
4. Past Life
The writer describes the character by telling or giving a clue about the
character past life. It can be by the character though itself, story from other character
or direct comment from other character.
5. Conversation from other
The character can be analyzed from the conversation of and with other character.
The writer gives a clue about the character personality by what other characters says
in the story.
6. Reaction
The writer give the reader know the character from how the character react in the
situation or events. By this ways, the reader can analyze how the character by how the
character dealing with the situations they encounter.
The writer uses a direct comment to describe the character personality. The writer
gives the direct understanding about the character through the direct comment or the
opinion of the character.
8. Thought
The character gets to know by what and how the character thinking. The reader
can analyze the character through how the character thinks.
9. Mannerism
The character describes by how the character habits and manner. By identifying
the mannerism and the behavior of the character, the reader can understand the
character personalities.
Character is one of the media from the author of literary work to explain and tells
the story. Character also functions to carry the meaning and the message of the
literary work. By analyzing the character deeper, we can see what the author means
and purpose. Every character has own function in telling the meaning of the literary
work. How the character tells the purpose of the author can be analyze using the nines
ways from Murphy. By analyzing and know the character characterization, the reader
of the literary work can understand the literary work and know the meaning and the
purpose of the literary work itself. Character is the effective may in the knowing what
the literary work wants to says.
There are several types of the government system around the world. Every
system has its own rules and ways. Each of the government system that been applied
has its own advantages and disadvantages, according in which way the reader seen
that. One of the government systems in the world is Totalitarianism.
Totalitarianism itself often said as Nazi or Dictatorship, but it is different.
Totalitarianism is a system which is the politician or government takes control over
everything, including the people private life. Totalitarianism is a political concept of
government where aspect of every member of the society. Dictatorship is a
government system that acquires power without the consent of people, and stick to
power. A. James Gregor in his book explains about totalitarianism as a political
power.
Totalitarian regimes featured distinctive political rule, in terms of the singular leader himself, his preclusive ideology and the dominant party it animated. It was not just a police state—or simply a personal dictatorship. It was a political system that arrogated to itself the power to fashion, and emit legislation without the semblance of those “checks and balances” that typify pluralistic arrangements. (Gregor,2009- 31)
Totalitarianism refers to a political system in which all of the power is in the
hands of the state. In a totalitarian society, all control of public and private life is in
the hand of the government. Within totalitarian regimes, the leadership controls all
aspects of the state from economical to political to social and cultural. Totalitarian
regimes control science, education, art and private lives of residents to the degree of
dictation proper morality. The main focus of this theory is to see the power that the
The rules of the government are set by a single politician and the people must
follow the rules, without complaint or rebel. All of the power is in the hand of a
single person, so that the others have no power. The government is the one that has
full responsible of all the aspect in their countries.
There are several points that indicate Totalitarianism government system. The
first point is that the societies obey and stick to the rules. Totalitarianism is a
government system that control until the private life of every member of the society.
That rules requires people to do what the government tells, so that the people has to
obey all of the rules and stick to it.
Besides the President, that has an absolute power, there are several institutions or
ruling party that given the power from President. This group is given the power and
they need to be loyal and forced to follow the agenda by the government.
There are four characters that the writer chooses in this undergraduate thesis, this
characters divided into two point of view. The first is from the people in Panem
society. Peeta and Katniss are the characters that represent the society, Effie Trinket
and President Snow is the representation from the government system point of view.
Each of the character represents the totalitarianism government system.
C. Theoretical Framework
The first step to answer the first problem formulation is applying the character
representation from a people in a narrative way and can be describes in their action
and also their words. How Peeta, Katniss, Gale and President Snow characterization
develop throughout the story, and how this four character face their problem and
survive. The four characters characterization analyze by the ten points of the character
and characterization theories by Murphy. The writer of this undergraduate thesis used
these ten points to see the characters characterization.
The next theory is the close reading method by the new criticism is needed to
answer the second problem formulation. This undergraduate thesis uses the close
reading method to analyze the text and character deeper after applying the character
and characterization theory. The main source from this step is the text itself.
