Hunger Games

Introduction

In Suzanne Collins' engaging tale about a dystopian future, life has become very hard in the country of Panem (which very much resembles a future United States). Starvation is a very real part of life, and the tyrannical central government, which rules from a geographically protected Capitol, keeps the citizens of 12 outlying districts hungry and subservient while exploiting their natural resources and cheap labor (Collins, 15). Citizens are so worried about where their next meal will come from that they seldom bother to think about the totalitarian government which oppresses them.

The 24 newly famous teenagers are the guest stars of several days of festivities, all of which are televised, including pageants and interviews and "up close and personal" profiles, which attempt to make them the darlings and heroes of the general populace. Then they are dropped into a combat zone and fight each other to the death (Collins, 16).

Discussion Analysis

The book's 16-year-old protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, has grown up in District 12, the coal mining district, where life is already hard but has been even harder for Katniss since the death of her father. Unlike typical 16-year-olds (boys or girls), Katniss frequents the forbidden wilderness area outside of town, hunting game and gathering medicinal herbs, as well as edible plants. She is the sole provider for her family, has learned how to defend herself from predators, human and animal alike, and has considerable skill with the tools of her trade, which include bow and arrows, knives, and snares (Dunn, 24).

Katniss's chances at success are either complicated or enhanced by the other tribute from District 12, Peeta Mellark, a classmate from school who may very well have loved Katniss his whole life, if he's telling the truth. He also may be faking his affection for her to gain sympathy from sponsors and viewers, who can pay exorbitant prices to send special gifts to needy tributes during the games, such as much needed medicine or special weapons (Dunn, 25). Katniss waivers between killing and saving Peeta until the moment he proves his real intentions. Regardless of Peeta's true feelings for Katniss, only one tribute can win according to the rules.

Collins's story is one part reality television show, one part classical Greek hero story, and one part romance. Readers around the world are raving about how engaging this story is and how they raced through the book to find out what would happen next. There are heartwarming, gut wrenching, and even comical moments in the book, and both Peeta and Katniss are sympathetic characters from the start, but the reader's attachment to them grows as the story progresses.

Major Themes

Evolving identity

One of the central narratives in the novel is Katniss's shifting identity. At the beginning of the story, she considers herself thoroughly a "girl from the Seam." She finds dignity in her poverty and her ability to survive it through her hunting and gathering skills (Seife, 11). While friendly with several members of the merchant class, she identifies herself most strongly ...