The Hunger Games
Historical Context: Who’s In Control? A Look at Propaganda
What is persuasion and how do you persuade someone?
Think about the last time you were able to persuade someone. What did you
persuade them to do or think? How did you do it? Did your efforts work? Why or
why not? Share your response with a classmate.
Nearly everyone has tried to convince someone to think or act in a different way. An
effective persuasive argument is based on evidence in the form of facts, logic, and
examples. However, not all persuasive arguments are constructed the same.
Skilled writers can persuade readers by using emotions, incomplete facts,
generalizations, and faulty reasoning. A particular form of persuasion that uses
faulty arguments is called propaganda.
Propaganda is the intentional spread of true or false information to the public with
the goal of influencing public opinion and behavior. It is intentional, widespread,
purposeful, powerful, and biased. Biased means it presents only part of an
argument; it is one-sided. Propaganda simplifies complex issues, uses symbols,
and is emotional. Often propaganda will have a slogan or saying that is easy to
remember.
Propaganda can be used for good or bad. A public service
announcement can be an example of good propaganda. The
goal of a public service announcement is to influence the public to
act in a certain way. It might be to get a flu shot, buckle seat
belts, or recycle.
Propaganda can also be used to promote bad government
policies. In history class, you may have learned about the Nazi
party that came to power in Germany in 1933. Hitler wrote,
“Propaganda is a truly terrible weapon in the hands of an expert.”
Indeed, the Nazis used propaganda skillfully as they tried to
influence how citizens felt about and treated Jews. Propaganda
based on rumors, fears, and prejudices encouraged the
discrimination and persecution of the Jews. By persuading
citizens that eliminating Jews from Germany was a good thing,
From the National
Highway Traffic
Safety
Administration
www.nhtsa.gov
the Nazi party and its allies were responsible for the deaths of six million Jews. Of
course, propaganda wasn’t the only way the Nazi’s influenced the public, but it
certainly had an important place in shaping attitudes and encouraging discrimination.
As a reader, you must be thoughtful about what someone is trying to persuade you
to do or think; a good reader asks questions and makes sure arguments are
presented in a logical, balanced manner so that an informed decision can be made.
Today, we have many ways to check on the accuracy of information we receive. We