The third theory is totalitarianism to answer the last problem formulation
which the effect of the totalitarianism government system. The main part of this
theory is to see the effect from the totalitarian government system and why that
literary text. By this approach, the writer sees the literary work itself. Therefore, the
main focus in this study is the novel The Hunger Games.
“The distinctive procedure of a New Critic is explication, or close reading: the detailed analysis of the complex interrelations and ambiguities (multiple meanings) of the verbal and figurative components within a work.”(Abrams, 2003: 180)
A book from Leroy Searley, New Criticism said that by focus on the literary
text, we can find the real meaning and the real aim of the writer. We do not need
other theories in order to understand the literary work. Only focusing the text.
“While the variations are as rich as the literature examined, the New Critical essay is generally characterized by a close attention to the language of the text, to show a pattern of formal and thematic features that the critic commonly
understand the text, the literary work and understand the meaning by pay attention to
the language of the text. The only focus it the literary work, without paying any
attention to the other aspect.
By using this new criticism approach, the writer reveals the effect from the
C. Method of the study
In conducting this undergraduate thesis, the writer first read and re-read the
primary source, which is The Hunger Games. The writer of this study tried to
interpret the novel. After understanding the primary data, the writer seeks the
interesting topic that can be discussed and then formulate the object of the studies.
The next step that the writer done are a library research; with the main source
is the novel by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games. This novel actually is a trilogy,
but this paper only uses the first novel.
The writer collected some references that connected to the primary sources
and then choose and studied the journal, article and books. The next steps are
arranging all of the references and analyze them by finding their topic with the
issues that discussed in this undergraduate thesis. The journal from Kjellaug Therese
Hauge Hamre,, entitled Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games Trilogy and Social
Criticism and the journal from Sean P. Connors titled Politic in Panem, challenging
genre are used as the review from the related studies and the comparison with this
study. The book from Peter Barry, Beginning Theory an Introduction to Literary and
Cultural Theory is used see and being applied the theory unconscious by Sigmund
Freud.
The next step is analysis. There are several steps done to do the analysis. The first
Games by Suzanne Collins. Then the writer decided the topic, which is the effect
from the totalitarianism. Totalitarianism is the government system in the story.
Since the writer decided to discussed the effect from the government system the
first moved is to understand the character and characterization from the story. In The
Hunger Games there are so many characters, so the writers from this undergraduate
thesis choose Katniss, Peeta, Effie Trinket and President Snow as the representation
from the all character because this four characters are enough to represented the entire
layer from the society in this story.
The second steps are to review some journals and some books that discussed The
Hunger Games in order to give a clear understanding and comparison to the reader.
The third step is to answer the first problem formulation by applying the theory of
character and characterization by Murphy. This character ad characterization theory is
used to analyze the character of Peeta, Katniss, Gale and President Snow as the
representation from the society and the government. Furthermore, the close reading
method from the new criticism theory is used to analyze the four characteristic deeper
to answer the second problem formulation. Based from the analyzed of the four
characters, the writer decided to use the totalitarian government system theory to see
After the writer answered all of the problem formulation, the writer of this
undergraduate thesis draw a conclusion. The conclusions described all of the effect
Games. Peeta‟s first act for Katnisss was when Katnisss was starving and searching
for food behind his family‟s bakery, and Peeta apparently burned two loaves of bread
so the bakery couldn‟t sell them, then he gave those loaves to Katnisss. Peeta‟s
mother hit him for burning the bread, and Katnisss believes Peeta must have known
he would be punished for it. From that first act from Katnisss memory, Peeta is in
love with Katnisss, he is willing to do anything for Katnisss.
“Peeta blushes beet red and stammer out. “Because… because… she came here with me” “(Collins, 2008:131)
Peeta is in love with Katniss from the begging. In this story, Katniss
described Peeta as a good and lovely boy. He is strong and good at camouflage.
