The Hunger Games

My favorite novel, behind the Harry Potter series has been the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The book is about a government who controls twelve districts. Each year, one girl and one boy from every district is chosen to compete in a competition called the Hunger Games. The competition is where the children battle to the death until one is left. They are the winner, and the title is very prestigious. In the book, Katniss, who lives in district twelve decides to take Primrose's place when she is chosen because it is her little sister and she wishes to protect her. The boy competitor from district twelve is a boy named Peeta that has loved Katniss for forever. In the competition, the pair teams up to try keep each other alive.

The first thing I learned from the book is that in some instances, defiance is necessary. The games are supposed to be entertainment for the districts, but it's hidden reasoning is to show the districts that the government has complete control. This reminds me of dictatorships and communism. It makes me think that people in those types of nations should stand up to their leaders. If two teens can defy a government by deciding that since they were the last two to survive they were not going to kill one another to send a message, how can a large group of civilians not want to rebel against the government?

Another thought that occurred to me while reading the book is about poverty. More than fifteen percent of our nation is living in poverty. In Panam, whole districts were living in poverty; yet, the government decided not to do a single thing to help them. In the United States, we do things to try to help the people living in poverty. The government gives out food stamps, cell phones, and even unemployment. These things may seem great, but the people who are receiving these benefits are not avidly searching for a better life. They are not looking for jobs; they are not looking for cheaper homes; and they are not looking to lose their benefits either. If they sit at home and do nothing, they still receive benefits. If they go out and get a job, they will lose their benefits and then they will have to go to work everyday. I can see why they wouldn't want to search for a better way of life. They already think they have the best life possible. In Panam, government help may have been necessary, but in the United States, I don't think that is the case.

Defiance and poverty are very easily seen when reading the Hunger Games, but I think there was another message to be seen. Think about CEOs of companies. Do you see a strong man with a briefcase and a nicely tailored suit? Most people do. That's where the story of Katniss comes in. She is a strong woman that could do anything she set her mind to. Women need to see themselves as strong and capable of achieving dreams they had never imagined. Katniss stood up and volunteered as a tribute for the hunger games. She was strong enough to go into a competition where the odds were against her for coming out alive. She also thought of the idea to defy the capital. Katniss was the one who picked the poison berries that her and Peeta would pretend to eat to seem like a double suicide. Because of their act, the capital panicked and announced that two winners would be celebrated so that they wouldn't end up with all of the tributes dead. Katniss is an intelligent woman who didn't need the male character, Peeta to save her. Most stories pose the female as the helpless one, but now children will see that woman can be the hero too. They can support themselves, and even save the males.

Although the novel written by Suzanne Collins was a piece of fiction, it has very real lessons. The book can be related to poverty in the United States, defiance against strong governments, and even the rise in strong women. These are all very important things that should be thought about while reading the Hunger Games. It is a book that I would highly recommend for children and adults alike.