Is Aspen Colorado the Capitol of Panem?
That’s what Jeremy Madden, Aspen Daily News Columnist wonders and investigates in a recent article. He makes a lot of interesting observations but ultimately is left in the same place the rest of us are – wondering where exactly the Capitol is and what the nation of Panem really looks like since Suzanne Collins has declined to comment on what city or cities served as inspiration for the world of The Hunger Games.
It is the description of this capitol city and its residents that has attracted my attention. And the more I read about this “fictional” capitol and the Panemians who inhabit it, the more I think Aspen just may be Panem, the capitol city in “The Hunger Games.”
Early in the book my interest regarding Aspen was peaked when Katniss travels via high-speed rail to the capitol. That is when we first learn more about the location of her homeland and the capitol. “In school, they tell us the capitol was built in a place once called the Rockies. District 12 was in a region known as Appalachia.”
After disclosing that the capitol is in the Rockies, Collins continues with a more precise description of where the capitol lies. “I realize we must be in the tunnel that runs up through the mountains into the capitol. The mountains form a natural barrier between the capitol and the eastern districts. It is almost impossible to enter from the east except through the tunnels.”
Obviously, the author is describing something similar to the Johnson and Eisenhower tunnels that run for miles through Rocky Mountains on I-70. This narrows it down to Colorado, west of the Continental Divide. Then, when Katniss finally arrives in the capitol city, Collins feeds us a little more information about the capitol through the eyes of Katniss. “The cameras haven’t lied about its grandeur. If anything, they have not quite captured the magnificence of the glistening buildings in a rainbow of hues that tower into the air, the shiny cars that roll down the wide paved streets, the oddly dressed people with bizarre hair and painted faces who have never missed a meal.” Oddly dressed people … bizarre hair … never missed a meal. Clearly, the author is talking about Aspen.
The commonalties of the capitol of Panem and Aspen don’t stop there. Much like Aspen, stylists are very important in the capitol, and when Katniss describes what she thinks her stylist might look like she clearly is describing the elite of Aspen. “Most of the stylists they interview on television are so dyed, stenciled and surgically altered they’re grotesque.”
As the book unfolds we learn that the capitol of Panem and Aspen have more in common. Much like Aspenites, residents of the capitol are disliked by the lesser folks not lucky enough to live there. We also cannot forget that each community produces nothing, but draws resources from far away lands to support itself. But wait, there’s more. In Aspen and the capitol, the citizens both like to sleep late. And much like in Aspen, the residents of the capitol are portrayed as gluttonous, shallow and aloof when compared to the rest of the districts. Just as the children of Aspen enjoy certain privileges, the children of the capitol city enjoy the ultimate privilege and are exempt from the Hunger Games.
Even the whole story of the Hunger Games is analogous to the Aspen area. With the capitol residents representing Aspen’s wealthy elite, the 12 districts are the local yokels just trying to make ends meet. Just look at District 12. It is one of the furthest outlying districts and happens to be home to Katniss. The district is known for coal production and area residents refer to it as the “Seam.” That sounds comparable to Silt or Rifle, which have plenty of coal seams.
What do you think? Where do you imagine The Capitol to be?
Anywhere behind the Rockies, like the movie says! I always thought Denver….
Except there are no trains that go to aspen. Glenwood springs yes, Grand junction yes… both of those are in the middle or other side of the mountains… but Aspen has no trains.
Based on this, I would say the capitol is either Glenwood Springs (they have hot springs) or Grand Junction. OR perhaps salt lake city.
Seeing as this takes place many years in the future, and after much destruction and rebuilding, I dont think you could theoretically discount the possibility of NEWLY BUILT rail lines….
I certainly think there would be many new rail lines in the future world of Panem. But the Capitoal can’t be Denver, unless the future society managed to move the entire Rocky Mountains. Denver is not IN the mountains or west of them! It is EAST of the front range!
I think the valley where Salt Lake City currently sits is a possibility, geography-wise. But you know what real city reminds me the most of the atmosphere of the Capitol? Las Vegas — where nothing is real and it’s all about entertainment.
Sue has good points. Salt Lake City, or more likely, the area East of it in the mountains around Park City sound even better.
Of course they would have built new rail lines, but they likely would have used existing routes, which are chosen due to the geography, which would not have changed.
I’m not familiar with the Park City area so I’ll take your word for it! Good point about the current/future rail routes being chosen for geographic reasons — not something that is easily changed. (And I can spell “Capitol,” lol.)
Denver is just EAST of the Rockies, not in it or west of it.
I would take this post more seriously if the author had correctly said his/her interest was “piqued” instead of “peaked.” Sheesh.
I always kept thinking of somewhere that was already big. Like L.A. or somewhere in CA. But yes, I thought of Denver as well.