According to Katnisss, Peeta good at speaking and communication, he can easily
make a friend and relations because of his skill in communication. Peeta is a kind and
brave boy. He is willing to sacrifice himself and do anything to save Katnisss by joint
with the other tribute. Peeta knows exactly what he is supposed to do.
In Effie‟s eyes, Peeta is cool but also smart. He can think what the best to do
and make people believe what he says. Peeta has no other skills than speaking; he
knows his skills and he uses it well.
At the Games, Peeta joined with the other tribute so he knows what other will
do and he can protect Katnisss from them. Peeta does not have any intention to win
the games. He feels that he is lucky to be the chosen tribute, so that he gets the chance
to get close to Katnisss, even for the short times.
Peeta confesses to Katnisss that his only hope for the games is to retain his
identity and not to be made into a monster by his circumstances. Peeta‟s statement
that he wants to be himself is the proved that he does not follow the rules and never
heard what he supposed to did.
Peetais good at communication, lying and manipulating words. He could
make people believe that he loves the capitol. Peeta knew that he cannot win this
games from the beginning, and this game are just a show to entertain the people of the
Capitol, so he said to Katniss, makes a good story, make a good show, so people will
like and adore them.
Peeta knows what he was supposed to do. During the games, when the rules
had change, Peeta know that he and Katniss had to show that they are madly in love
in order to get the attention and then get a sponsor. Peeta knows exactly what he is
supposed to do.
Peeta is a lovely boy, he loves Katniss and he is willing to do anything for her.
When Katniss said that they better eat the berry rather than kills other, Peeta do it. At
him to eat that together. Peeta do what Katniss tells him to do, because he believes in
her. That action is the impact from what Peeta get, always stick to the rules, but the
rules cannot win over love.
Peeta is a strong and brave boy. He has skills in camouflage. He is very
friendly and can easily make friends because of his skills in communication. Peeta
also honest. He is smart and also an open-minded person. He can think and do the
best for himself and from the one he loves. Peeta know his weakness, but he can
manage and make her weakness as the weapon to protect himself.
2. The Characteristics of Katnisss
Katnisss Everdeen is the main character and also a narrator in the story. She
has a black hair and grey eyes. She is sixteen years old, live in the Seam, District 12,
the coal mining sector.
“As soon as I‟m in the trees, I retrieve a bow and sheath of arrows from a hollow log. Electrified or not, the fence has been successful at keeping he flesh-eaters out of District 12. Inside the woods they roam freely, and there are added concerns lik venomous snakes, rabid animals, and no real path to follow. But there‟s also food if you know how to find it. My father knew and he though me some before he was blond to bits in a mine explosion. There was nothing even to burry. I was eleven then. Five years later, I still wake up screaming for him to run.” (Collins, 2008: 5)
Katniss life with her mother and her sister, Prim. Her father died in a mine
explosion when she is eleven. Since her father death, she became the provider for her
“Always close enough to run back to the safety of District 12 if trouble arises. “District Twelve. Where you can starve to death in safety,” I mutter. Then I glance quickly over my shoulder. Even here, even in the middle of nowhere, you worry someone might overhear you.” (Collins, 2008:6).
Katnisss is a cold girl and never talk too much. She has her own thought but
never discussed about it to anyone. She thinks that the government never really cares
about the people. Katnisss is not the type off the girl who will obey the rules and do
what she‟s told to do. In this case, People in Seam supposed to do what their
government tells.
Katnisss always thought that life in the district 12 never bean easy life. She
needs to do more effort to survive. She needs to go to hunt in the wood and then
barter whatever she‟s got in the hoob (black market, place to barter everything) to
fulfill her family needs. She has a skill with arrow and hunt, passed from her father.
She is good at hunt and using a bow. With her bow and her skills, she can provide the
food and everything for her family. She goes to the wood, hunt the animals and then
barter whatever she‟s got. With the skills and the situation, she became the provider
for her family.
Going to the woods is illegal. The access to the woods itself is protected by
the tall electrified fence. It supposed to be electrified 24hours a day, but since the
district itself not fully electrified, sometimes it is safe to cross over the woods. From
her family needed, but crossing the woods is illegal act and she can get a hard
punishment for it.
