SOCIAL DISPARITY AND CLASS STRUGGLE AGAINST DICTATORSHIP IN SUZANNE COLLINS’ MOCKINGJAY

Abstract

This research analyzes the social disparity and class struggle related to the ideological position in Suzanne Collins’ Mockingjay. It is the novel about the rebellion to gain freedom and revolution between districts and Capitol. This novel largely explores the rebellion and war. Panem is a dictatorship that maintained its power after a failed rebellion. After the war ended, the country was divided into the Capitol and twelve outlying districts, each of which is responsible for producing a specific good for the Capitol. To maintain power, it relies on military might, resource control, and especially televised propaganda. The crowning achievement of this propaganda program is the Hunger Games. On the other hand, rebel groups are forming strategies and discussing means of attack. The propaganda battle begins between the dictators and the districts. This is the districts’ revolution in order to bring down the dictatorship system. This thesis uses qualitative research method. In this qualitative research, Marxism theory is used to analyze how the societies go through the process of change. Marxism is a form of critique or discourse for interrogating all societies and their texts through Marx concepts of class struggle. The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. This research is arranged by primary source including the data from the novel in the form of quotation, and guide book of theory by Raymond Williams entitled Marxism and Literature (1977) and the other sources from internet sites as the secondary data in this thesis. The result of the research aims to show some problems of social and political condition, and also to show the ideological position in the novel. Hence, this research wants to resolve the social and political problems through the story of the novel. Besides, it applies Williams’ theories, this research is appropriate to enrich the knowledge of Marxism criticism through literary work. This research is also needed

since this will be good contribution to gain the knowledge to the English department student majoring in literature to be more aware of the implicit meaning about the ideology implied in the literary work