The Unquenchable Thirst

            We all long for something more, we all long for something better.  We don’t want to stay where we are, we desire for positive change.  We long to improve, we long to progress. We long to grow, we long to step up.  That same longing has been burning up inside Katniss’ heart and has captivated her to the point of decision.  She will fight against Capitol, she won’t run away.

           

            Portraying advanced science and technology, (some of which are non-existent as of the present) “Catching Fire” can be considered a Science Fiction.  It showcased a lot of scientific and innovative machineries, tools and equipment that are, as of now, just a product of imagination but has the capability to be patented in the future.  A very good example of this would be the Arena.  The Arena was depicted to be an area covered by a force field (which is theoretical as of now) where the tributes fight.  It acts like a clock in the story, setting off traps at certain points in time.

            “Catching Fire” depicts part of the past, the present and the future of the human society.  It depicts the past as in the time of the Romans where they had these gladiators or armed men who were put into an arena to fight and kill lions or fellow gladiators for the purpose of entertaining the higher social classes.  It portrayed the inhumane side of humans and also the disparity between people of low and high social statuses.  Regarding the present, it showcased the reality of a corrupt government as in the state of the Capitol and also showed how the government abuses its power as in the state of the Capitol in relation to the thirteen districts.  It is just like our present society in the Philippines.  The government is choking the Filipino people by robbing them of their money (from taxes), by establishing political dynasties to make sure that the same families can continue to rob the Filipinos, and by many other ways of corruption.  On the other hand, the story also depicts the future in a sense that one day (in the context of the Philippine society) a group of people will rise up as rebels against the old system and will fight for the rights of the Filipino people.  We’re not talking about people who will just rally out but people who will really be visible in the Philippine government and will start the change in the country; people who are so nationalistic and have so much passion that they would really rise up and destroy every form of corruption in this nation.  They might not yet be here but they will be.

            Science, technology, and society succeeded in the thirteen districts in the sense that they used their knowledge about these three concepts to stand up against the Capitol.  Science, technology, and society helped them to exhibit their unquenchable thirst for change.

-David Bryan Cubing Lao