Reaction Paper: Catching Fire

Bonostro, Jeric B.

2013-23838

STS-THY

Reaction Paper: Catching Fire (Film)

Oxford University Press (2013) defines science fiction as a type of fiction that imagines the advances in science and technology and the future changes in the society and the environment. From this, it can be inferred that Catching Fire is a science fiction. These changes and advances in science, technology, society and the environment can be seen in the film. The arena, which had poisonous fog, mimicking jabberjays, controlled waves and a force field, shows technology that does not exist today. The society was also different from what there is now– or what there was before, e.g. the annual Hunger Games, the divided districts, the government and the Capitol.

Although it can be said that Catching Fire is futuristic because of the advances mentioned, the film also represents some of the past and the present human society. The Tributes (esp. the Careers) in the hunger games can be compared to the Gladiators in the early centuries; they were made to fight till death, some were trained as professionals and they had sponsors. Both the Capitol and Rome used watched these as entertainment. Today’s society can be compared to the film– social classes exist, there is no equality, and the government is all too powerful. Most importantly, living was a survival of the fittest.

In this dystopian world, science, technology and society failed. Instead of science and technology being useful, they were used to harm. Science and technology was used to manipulate, to kill and to destroy. They were used for selfish needs. Then there was the society which was in chaos. This is why a rebellion was ignited because Katniss Everdeen brought a beacon of hope to the people and in that moment, they knew it was time for a change in the system. If this rebellion manages to fix the current situation, this society may succeed.