Marxism: The Hunger Games

Based on this film, we can clearly see how the theory of Marxism is applied where it shows divisions between classes; higher class and lower class. In the film, high class people is portrayed as luxurious, evil, and make use of the lower class people as their entertainment. Whereas, the lower class people in this film is portrayed as oppressed, weak but rebellious at the same time.

In the Marxist, Karl Marx divides the society into 2 major divisions: bourgeoisie and proletariat. Bourgeoisie is a term used to describe a society of a ruling class where they take rule over the proletariat. The proletariat in another hand in the common people or known as lower class people in the division. In The Hunger Games, the division between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat can be seen by the way these people dressed and acted. The proletariat in this film is portrayed by District 1-12 while the bourgeoisie is acted by the Capitol. The film makes the proletariat’s struggle obvious where the characters have to sacrifice their own life to fight and to survive in the game which the game is a national televised event organized by the Capitol. However, the proletariat in this film is portrayed as strong and united to against the Capitol and at the same time to vanish the game. Besides that, the main character, Katniss Everdeen in the film is a person from the lower class and she represents the lower class. Throughout the sequels she is very eager to get rid of the capitalist (the Capitol) and ended up winning the battle and at the same time get rid of the Capitol even though she has lost a lot in the battle. In another hand, the Capitol, lead by President Snow is portrayed as evil and feeling threaten by the power of the lower people (Katniss Everdeen), he tries everything cruel to stop the lower people from going against him including killing innocent people from the lower class.

At the end, we can see how the Marxist wins the battle when the bourgeoisie lost and the leader of the Capitol dies for his own greed and cruelty. Thus, we can see how Marxism is being portrayed in this film and how Karl Marx sees these lower people can rise up and go against the oppression by the higher class.