The Hunger Games



Collins, Suzanne. 2008. THE HUNGER GAMES. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-0439023528.

THE HUNGER GAMES is the first book in a trilogy. It is set in the future in the country of Panem, which is where the United States once was. The government is very strict in Panem. Each year the Capitol hosts the Hunger Games. One boy and one girl from each of the 12 districts in the country are chosen at random to participate.

A theme of this book is government control. The government controls almost everything its citizens do. It sets limits for where they can hunt and what is the main trade in each district. They also mandate that every citizen watch the Hunger Games, which is the only time some districts are ensured power. They want the citizens to remember what could happen if they try to overthrow the government which is the motivation behind the hunger games. “Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch – this is the Capitol’s way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy” (page 17).

Another theme is doing what you have to do to survive. Katniss and Gale hunt illegally outside the gate of District 12 so they can feed their families. They know they could get in trouble, but without the food and the money they get from selling it their families would not be able to survive. During the games Katniss is very skeptical at first about teaming up with another player. She knows she has to survive and doesn’t want to trust someone else with her life. When she teams up with Peeta she knows she has to play up their romance. Although she doesn’t have true feelings for him in the beginning she knows that her survival depends on pretending she is in love with Peeta. During dire circumstances people will do many things they thought they wouldn’t do so they and their families can survive.

Most of the book I found to be believable, but one aspect that I found hard to believe is that the government could control the weather during the games. They made it rain for several days, made it hotter during the days, and colder at night. There was no mention as to how they controlled the weather, I think that is why it was easy to doubt. The element of the reality television will resonate with readers who have watched shows such as Survivor and Big Brother. The “plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing” (Henriksen 2008). Although the plot stretches the imagination, it is very believable.

Katniss is a very strong female protagonist. She is able to support her family by working and hunting and emotionally supports her younger sister Prim. She is also very protective of Prim, even taking her place when her name is called for the hunger games. She is very intelligent as well, out-smarting many of her opponents during the games. Readers can relate to the other characters that are also very believable. “Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds” (Henriksen 2008).

Reference List:
Henriksen, Jane. “Review of The Hunger Games.” School Library Journal 54, no 9 (2008): 176. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&hid=113&sid=a92428dd-9a2b-449e-b306-7683bd04afca%40sessionmgr110 (accessed November 1, 2011).