AS90852 - Explain significant connection(s) across texts, using supporting evidence - 4 Credits

Dystopian Connections Report

Identity is who we are, the way we think about ourselves, how our peers view us, and the characteristics that
define us. This report will focus on four texts. They are The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Being Pretty by David
James Armsby, I am not Esther by Fleur Beale, and Divergent by Neal Burger. A significant theme repeated
throughout these four texts is the idea of maintaining an identity as a way to fight back against oppression. This is
a theme that is common in dystopian fiction because many of the texts look at power and control, and how people
fight back in different ways for what is right and just.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins shows the idea of maintaining an identity as a way to fight back against
oppression. This is shown through Katniss, the protagonist, disgust at being told to wear a dress to impress The
Capitol’s viewers and sponsors. Katniss is used to wearing more functional clothing, as she would usually go hunting
for food whereas in The Capitol the clothing is more based on fashion and the latest trends, which is a very
different society where the basics are in abundance. As soon as Katniss’s clothing changed her identity did too. The
people of The Capitol gave her the name, Girl on Fire, based on the dress she was forced to wear by The Capitol.
This example shows the connection because Katniss is being forced to conform to what The Capitol expects.
Katniss's appearance has significantly changed and she would be almost unrecognizable to the people she left
behind in District 12. Another example that shows this idea is when Katniss pretends to be in love with Peeta to
gain favour and further engage with the people in The Capitol to help their survival. This example also shows the
connection because Katniss is being forced to pretend to be someone she is not. To survive she is in love with
someone which compromises who she is as a person. It is made clear that Katniss was made uncomfortable in both
examples but as the reader, I have begun to think about what really would be the worst compromise. Both of these
compromises are resulting in Katniss being forced to change her identity. When Katniss is told to wear the dress
this is where she has to change her appearance whereas when she is forced to pretend to be in love with Peeta this
is changing her values because they will influence your decisions related to your relationships. Therefore, I feel that
Katniss having to change her values is the worst compromise as they are the foundation of your life which means
they are also a part of shaping your identity.

The novel I am not Esther by Fleur Beale portrays the idea of maintaining an identity as a way to fight back against
hardship. This is shown through Kirby, the protagonist, having her name changed and forced to follow the severe
set of social standards set by the religious cult. There is no television, no radio and no newspaper. No mirrors. She
must wear long, modest clothes. This example shows the connection because these big changes sparked the
beginning of Kirby questioning her own identity and beginning the battle to retain it. Another example that shows
this idea is when Esther is forced to follow the Rule, a set of restrictions that keep her out of the reach of the world
and focused on God. These dictate what set of values she is expected to believe and how she must live her life. This
also determines who she can have a relationship with and how she may act, which pretty much sums up the fact
that she has no free will. It clearly shows that control can be forced upon people in two separate ways. One forced
externally is when Esther must wear modest clothing and hair tied up in a long plait. Another is forced internally,
through Esther having to change the way she acts through the new religious belief she must uphold. In I am not
Esther looks at the idea of identity in a way that has many similarities with The Hunger Games. In both texts, the
protagonists are young women forced by a system to change. Both Kirby and Katniss are forced to change to please
those in power. There are two types of changes, internal and external. External are the changes of appearance
whereas internal is how you feel, think, and act. In the two texts, the internal changes can make those in positions
of authority fall into a false security that these two characters are conforming to. It is through these internal
changes where most types of small rebellions take place. Internal change is harder to spot because you can act how
those in power want you to act but deep down you are not changing. In this case, lying is the act of rebellion or the
way of fighting back to protect yourself and your own. They are preserving their identity through lying. In both
texts, there is a force trying to oppress these characters, The Capitol and The Elders but overall they fight back
through accepting an external change but resisting an internal one.

