The Difficulty in Maintaining Your Own Beliefs in the Face of Others" 1
Robin Williams famous quote on conformity from Dead Poets Society, conformity is almost our innate desire to fit in; changing ourselves to become like everyone else, not rocking the status quo if you will. The 2012 blockbuster movie, The Hunger Games and the short story The Lottery -by Shirley Jackson- both contain aspects of conformity and rioting against them. Now for a little backstory. Everyone who has seen the Hunger Games knows that every year in penance for an uprising two citizens aged between 12-18 years of age are offered to the Capitol as tribute to fight to the death in the Hunger Game. This occurs every year, no one questions why out of fear of punishment from the Capitol. With The Lottery it is set in a small village and every year on June 20 th a lottery is drawn. While we may associate the word lottery with winning, luck and money this is not something you want to win. As you kind of (SPOILER ALERT) get stoned to death. Jackson using the word Lottery as the title was excellent writing, as it makes you think that oh maybe they will win money or something and not getting killed. Now the conformity aspect of The Lottery is that it is held every year and like with the Hunger Games no one questions it. Both works have one thing very similar. They both have some form of raffle that both have dire consequences if you are drawn, in the Hunger Games if picked in the Reaping you must fight to death in the Hunger Games, in The Lottery you get stoned to death. Both authors already install the theme of conformity in these opening scenes. In the Hunger Games everyone in the district must go to the reaping (unless bedridden with sickness), if they do not go they are punished. In addition the scene where you can see the residents of District 12 going to the reaping you notice that they are all wearing similar clothing. Bland clothes of blue or grey. Conformity Review: Hunger Games vs The Lottery
Yr 11 English
Amy Annells SACE 289776L
Likewise in The Lottery the whole town gathers for the event. Also while not much was said about the clothing they wore, personally I visioned them all wearing similar clothes that were bland and practical. Here are a couple of conformity examples from both genres. In the Hunger Games, during the games themselves Katniss conforms and becomes a puppet for the Capitol so that she has a greater chance at winning and living. She acts like she is in love with Peeta so that Haymitch can sell the star-crossed lovers from District 12 act and get them sponsors. Another act of conformity in the Hunger Games is the Capitol itself. Unknowing all the people that live there are conforming as the system benefits them. Surely not every person in the Capitol believes that the Hunger Games are a good idea, and I guess like in the Districts if someone spoke out about the games they would be punished by the government. In addition all the citizens of the Capitol all wear similar clothes, not in that they all wear black suits but that all their clothes are crazy colours and designs, this may be a way that the author is installing conformity into the film. That no one dresses normally because then they would look like the odd one out. Meanwhile in The Lottery like the Hunger Games everyone in the town conforms by going to the lottery. The townspeople have almost been brainwashed into thinking that this ritual is the norm. At the start of the story Bobby Martin stuffs his pockets with stones soon all the other children collect rocks and make piles of rocks. They all join in in fear of missing out. Lastly both works make the society seem to be brainwashed. In the Hunger Games Gale asks what would happen if everyone just stopped watching the games, and Katniss replies that everyone would just keep watching, the districts do not know anything different. The Hunger Games is also like take one for the team. By giving two children as tributes each year the Districts are pretty safe from harm from the Capitol as long as they continue to obey them. The people of the districts would rather sacrifice their children than face the wrath of the Capitol, even though they know it is wrong. In The Lottery the townspeople are brainwashed into thinking that the yearly stoning is normal. For example, Old Man Warner is outraged when he hears that the north village might give up the lottery, calling them "a pack of crazy fools." Everyone in the town participates in the stoning. Even Tessies own son Davie participates. Through this Jackson shows how someone would rather sacrifice their own family than speak up to or question authority.
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