
Science fiction is a type of fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes, frequently portraying space or time travel and life on other planets (Merriam Webster). Science fiction formally emerged in the West and first became popular in the early twentieth century, but is even more popular in present day (Sterling 1). The Hunger Games and Divergent are both two science fiction movies that vary in many ways. Although they differ in many ways, they are also extremely similar. 

The Hunger Games and Divergent compare to each other and contrast each other in numerous ways. Both of these movies take place in the dystopian future, which is an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad. In the dystopian future, the specific state or place is typically under totalitarian rule or environmentally degraded. 

In The Hunger Games, the totalitarian nation of Panem is divided into 12 districts and the capitol. Every year 2 representatives from the nation are selected at random to represent and participate in The Hunger Games. Similar to The Hunger Games, Divergent is set in the futuristic city of Chicago that is divided into five factions that each represent a different virtue. In all, there is the Abnegation for the selfless, the Amity for the peaceful, the Candor for the honest, the Dauntless for the brave, and lastly the Erudite for the intelligent. Unlike The Hunger Games, teenagers are not forced to leave their families to join a faction. At the age of 16, each individual gets to make their own choice on which faction they want to take part in. They also get to make the decision to switch factions before initiation if they want to. Although, also unlike The Hunger Games, once the teenager joins the faction, they are required to be in it for life. These two discrete differences affect how the protagonists deal with their issues. Being that Katniss, the protagonist of The Hunger Games, was forced to participate in the annual Reaping, the way that she handles her situations are extremely different from the way Tris’, the protagonist of Divergent. Katniss appears to be brash and agressive, but that is only because she has a lot of built up anger. 

The Hunger Games features futuristic locations, whereas the setting of Divergent is in a run-down Chicago. In The Hunger Games, the contestants are thrown into a futuristic arena where the games take place. The arena is surrounded by an invisible shield that prevents the contestants from being able to escape. Divergent, on the other hand, is based in Chicago. Throughout the movie, Chicago’s famous architectures and sites, such as the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier and the major bridge in downtown Chicago, are highlighted spontaneously. These different locations give the two movies a different feel.

The characters in both Divergent and The Hunger Games have to undergo extreme physical mental training to participate in their events. Hunger Games are a series of events that require physical strength and intelligent thinking. The entire concept of these games are for districts to battle against one another to see who will survive all the way to the end. In Divergent, 

These two movies feature two young lead female protagonist; Katniss in The Hunger Games and Tris in Divergent. In The Hunger Games, gender roles between male and female are switched. In most films, normally, the male characters are seen to be the strong, fit heroes. Katniss is smart, knows how to fight, and is physically fit. She is the perfect competitor to win the Hunger Games, because after all, it is survival of the fittest. Peeta, Katniss’ lover, isn’t the strongest guy. He is nowhere near intimidating, nor does he appear to be a threat. Instead, he shows emotional strength that Katniss lacks. This is odd because the roles are normally switched. 

Both societies in Divergent and The Hunger Games are totalitarian, meaning they are under complete control of the government. The ending of both stories involves the government being overthrown by the people. 

The love life in each of the movies are completely different. In The Hunger Games, Katniss is in a “love triangle.” Katniss is torn between two guys named Peeta and Gale. Peeta and Katniss have grown up in district twelve all their lives. Peeta, the guy who helped Katniss when she was on the brink of starvation, has had a crush on her since they were kids. Throughout the games, the bond between Katniss and Peeta has grown extremely strong. For him, it became more and more romantic. For Katniss, on the other hand, it only grew more and more confusing because she has had the biggest crust on Gale, her best friend. Being that Katniss is stuck in between the two, she is in constant frustration having to choose between the two. At the beginning of the movie, Katniss and Gale are seen more often together. By the end of the movie, her feelings slowly seem to shift towards Peeta. The Hunger Games is a true representation of the perfect love triangle. In Divergent, Tris is clearly interested in one person. Four, who ends up being her lover, is the only guy she is interested in throughout the movie. It is clear that she knows exactly what she wants and she is not afraid to show it, unlike Katniss. 

The Hunger Games and Divergent are two science fiction movies that relate and differ from one another in many noticeable ways. These movies that take place in the dystopian future differ in their storylines, settings, themes, and characters. Yet they are so different, they are so alike at the same time. 