In the film Divergent, the idea of maintaining an identity as a way to fight back against injustice, has been identified
by Shailene Woodey through the character Tris prior. An example of this is when Beatrice decides to leave the
abnegation faction and join dauntless. She was born into the faction Abnegation which is selfless and in control of
the government of a dystopian society. In contrast is the Dauntless faction, which is made up of brave soldiers.
The decision shows the beginning of Beatrice slowly realizing who she is and leads to several choices which will
shape her identity. One of the choices is when Beatrice decided to change her name after joining the faction
Dauntless. She chooses to use Tris as a nickname for Beatrice, hoping for a fresh start in a new faction. Another
choice is when Tris gets a tattoo with three birds which represent her Mother, Father and Brother. The decisions are
Beatrice's attempt at fighting back against the oppression and to prove to the new faction that she belongs with
them by following their rules at the start. Later on, she realizes that if she continues to follow the rules she will
show loyalty to her faction but at the cost of hurting the ones she is closest to. Therefore, the key realization for
Beatrice is that looking after her loved ones is of greater importance than showing loyalty to her fraction, so in the
end she is the true factor behind what helps her maintain her identity. Another example that shows this idea is
when Tris changes her appearance to fit in and become a part of the Dauntless faction. Each faction in the society
has a set of colours that all members of that faction wear. Therefore, when Beatrice is part of Abnegation she
would have to wear grey colours while now she must wear the black colour of the dauntless faction. This example
also shows the connection because Beatrice (Tris) is having to conform to the expectations of the faction leaders.
This highlights that Tris takes a number steps to assert her identity as her independence is an important part of her
character. Divergent looks at the idea of identity in a way that is subtly similar to the two texts The Hunger Games
and I am not Esther. Firstly, the protagonists are young women forced by a system to change but this isn’t quite the
case for Tris because she was partly the one making the decisions of how she changes. This can be seen when
those with power enforce a change of their name as a way to break down their identity. In Hunger Games, Katniss
is nicknamed, the girl on fire. I am not Esther, Kirby is given a Biblical name of Esther. However, this isn’t the case
for Tris, she made the decision to change her name from Beatrice to Tris as a way to reimagine her identity. In
Divergent, the bad guy Eric never actually calls Tris by her name and instead refers to her as Stiff. This could be seen
as him asserting his dominance over her. This was again seen in I am not Esther where Uncle Caleb only refers to
Kirby as Esther. In all the texts, the decisions protagonists are prepared to make, is how they ultimately fight back
against oppression.

Finally, Being Pretty directed by David James Armsby also unpacks the theme. The theme can be seen in Being
Pretty, where immediately a Public Service Announcement (PSA) indicates what is expected of its society's
individuals by a type of figurehead. “Children, look at your father, he likes to read the newspaper and put his feet up
after a hard day's work. He provides for your family. Your father is pretty.” “Look at your mother. She keeps the
house clean and reads you bedtime stories. Your mother is pretty.” This immediately singles the possibilities for
future generations to have the necessary growth in order to discover what their identity is. Another example that
shows this idea is how the ‘pretty’ all have masks, which indicates that they are able to fulfil the ideal society
expectations whereas those who are unable to fulfil the expectations are singled out as the ‘uglies' and later
eliminated. The masks worn by the society's members could be seen as a change of appearance. If the masks are
ripped away, we can discover the true selves of each individual wearing a mask. All masks smiling gives the idea
that they have accepted that not all people are ‘pretty’. The smiling masks almost are a validation of what is
happening, and how not having an independent identity, is the right and only way to go. In Being Pretty, it explores
the same ideas repeated in The Hunger Games, I am not Esther and Divergent but in a slightly different way. This
could be due to it being a short film, therefore, it does not have the time to explore the idea at a slower pace than
the other three. Through this comparison, we first saw the similarities how the external changes can have on one's
identity. Being Pretty may not fully show these appearance changes but the masks could be relatable to the
appearance changes of the main characters in the other three texts. In Being Pretty, the characters are given
written labels to show how they don’t fit in whereas in The Hunger Games and Divergent these labels can be seen
in the Districts and Factions. Being Pretty has the negative and obvious labels for those seen as ‘uglies’ and some of
these reasons are Old, Divorced and Gay. In Divergent and The Hunger Games these labels are mainly aimed at the
positive qualities of society's individuals. The Hunger Games, District 12 individuals are given the task of mining.
Divergent has factions, Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the kind), Erudite (the intelligent), Abnegation (the selfless),
and Candor (the honest). Labels have the ability to reflect and affect how others think about our identities as well
as how we feel about ourselves. Therefore, the ability to understand who we are is the power necessary to fight
back against oppression or even what we feel isn't right.

All four of these texts unpack in different ways the ideas around identity, how we try to maintain it and how others
try to take it. These ideas are relevant to young people in New Zealand because one of the great paths we take in
life is working out who we are and our values. Looking at these texts has made me think about whether we live in a
democratic society where we aren’t forced to do things we don’t want to. Also, it has made me think about how we
may be subtly asked to conform. The text I feel explores the idea the best is I am not Esther as it helps us learn the
importance of preserving our identity, and how sometimes others will try to take it - we have to fight back in order
to maintain who we are. The path to finding our identity is not an easy one to navigate - because of this, it’s crucial
that we fight to keep what is ours.