“ “Prim!” The strangled cry comes out of my throat, and my muscles begin to move again. “Prim!” I don‟t need to shove through the crowd. The other kids make way immediately allowing me a straight path to the stage. I reach her just as she is about to mount the steps. With one sweep of my arm, I push her behind me.
“I volunteer!” I gasp. “ I volunteer as tribute!”
There‟s some confusion on the stage. District 12 hasn‟t has a volunteer in decades and the protocol has become rusty.” (Collins, 2008:22)
Katnisss loves her sister, but she has no respect to her mother because of what
her mother done to her after her father died in the mine exploitation when she was 11
years old. After Prim, her sister elected as a tribute, Katnisss volunteered herself in
hoped that she could win the games. She does not want to see her sister suffer; she is
willing to do anything to safe her sister.
Katnisss act to volunteer for his sister is a brave act. She is a brave girl. She
does not scare of anything and will do everything for her family. Because of this act,
she‟s became the spotlight for the people in Capitol, and she‟s starting to became the
thread for the government.
“ “No, it happened. And right when your song ended, I knew- just like your mother-I was a goner,” Peeta says. “Then for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you.”
“Without success,” I add.
Since Peeta is in love with Katniss from beginning, he thought that Katnisss is
a strong and never give up kind of a girl. Katnisss also a type of a girl who cannot
easily to get closer to everyone and usually she has her own thought. Katnisss is a girl
who is hard to get close to. She protects herself with her cold, silent and not friendly
personality. She is actually a shy and lovely girl, but because of the situation and the
condition, she locked herself from others. She pulled herself from the society and
became a cold and not friendly girl.
“Haymitch considers this a moment, then punches Peeta in the jaw, knocking him from his chair. When he turns back to reach for the spirits, I drive my knife into the table between his hand and the bottle, barely missing his fingers. I brace myself to deflect his hit, but it doesn‟t come. Instead he sits back and squints at us.
“Well, what‟s this?” Says Haymitch. “Did I actually get a pair of fighter this year?” “ (Collins, 2008:57)
Katniss is a fighter and good at hunting. She is good with bow and arrow. She
is strong and temperamental girl. In Haymitch eyes, Katnisss actually have some
skill, but she has a really bad personality and temperament. Katnisss is a smart girl,
but her temperament drives her personality. She chooses to keep her expression in the
form of a cold and uneasy girl. She always put a face that not expresses her emotions.
Katnisss protect herself from other.
During the games, Katnisss show her skill and herself. She had a plan and she
the games. Katnisss knew the real situation, and she knew how to react and what she
is supposed to do,
“Yes, they have to have victor. Without a victor, the whole things would blow up in the Game maker‟s face. They‟d have failed the Capitol. Might possibly event be executed, slowly and painfully while the cameras broadcast it to every screen in the country.
If Peeta and I were both to die, or they though we were…
My fingers fumble with the pouch on my belt, freeing it. Peeta sees it and his hand clamps on my wrist. “No, I won‟t let you.”
“Trust me,” I whisper. He holds my gaze for a long moment then lets me go. I loosen the top of the pouch and pour a few spoonfuls of berries into his plam. Then I fill my own. “On the count of three?”“ (Collins, 2008:344)
Katnisss Everdeen is a rude girl. She never heard and done what the
government tells her according to President Snow. She is also becoming the trigger to
the act of rebellion. KatnisssEverdeen is the type of girl who is dangerous. Her act to
persuade Peeta to eat the berries has become the beginning from the act of the
rebellion facing toward the government. Katnisss never thought that her act from the
berries accident will bring the great impact at the future. What she thought at that
moment is safe herself and Peeta, but her act brings the big impact and inspiring other
people to start to oppose the government.
Katniss never talks too much, she has her own thought and she is not friendly.
She closed her self from the society. She is actually a lovely and sweet girl, but she is
family. Katniss is a rebel; she never sticks to the rules. She always acts according to
what she thought the best.
