Elie Wiesel once said to the abuse of power; "Ultimately, the only power to which man should aspire is that which he exercises over himself" (Elie Wiesel 1928- ). The book Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins revolves around the main protagonist, Katniss Everdeen who ends in a death killing arena put on by the Capitol. This is put on every year to show the Capitol's power and thus ceasing the rebellions of the Districts. The abuse of social power is highly demonstrated in this book since it results in killing people who are innocent.
People who are bad rulers tend to stay in power because they are feared. The quote "-this is the Capitol's way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy." (Collins, 18) shows that the people know they can't go against the Capitol because they are dependent on them. They fear their ruler, Snow, will harm them or take away their provisions. Next we look at the fear of death caused by the Capitol, "How little chance we would stand of surviving another rebellion" (18). Everyone knows the Capitol will order them to be executed if anyone tries to revolt or resist them. You know it is impossible to try since, ", the uprising of the districts against the Capitol. Twelve were defeated, the thirteenth obliterated" (18). They fear the Capitol will take away everyone they love. Those who revolt are terminated and will be gone forever.
People who have social power tend to abuse it and overdue the cruelty to prove a message. We have a message that is translated for us by Katniss and that is, "Look how we take your children and sacrifice them and there's nothing you can do" (19). The Capitol overuses their power to the point of unfathomable where it results in killing others. They will go so far to prove something that they will kill innocent people, children, just to make a point. On top of this the Capitol wants the viewers to see this as a game like a sporting event, "to make it humiliating as well as tortuous, the Capitol requires us to treat the Hunger Games as a festivity" (19).