Rethinking genetic borders in ‘The Hunger Games’

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33919/esnbu.25.1.5

Abstract

Emphasizing the fading distinction between reality and artificiality due to the innovations in the fields of science and biotechnology, this paper argues that the fantasy world depicted by science fiction is no longer far from today’s reality. Although technological advancements have enabled us to live more comfortably, when they are misused by those seeking to use them as a sign of power or superiority, they can have disastrous effects on both people and the environment. This study explores how an oppressive regime called Capitol in The Hunger Games employs science and technology to transform animals and humans into commodities within the arena, reducing them to instruments of entertainment. The Games’ intentional replacement of natural beings with biotechnological mutations serves as a deliberate display of power, employing genetically engineered species as weapons and reviving the dead as monsters. This not only captivates the audience but also strengthens the regime’s superiority, exemplifying how technology is weaponized to manipulate both fear and entertainment.

Author Biography

Kevser Ateş, Samsun University

Kevser Ateş is an assistant professor in the department of Foreign Languages in Samsun University. She worked as an assistant professor in the department of English Language and Literature in Karabük University. She has a PhD entitled as “Postmodern Ecology in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood and The Stone Gods by Jeanette Winterson”. She conducted her postdoctoral research at the University of British Columbia in Canada.

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Published

2025-06-18

How to Cite

Ateş, K. (2025). Rethinking genetic borders in ‘The Hunger Games’. English Studies at NBU, 11(1), 95–107. https://doi.org/10.33919/esnbu.25.1.5

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Articles