Katniss is a fighter and she has skills with bow. She is good at hunting and
never gives up on what she is believed. Katniss is a temperament and stubborn.
3. The Characteristics of Effie Trinket
Effie Trinket, she is an escort for the tribute from District 12. Once in a year,
she came to District 12. Every district has their own escort, and Effie is the escort that
been chosen to take care of the District 12. Her job is to take care of the tribute from
District 12, encourage the tributes to be happy about the games, bring the chosen
tribute to the Capitol and train them quickly so that the tributes can win the games.
She has such a unique appearance and accent, known as the Capitol accent. Effie
always dressed according the lasted trend fashion from the Capitol.
“Bright and bubbly as ever, Effie Trinket trots to the podium and gives her
signature, “Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be everin your favor!”
Her pink hair must be a wig because her curls have shifted slightly off-center since her encounter with Haymitch. She goes on a bit about what an honor it I to be here, although everyone knows she‟s just aching to get bumped up to a better district where they have proper victors, not drunks who molest you in front of the entire nation.” (Collins, 2008:19-20)
Effie love‟s Panem and adore President Snow. She talks a lot and always
aware about the attitude and manner. Effie has a good heart and she is also smart. She
loves the capitol and thought that the government is the best. Government is able to
Effie‟s job is to train and prepare the chosen tribute to faces all of the
ceremony of Hunger Games from the beginning until the games ended. She is the one
who controlled the schedule, train, attitude, tributes personalities and the tributes
appearance and speech. She is a very discipline and classy woman.
Effie is an escort for district 12. Effie introduces the capitol and the rules well.
When she makes a schedule, she considers all aspect down to a small thing. Effie
surprised when Katniss volunteer herself to Prim, but she handled it well, she still
gives her best performance.
Her job is to take care of the tribute. She tells the tribute about the games,
starting from the pre-games and her plans. She always had a plan for the tribute.
“ “ Nothing. Or I don‟t know. I walked out after that,” I say. “Without being dismissed?” gasp Effie. “ (Collins, 2008: 186)
“ “Very true,” says Haymitch. And I realize the impossible has happened. They have actually cheered me up. Haymitch picks up a pork chop with his fingers, which makes Effie frown, and dunks it in his wine. He rips off a hunk of meat and starts to chuckle.” (Collins, 2008:187)
Effie is kind of a lady who is very strike to the rules. She has a good
personality and attitude. Effie also very patience, but when she run out of her
patience, she will say it. She is always doing what the government told her to do. She
is very obedient and she is a good citizen.
Patiently she faces the entire problem ahead, especially Katniss, who has a
problem with her attitude and her personality. Effie always found a way in how to
handle her tributes, even her tributes always had a problem.
When Katniss tells that she shoots the apple when the selection, instead of
happy like the others do, Effie was shock and angry because of that kind of act that
according to her is a very bad and impolite. She cannot believe that Katniss shoot an
arrow to the games maker. When Katniss said that she is scared that her family may
in danger, Effie comforts her. Effie believes that the game maker and the government
will not harm any of their people. Effie believes that the government will always
protect and full fill all of their people needed.
Effie love‟s Panem and adore President Snow. She has a good attitude and
aware of that. Effie is a type of a girl who always sticks and obeys the rules. She is
also very patience and smart. She can think what the best for every problem she faces.
4. The Characteristics of President Snow
Coriolanus Snow is the only rules of the Panem. He is the president of Panem.
Panem itself divided into twelve district and rules by a president. The president is the
one who makes all the rules, and the people have to do and obey the rules. The
president lives in the Capitol, or district 1. Each district has their special quality. Each
district has to send their thing to the Capitol, and then the Capitol distribute to each
“The president, a small, thin man with paper-white hair, gives the official
welcome from a balcony above us.” Collins, 2008:71
Snowis a good and generous president. He already aged and has a white hair.
He has a strong and clear mind. He always thinks that if the societies have a good
roles and example, so all of the things will work out well.
Since Snow is the president, the characteristic of Coriolanus Snow can be
seen in the rules that he gives to his people. He designs the rules very specific and
tight.
