The Hunger Games
<3
The Hunger Games is a book that expresses the meaning of
power, strength, competition and love. It is set in the Nation of Panem, which
was once notorious as North America, before it was shattered. The mighty place
known as the Capitol is surrounded by 12 poor districts that are under the total
control of the Capitol due to a previous rebellion in which the 13th
district was destroyed. Each year in payment of the rebellion and to enforce
the belief that the Capitol holds the reins on everything, twenty-four people
known as tributes must participate in a fight to the death. This is known as
the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games
are played in a different arena each year that the game makers create. It is
the day of the reaping where tributes from each district are picked from a
system much like lottery to participate in this event that is anything but an
honor. Each year two tributes, one boy and one girl, are chosen to ‘represent’
their district. When twelve year old Primrose Everdeen’s name is taken from the
girls’ case her older sister Katniss volunteers to take her place. Katniss loves
Prim more than anyone and had been the provider for her family since her father’s
death in the coal mines. A baker’s son, Peeta Mellark is the boy tribute
selected for District 12. Too soon they are forced to say their goodbyes and
head out to the Capitol where they will train and excel in skills essential to
their survival. A large part of a tribute’s survival is based on the sponsors
they can attract through their time in the Capitol. Sponsors send things such
as food, medicine and tools throughout the games. During an interview with Caesar
Flickerman Peeta reveals his love for Katniss on live TV. From here on, they
are looked at as the ‘star-crossed lovers’. Immediately after being thrown into
the game Katniss finds herself alone because Peeta has synced up with career
tributes that have grown up training for these specific games. Partway through
the games a new rule is announced: two tributes from the same district can win
the Hunger Games as a pair. This rule changes everything, and now Katniss must
find Peeta but winning together will be anything but easy. Katniss finds Peeta
severely injured and she knows in order to save his life she must play along with
being in love. Because everything in the arena is televised to the Capitol as
well as the districts, it’s difficult to for Gale, Katniss’s best friend back
home to watch this staged love unfold. Or is it staged? When will the games be
over and who will win? Both Katniss and Peeta or will the game makers alter the
rules again so more sacrificing choices will have to be made?
There are many themes that are expressed throughout this
book, a main one being sacrifice! I believe that the central theme of the
Hunger Games is sacrifice because the book is full of them! Almost every decision
that Katniss or Peeta make comes with a sacrifice, and the consequences of those
decisions never just affect one person. Due to the way the Capitol operates and
the complete power they have, their communities but more important their family’s
lives always have to be taken into consideration. Sacrifice within this book is
important because it reminds us that human life means something. The first
sacrifice in the book is living in general inside the walls of District 12.
Katniss is an avid shooter with her bow and arrow which is the way she solely
provides for her family. Although it is illegal to enter the forest, she and
Gale both sacrifice it daily in order to keep food on the table and trade what
game they do not need for other necessities. The second and one of the biggest sacrifices
is when Katniss takes her sisters place as the female tribute from District 12.
“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. How little chance we would
stand of surviving another rebellion. Whatever words they use, the real message
is clear. Look how we take your children and sacrifice them and there's nothing
you can do. If you lift a finger, we will destroy every last one of you. Just as
we did in District Thirteen”. This quote shows how the Capitol is portrayed and
how unbelievably powerful they truly are.
A
sacrifice that Peeta makes is revealing his love for Katniss, unsure how
everyone will react, live just before the games begin. It caused anger in
Katniss, as well as confusion. Because Peeta announces this, it is something
that both Peeta and Katniss must express throughout their time in the arena. This
could be positive or it could be negative. It works in their favor because it ‘awe’s’
the Capitol which leads them to more sponsors who provide for them inside the
game. Katniss’ dilemma is Gale; she knows that he will be watching so how will
he respond. But wait, they are just friends right? ;) The biggest sacrifice of
all is the game that they are about to begin. It is a game that tests
everything about the tribute and a game that is completely unfair. The tributes
are forced to stay alive all while attempting to keep themselves fed, have
shelter, and win. When the end comes and they are the last two standing, they
must make a sacrifice to either defy the Capitol, or sacrifice their lives for
one another.
A
critical literary element in the development of the theme sacrifice is the use
of flashback. Partway through the games Katniss pairs up with a twelve year old
from District 11 named Rue. From the first time that Katniss saw Rue she was
reminded of Prim back home. Rue and Prim are both twelve and all Katniss could
think about when the spear was thrown into Rue’s back was how she wanted
Katniss to sing to her. Just like Prim wanted her to because she even called
Rue Prim. They were both so fragile and innocent.
Overall, this book was one of the best I have ever read! It had
a great plot and the characters were different and amazing! I fell in love with
Katniss immediately because she was portrayed as strong and courageous. I loved
how you never knew what was going to happen because things turned around so
fast. I could not put it down and I am proud to say that it was well worth
staying up until three one night to finish it. I loved how amidst all of the
fighting and death there still remained a love story, even if it is a bit complicated
now. I definitely am team Gale. That brings up the dislikes, I really did not
like Peeta. I still can’t place my finger on why exactly, but I’m just not a
huge fan. Maybe it’s because of the close relationship Gale and Katniss have
already or the fact that they are more similar. I also didn’t like how the game
makers manifested their own disasters throughout the game. Things like the
forest fire, and the big animals that attacked Cato. This really bothered me because
it was complete cheating! I mean seriously, you already threw 24 kids in to
fight to the death and you still feel the need to interfere even further? Yet again,
that was another think I liked about the book: the emotion it brought out of
me. One minute I was happy, the next I was sad and then a chapter later I would
be livid. All in all, the book kept me
on my toes and I was always left at the end of a chapter wanting more. (That hasn’t
happened since I read Vampire Academy) Honestly, I would recommend this book to
anyone who has the reading level to comprehend it. I think that they would need
to be able to experience all different types of emotions that this book throws
at you. I would also recommend it to people who enjoy to keep guessing, because
I continually had to guess at how things would unfold. Do yourself a favor,
read the Hunger Games, it is well worth your time!
Ps. The movie is fantastic! Even though I missed some snip
bits because I dozed off around one.
