Red Rising is a novel about poverty, injustice in society, and the need for rebellious thinking. When speaking about the novel, author Pierce Brown says he was inspired by "the plight of Irish immigrants in the 19th century and by the disenfranchisement of working classes." When reading the novel, we can clearly see how Brown's knowledge about the experience of Irish immigrants has informed his tale about social injustice.
Brown's fictional, Martian society in this novel is based on a form of caste-system, whereby the "reds" are lower-class, and the "golds" are upper-class. As a red miner, protagonist Darrow experiences and observes injustices in society, which motivates him to create change. This includes the treatment of his wife, Eo, who is hung for treason.
In one passage of the text, Eo tells her husband "I live for the dream that my children will be born free... That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father game them." This quote summarises Darrow's motivations later in the text when he tries to overthrow the color-coded society he lives in and tries to create a better future.