“The rules of The Hunger Games are simple. In punishment for the uprising, each of the twelve districts must provide one girl and one boy, called tributes, to participate. The twenty-four tributes will be imprisoned in a vast outdoor arena that could hold anything from a burning desert to a frozen wasteland. Over a period of several weeks, the competitors must fight to death. The last tribute standing wins.” (Collngs, 2008:18)
This is a tradition rules, which requires each district to send a man and a girl
from each district to be a tributes and then fight until only one survive. This hunger
game is create in order to remain the rebellion that happened in the past, so that there
is no more uprising since the government already provide all of the things that the
people needed.
From this rules, we can see that Snow is a hard and cruel president. He is able
to see his people suffering in order to give example for other that they must be
Hunger Games itself already exist years ago and is became a tradition. It
requires a man and a woman from each district to fight against each other in the
arena. The man and a woman from each district called tribute. The rules are simple;
one last tribute is the winner. The Hunger Games is an annual tradition and has a
game maker, who will prepare everything about the games. The game maker is
chosen by Snow.
Game maker can make a decision about the games with the approval from
President Snow. The game maker is someone that the president chooses and it has to
obey and has a full responsibility. President Snow stills the one who makes a
decision.
“It‟s so much worse than being hunted in the arena. There, I could only die. End of story. But out here Prim, my mother, Gale, the people of District 12, everyone I care about back home could be punished if I can‟t pull off the girl -driven-crazy-by-love scenario Haymitch has suggested.” Collins, 2008: 358
Katniss though is one of the proofs that Snow could do anything to everyone
if needed. The government has full authority to do and give punishment to anyone.
Government can do everything to their people. The statement that Katniss afraid that
her family may in danger is rational, because everyone has no control over
everything. The full control is in the hand of the government. Snow in this part is a
very rude and cruel.
Snow actually has a good rule. Each districts have their own system and their
security. Every district has to send their entire surplus and then the government
distributes that. The distribution to districts done by the government without asking
what the people in the district need.
The educational of each district is also different. In district 12, the main focus
in the education is about the coal. People in district 12 know only about the coal,
because that is the things that the government wants them to know. Every district
knows only about the thing that the government they want to know. This is a good
strategy, so that every district master in what their district has.
Coriolanus Snow is a cruel and hard president. He is willing to do anything to
secure Panem. Snow also a smart and strike to his rules. He is a man, who have all of
the power and with the power he does what he thought is the best.
B. The Representation of the Government System ThroughPeeta, Katnis, Effie Trinket and President Snow.
After analyze the general characteristic of the four characters, the writer
analyzes and describe the characters‟ characteristic that represent the government
system in Panem. From the four characters that been analyzed, the writer of this
undergraduate thesis chooses to split this characters into two point of view. The first
point of view is from the society, and the second is from the government itself. These
two different glasses are chosen because the writers of this undergraduate thesis need
Characteristic of Peeta and Katniss represent the society, and characteristic of Effie
Trinket and President Snow is the representation of the government.
1. Peeta and Katniss as the Representative from the Society of Panem Government System
Peeta is a lovely and honest man. His first confession that he loves Katniss is
the proof. Peeta takes this act not for himself, he is doing that to makes Katniss look
precious. This part, this is the first signal that describe that the tributes from district
12 protect and help each other in every aspect and every situation. Back in district 12,
people help each other; people support one another so that they can survive.
According to the rules in the games, Peeta supposed to do and said the things that
make him looks more, so that he can get sponsor when the games begin, but Peeta not
doing that.