My real question is..Where is Distric 12???
My thoughts are that District 12 could be close to the east coast especially if the Capitol is near the Rockies and because District 12 is around mountain areas farthest from the capitol it would make it near the Apalchain mountians on the east coast I believe. Just me coming to conclusions though.
District 12, because of the coal mining, is I believe around West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, western Pennsylvania. More or less.
district 12 is mainly in the Pennsylvania region. 13 is just above it, which is the NYC region.
Hmm this makes me think it could be the Aspen area. It is def’ly NOT Denver. Denver is flat and East of the Rockies. Isn’t there a clue that says “The North West Rockies”? I picture it further north in the Idaho Falls area, along the Snake River, and on the western side of the mountains. The movie shows a large river running along the city, and mtn/ peaks on both sides of it. Idaho Falls fits both, and it’s in a natural pass thru the Rockies. I don’t know if there is tunnels to it from the East?
Then maybe it’s Missoula, Montana! That’s where I live.
The two cities listed at the end of this article suggest that all of Panem is in the state of Colorado. But that doesn’t make any sense because Collins clearly says district 12 is in the Appalachia area…
Is it just me or did the guy that wrote this sound a bit shallow? “Obviously it’s Aspen…”. Like what? But anyways, I always thought of Colorado cause of Rocky Mountains and then because I thought of that^ then I thought of Denver.
There’s a theory on TV Tropes that it’s South Park, and Eric Cartman was the architect of Panem. That’s why District 11′s full of dark-skinned people who live under conditions similar to antebellum slavery, why District 1 kids have “hippie” names like Marvel and Glimmer (making luxury baubles was meant by Cartman to be a punishment for the hipppies), etc…
I think it’s in Utah. Just throwin it out there.
My thoughts are same of you, and I think it’s Salt Lake City.
Wherever it is, it can’t be Denver: Katniss is from District 12 (clearly in Appalachia), meaning she approaches the Capital from the east. She says the train travels through a tunnel, and that the mountains near the Capital formed a daunting natural barrier during the dark days. So the Capital has to be at least to the west of the Continental Divide, eliminating Denver as a possible location.
i think the same think i think utah didstrict i live in utah i wanna be in the hunger games and i am me and my bros make a hungerg games in the backyard with foam sword knifs and sticks very funnnnnn
Honestly I would have to agree with the majority of the people and go with COLORADO.. It is not Denver because Denver is flat and ist really surrounded by mountains as much as other cities. as stated in the book, “I realize we must be in the tunnel that runs up through the mountains into the capitol. The mountains form a natural barrier between the capitol and the eastern districts. It is almost impossible to enter from the east except through the tunnels.”.. I think what its saying is the mountains are barrier that without tunnels eastern people and what not would not be able to get through..that is clearly talking about the Glenwood canyon (the world biggest interstate made on the mountains…. So I’m guessing Glenwood, or somewher in utah..
But honestly I doubt its in Utah, it most likely in COLORADO
The story claims the Capitol is located somewhere in the Northwestern Rocky Mountains. The Rocky Mountain range extends from Northwestern British Columbia, Canada, to roughly the northern part New Mexico. If the Capitol is in the northwestern Rockies, it could be somwhere in Canada. I’d put it at Terrace, BC, or even Whistler. Check a globe or map, those places are alomst impossible to reach due to the mountains. Absolutely stunning scenery, just like the movie.
For the record I just read the books, so I’m no pro. However, I loved the books and this is how I pictured Panem.
The Capital: Somewhere around Whistler, British Colombia, Canada.
District 1: South of British Colombia/ North of Washington.
District 2: The area around Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada (this is the one district I always have a vivid picture of.)
District 3: In the Oregon, Idaho and North Nevada region.
District 4: On the coast somewhere, maybe running from the West Coast of the United States into Mexico.
District 5: Wyoming, Colorado area.
District 6: Arizona, New Mexico area.
District 7: North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin area.
District 8: South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas area.
District 9: South Saskatchewan, Canada (not to stereotype with the grain thing, but let’s be honest that’s all that grows up there.)
District 10: Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee area.
District 11: Covers Northern Mexico and the United States south of Tennessee running from Texas to Georgia and Florida.
District 12: Pennsylvania, New York area (the North East of the United States, but not on the coast.) District 13: South East Canada (probably South East Ontario and South West Quebec.)
Anyway, I am sure there are flaws in this, but while I was reading this is how I pictured it. I figure if the author is going to mention “North America” that probably means ALL of North America make up Panem, not just the U.S.A.
The mountains on the left sure look like the Wilsons and El Diente near Telluride. Although if they were looking for high ground then Leadville would be a good choice.
I suppose it could also be the old mining town of Capitol City (now a ghost town) about ten miles west of Lake City.