The world of Panem is horrifying compared to the fortunate life of an American student. Panem is a futuristic country that has replaced America in the world of Suzanne Collin’s Hunger Games. In Panem’s dictatorship teenagers are forced to enter a drawing to participate in an annual Hunger Games, a competition in which they fight until one is left alive and win the prize of comfort and food for their family. For a teenager in the 21st century America, where we are assured food and comfort everyday and have freedom of choice, the idea of Panem brings thought provoking comparisons.

In Panem, the Capitol, like a citadel, looms over Panem and the wealthy elite is in charge. Panem is a Dictatorship and the president rules. Only the President’s Elite class has freedom, the rest are controlled. When trying to go to a new state (district) people have their tongues cut off and are imprisoned into work. The government spies to make sure individuals are doing the correct things. Instead of Police, they have Peace Keepers who report to the Capitol. In America today even when people disagree with the government, the Government looks pretty good compared to Panem.

Many people are angry with the national government for many reasons and they can freely express it. They have a democracy and vote for their leader and have fair and equal rights. They can move to different states when they want to and visit places outside their own city, on their own time. In other words they get to have a say in things they do.

For example, there are many protests about the wars and violence and how to stop it, in today’s world. Many Americans do not agree with America fighting wars in the Middle East. People are horrified by terrorist attacks in areas around the world. Americans have the freedom where they can express their disgust for violence.


In Panem violence is big! People don’t have the freedom to escape it. There is a yearly event that is known as the Hunger Games, where a boy and girl from each district (state) has to fight to their death on National Television. It is a horrid thought to a student today and can make a person think pretty hard, but people in Panem are used to it and treat it like the Super Bowl or March Madness. Violence is very different in Panem and 21st century America, where it is more unexpected.

Violence is the worst aspect of Panem, but the goal of physical appearance perfection is outrageous. People in America these days have gone to the extreme in search for the perfect appearance, but this is nothing compared to Panem. Physical appearance plays a big role in both societies. In today’s world, adults may wear elaborate clothing, dye their hair to a natural color, have plastic surgeries, but they just can’t compare to the extremes of Panem. Panameese people tattoo their body to reach those extremes. They even wear clothes that are on fire. They have so many plastic surgeries that they can’t even count them on their fingers. They wear suits that are many different colors and dye their hair, on average, three to four colors at once! It isn’t possible to look as perfect today in comparison to Panem’s standards.


Comparing the worlds of American and Panem teenagers. There are similarities of physical appearance, violence and freedom as realities of life, but the differences of the worlds are extreme. A reader looks at the world differently when comparing to a comfortable life to a more extreme and tragic world. By comparison whatever little thing is wrong; the thought of Panem makes it vanish.