Hunger Games Book Review (RD)

Rough Draft of Introduction

The setting takes place in a nation known as Panem, sometime in the future. The once thriving United States no longer thrives and a form of government cruel to its people has arisen. People are separated and put into districts, where they are limited of food, water, and shelter. Young children are sent out to provide food for their families, as is the situation of the main character Katniss, and failing in doing so can result in starvation for the whole family.

Power is obviously the main theme of the book. After putting down a rebellion put forth by the thirteen separate districts of Panem (and destroying the thirteenth district), the Capitol created the Hunger Games to take place each year. How the Hunger Games works is that they choose one boy and one girl from each district (both children) from a box full of names. The result is a number of twenty-four children put in an arena to fight to the death until one is left. The reasoning behind the games is to remind the people of the districts how powerful the Capitol is and how they can kill them in an instant by taking their children away. It works because the Games have put enormous fear upon the people of Panem and even though the games take place once a year, the fear it brings is present year round.

The government has made the situation into an Olympic like scenario, in which they hold festivals for the Hunger Games when truly, the people of Panem despise of it. Unfortunately, any word of resentment coming out of the mouths of the people of Panem and they will be immediately executed publicly, to set an example of what can happen to others:

“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” (pg. 18).

8. Pick a character that interested you and write about them in depth. You can also analyze a relationship between two different characters.

             

In The Hunger Games, the main character Katniss stands out not only because she is also the narrator of the book but because of the distinctive and unique characteristics she exemplifies throughout the Hunger Games. Katniss was a key part in giving hope to not only her twelfth district, but to all of the people of Panem. Her diminutive acts of rebellion against the Capitol that started ever since she volunteered for the Hunger Games to take the place of her weak younger sibling, Prim, play key to what can eventually lead to a second rebellion against the Capitol.

            

 Katniss also demonstrates many characteristics not seen by any ordinary sixteen year old. She demonstrates leadership and self-perseverance that plays an important role to her and her family’s survival.

Book Review: Hunger Games Part II

After finishing reading the second and last part of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, a big reoccurring theme integrated throughout the book is once again, Power. In the first half of the Hunger Games, I discussed in my previous post the manipulations the Capitol (the totalitarian government of Panem) have put forth upon its people how evident the theme of power is in the book. After reading the second half of the book, the theme of power is still evident but a new theme, Love, is integrated in the book.


Power is obviously the main theme of the book. After putting down a rebellion put forth by the thirteen separate districts of Panem (and destroying the thirteen district), the Capitol created the Hunger Games to take place each year. How the Hunger Games works is that they choose one boy and one girl from each district (both children) from a box full of names. The result is a number of twenty-four children put in a arena to fight to the death until one is left. The reasoning behind the games is to remind the people of the districts how powerful the Capitol is and how they can kill them in an instant by taking their children away. It works because the Games have put enormous fear upon the people of Panem and even though the games take place once a year, the fear it brings is present year round.


The main character, Katniss, puts a twist to this year’s Hunger Games. When her younger sister is chosen to take place in the Hunger Games, she knows theres no chance shes coming back out alive. In a split second she heads for the stage to take her sisters place, in which the Capitol agrees to. The people of the twelfth district show a small act of rebellion towards the Capitol when the representative for the Capitol asks for a round of applause for Katniss volunterring:

“I stand there unmoving while they take part in the boldest form of dissent they can manage. Silence. Which says we do not agree. We do not condone. All of this is wrong. At first one, then another, then almost every member of the crowd touches the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and holds it out to me. It is an old and rarely used gesture of our district, occasionally seen at funerals. It means thanks, it means admiration, it means good-bye to someone you love” (24).

Though this simple act might seem meaningless, it is in fact a sign of rebellion against the Capitol, something rarely ever seen ever since the huge rebellion took place before the Hunger Games. Into the Games, we see similar small acts of rebellion by Katniss all throughout the book. Katniss play a big role into opening hope for all twelve districts of Panem. She becomes a favorite to all those watching back home, especially with her daring move towards the end of the book, which got under the skin of those back at the Capitol.

Book Review: Hunger Games Part I

Halfway through the book, The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, a lot of major themes have already popped up out of the book. The setting takes place in an nation known as Panem, sometime in the future. The once thriving United States no longer thrives and a form of government cruel to its people has arose. People are separated and put into districts, where they are limited of food, water, and shelter. Young children are sent out to provide food for their families, as is the situation of the main character Katniss, and failing in doing so can result in starvation for the whole family.
     
Going back to the themes brought up in the book, we can see that the main character demonstrates a theme of Independence and leadership. At the age of fifteen, she has become the head of the family, bringing home firewood, bread, and whatever is available in the black market created in the society made by the government:

“Most businesses are closed by this time on reaping day, but the black market’s still fairly busy. We easily trade six of the fish for good bread, the other two for salt” (pg. 11).

In the black market, Katniss at a young age has to provide food for her younger sister and mom. Without Katniss’s self-preservation and leadership, her family will instantly fall apart.


The book also brings up the theme of government control. Instead of a world where the people make up the voice, the people of Panem are treated like slaves. They are separated into districts and each year, the Hunger Games occur in which a boy and girl from each district enters and fights for their lives until the last one standing. The government has made the situation into a Olympic like scenario, in which they hold festivals for the Hunger Games when truly, the people of Panem despise of it. Unfortunately, any word of resentment coming out of the mouths of the people of Panem and they will be immediately executed publicly, to set an example of what can happen to others:

“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” (pg. 18).

By the looks of things so far in the book, there have been a lot of foreshadowing showing possible themes of love and betrayal while at the same time, anything can happen.