Peeta is a strong and brave man. These strong and brave characteristic of
Peeta shown when he was willing to done anything to safe Katniss. In the arena, he
gathers with the other tribute that hunts Katniss. His motivation joint with other is not
to kill her, but to safe Katniss. Peeta willing to sacrifice himself for Katniss. If we
stick to rules, this act already crosses over it. Peeta supposed to kills everyone in the
arena, so that he can win the games. Instead of kills everyone, Peeta choose to protect
Katniss and sacrifice himself. This is one of the signals that Peeta already pay no
The big act of breaking the rules that Peeta do is when he is agreed with
Katniss‟s ideas to eat the poison berries at the end of the games. When the last remain
tribute is Peeta and Katniss, the rules of the games changes again and it back to the
first rules, which is only one tribute that can win, even though, before the rules is the
tributes from same district can wins the games. Peeta supposed to kill Katniss, so that
he can win the games and became a victor. Instead of killing Katniss, he accepts her
idea to eat the poison berries and risk his own life. Peeta knows the risk of the entire
act that he is doing, but he still does that without hesitate. He does that act that broke
the low without any pressure from anyone.
This is the biggest act that Peeta do that is broke the rules. This act is an act
that is implicitly says that people, if they have to, willing do anything to keep what
they thought right and people can stand against the government or the rules if the
rules is already far from their right.
This several act of Peeta is the proven that he is not doing what he is supposed
to do according to the rules. Peeta broke all of the rules. He is doing the other side of
the rules because he knows that the rules are contradiction with what he is thinking
and what the best is for him.
Peeta‟s characteristic here in The Hunger Games is a representation from the
to the rules, because the rules are not able to cover everything and also the rules are
opposite with that the people actually supposed to do.
Peeta‟s act when he agreed to Katniss‟s idea to eat the berry is the more
powerful prove that shown that people can do anything and not consider the rules if
the rules itself already past the limit.
Peeta characteristic that he is so obedient and sticks to the rules is the
indication that the government system in Panem is Totalitarianism government
system.
The second character is Katniss. Katniss is strong and she is a fighter. Since
her father died, Katniss is the one who takes care all of the problem in her family. She
became the provider for his family. Since the need of food and other things, Katniss
decided to go to the woods and hunt. She knows that her act of cross over the panel,
go to the woods, hunt and trade in hoob is illegal, but she is doing it. Her illegal act is
needed, so that she and her family can survive.
Since she is young, Katniss already have a thought about the government, but
she never talks about it to anyone. Katniss scared of the government and she chose to
keep silent and became a cold girl. She holds her own thought tightly and keeps that
though for herself only.
In the games, Katniss became friend with Rue, other tributes. This act is
the rules, but she still cooperates with other tribute and they protect and keep each
other. Katniss act in this part shown that the rules stay only the rules. In the
application in real life, the best act and the right choice is the matter. The rules are not
appropriate with the fact and the situation that she face. People will do what the best
to survive, without considering the rules if the rules are not suit with the situation.
During the games, Katniss pretend to be madly in love with Peeta. This is a
strategy that Katniss uses when the rules of the games change. Before, the rules are
only one tribute, but when the rules are changes that two tributes from the same
district can wins the games, Katniss go, find and save Peeta. This act is the proved
that people will stick to the rules and do what the government said if the rules are fair.
Her idea to eat the poison berries in the arena has broughtmany impacts. At
the moment when she asks Peeta to eat the berries together, she is not aware of what
the risk from her act. She does not realize that that act of the berries incident brings so
many impact to the people in all district. Her idea to eat the poison berries is not
without consider or second thought. She knows that the games need a winner, and if
the two last remain victor death, they will not have a winner and the government will
be blame for that. So, Katniss is a smart girl. She knows the rules perfectly and she
Her act that cause the berries incident has become the trigger and the example
to the people that people actually have their own power, if they are brave enough to
do what the best.
All of the Katniss act is the representation from people. People will stick to
the rules and never cross it if the rules suit with the situation and the condition. When
the rules itself makes peoples live hard or threat, they will do what the thing is the
best, without care about the rules at all.
Katniss characteristic that she is so obedient and sticks to the rules is the
indication that the government system in Panem is Totalitarianism government
system.
2. Effie Trinket and President Snow as the Representative of the Government from the Panem Government System
Effie Trinket came from district 1, the Capitol. She has a good life, good
manner and good personalities, even though her looks are unique. Effie is a good
citizen, she sticks and done the rules well. She is doing anything in order to make her
tribute became valuable and maybe can wins the games.
