Panopticism and Resistance in the Republican System: A Foucauldian Analysis
Panopticism and Resistance in the Republican System: A Foucauldian Analysis
Published
Dec 2, 2025Pages
77 - 90Abstract
This study examines Marie Lu’s Champion (2013), the final novel in the Legend trilogy, through the theoretical lens of Michel Foucault’s concept of panopticism. It investigates how the Republic in the novel employ’s surveillance, normalization, and control over knowledge to shape society and maintain power. The study highlights how the Republic’s methods such as technological monitoring, propaganda, and the manipulation of disease create a system in which citizens regulate their own behavior out of fear of being watched. Meanwhile it explores characters like June and Day, who resist and challenge these forms of authority. In this regard study summarizes the key elements of panopticism, tracing its origins from Bentham’s Panopticon to Foucault’s broader theory of social control. By connecting these theoretical concepts to the novel’s narrative, the study reflects the real-world concerns about surveillance, power, and resistance. Thus, it emphasizes the importance of questioning authority and demonstrates that, even in highly controlled societies, resistance and the pursuit of justice remain possible.
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