Effie explains all of the facilities from the capitol, staring from the moment
they take the train, until the end of the games. Efiie always thought that all of the
rules that been made by the government is the best rules, because she never faces a
Efiie is the one who is very shock when she knows that Katniss shoot the
apple, instead of do something interesting to keep the judges interesting. This reaction
is the signal that Effie appreciates and cares about the Panem and the Panem
government.
Efiie here as the representation of the government because she is always act
and do according to the rules. She never breaks any single low and always respectsthe
government. Effie always do her job well, because that is her job and that what she is
supposed to do.
One of the indications that prove that the Panem using totalitarianism is that
the people stick to the rules and obey. A person who lives in the Capitol and the
government always stick to the rules and never break the rules, because the rules is
perfect for them. The rules never threat them.
Coriolanus Snow is the representation from the government point. He is a
cruel and hard president, this characteristic can be seen in the rules that been applied
and the games that celebrate every year. Snow is a cruel president because he has to
make a good rules and a good example to his people.
Every district have to send one female and one male tribute to fight until one
is alive and declare as a winner is the sign that the government is not really care about
every district have to be thankful for the Panem that already provide all of their
needed and protect them.
The threat that the people scared of is needed so that the people stick to the
rules that already control everything, so that people do not necessary need to stress
over something. Everything already sealed and it is some of the things that the people
should be thankful.
The government already has a system, in which include the secure of the
people in every district. All of the rules are made from the beginning, when the day
Panem starts to governing.
C. The effect of the Totalitarianism Government System toward the Society in The Hunger Games
Panem‟s government system is called a Totalitarianism government system.
Totalitarianism government system is the system, which all of the power is in the
hand of a single political. In this story, the main power is in the hand of Coriolanus
Snow, president of Panem.
Snow is the one who takes control over everything. Snow also does not hesitate to
threat or to sacrifice his people live in order to make the other still obey the rules.
Hunger games is the proven of how cruel Snow to seen the young generation from his
According to totalitarianism government system, there are two aspects to indicate
that. The first is that people in that government obey and stick to the rules. In these
stories, Katniss, Peeta and Efiie trinket is the people, even though they are from
different district, they obey the rules. Peeta and Katniss obey the rules. They do
according to the rules. Effie does her job well. She loves the government and does her
job well.
This totalitarianism system brings so many impacts in the peoples live. People
follow the rules as long as the rules if fit with the situation and the condition that the
people faces. But, when the rules and the situation are opposite and part apart, people
staring to break the rules. They started from the small act, and then slowly to the
bigger and fatal act.
The berries accident for examples, Katniss know the rules well. Because she
knows the rules, she finds the weakness of the rules and does the act that became the
big trigger. Before the berries incident, both Peeta and Katniss has an ally with other
tribute so that they can survive. If Peeta and Katniss stick to the rules, they supposed
to kills everyone in the arena so that some of them can win the games. This act makes
an ally and not killing each other is the simple prove that people do not fully listen
and do what they supposed to do. The more government is trying to control, the more
There are several effects from the totalitarianism government system. The first is
that people has no freedom over everything. People do not have any right to choose
their government, even their life. The second effect is that people from the district
live in the misery and poverty. There will be socialclasses‟ gaps between the
societies. People have to fight for their own lives when the rules and what they get is
not enough, so that they start to break the low.
Another effect from this totalitarianism government system is that when some act
of breaking rules can be a trigger to the other district to start the uprising and do the
Effie and President Snow are the representation from the government because
they are both thinks that the only way to makes things better are through controlling
and organizing every single aspect.
The totalitarianism government system is a good government system, because
it controlled every aspect of the government. By take control, everything will do well.
Since the rules that been used is not fit to the people situation and condition, people
started to rebel. The first steps may start from the small things and then after that to
the bigger act.
Everything is good when it is under control, everything that is under straight
control and straight rules not forever good. The more you control over everything, the
more you forget that the situation and the condition needed, and therefore the uprising
48
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