A Deep and Frightening Truth: The Hunger Games

(I know the format is weird; it wouldn't let me post it the way I actually wrote it. Sorry!)

Written By: Hannah Jackson

Acc. English 11

A Deep and Frightening Truth: The Hunger Games

Blood, gore, intensity that sets you on the edge of your seat, and some complicated romance that makes readers want to know what will happen next, The Hunger Games has it all. The Hunger Games is fraught with symbolism, so much so that each major,and some minor, characters Collins has chosen to include can stand for something much greater than just epic characters for a good read. For many parents though, The Hunger Games poses danger and even a threat to their kids and teens. Adults decided that the best way to be rid of a high likelihood of rebellion, or consistent nightmares, The Hunger Games was put up on the Top Ten Most Challenged books, having about 348 attempts to be banned from school libraries and curriculum due to being “…unsuited to the age group, sexually explicit and too violent” (myhungergames.com). There is a deeper meaning within The Hunger Games; a truth that adults and our government itself fear because of the spark it could ignite within the people of the world, possibly causing a downfall for everyone.

Katniss Everdeen, the main protagonist and slight pessimist that stands in the spotlight of The Hunger Games, should be introduced. From the very beginning, Katniss shows that she is a survivor; it is in her blood. She hunts to provide for her family along with her friend, Gale. They both sneak their profits from hunting to keep their families fed. Both kids are from a very poor area and can hardly scrape by, especially since both Katniss and Gale’s fathers are dead from tragic accidents that occurred in the mines. It is not until Katniss’s younger sister, and only sibling, Prim, gets drawn for the Games, a live fight-to-the-death-and-sickeningly-glamorized annual show, that she does the unthinkable; she volunteers to take Prim’s place in the Games… to die. Now, this is when Katniss begins to be seen as either completely stupid, or fiercely courageous. As the plot-line progresses, things are still twisted and violent, the darkness of the player’s hearts unable to hide in the Games. Katniss starts to see some extremely disturbing and grotesque things within minutes of being in The Arena (Collins 150). She begins to develop a fire within her, spreading it out to the audience of The Hunger Games as well.

“Then I remember Peeta’s words on the roof. ‘Only

I keep wishing I could think of a way to… to show the Capitol that they don’t

own me. That I’m more than just a piece in their Games.’ And for the first

time, I understand what he means.” (236)

She becomes a beacon of hope, striving to win the Games so she and her new accomplice and friend, Peeta, can go back home and live in whatever shred of peace they are able to hold to. Katniss’ defiance toward the Capitol unknowingly sends a spark flying into her civilization, starting a fire that cannot be stopped by anyone. Though, she does not see, or even want to acknowledge, how much influence she has throughout The Hunger Games trilogy, which tended to frustrate many readers, (thehungergames.co.uk). In the end, Katniss seems to be able to grasp her audience so well because she brings out something that is inside all of us; the will to fight for survival, the courage to protect those we love, and the hope that someday things will be better in the world. Thus, her strong character, even with all her weak-links, makes her so realistic; the real world seems to have a fear that The Hunger Games will, in their own way, start a true rebellion against other governments. This brings me to our aforementioned character.

Gale Hawthorne, a strong, silently angry teenager who hunts alongside Katniss to survive, represents the anger of the people. Gale always vents to Katniss about how angry he is with the Capitol, which is the place where President Snow lives. His father died in a mine accident with Katniss’ dad, and ever since, he has been out hunting to keep his family alive. He met Katniss one day while hunting and, though the two had a rocky start, they started helping one another out, knowing just how hard it was to stay alive as it was.

“And then one day, without either of us saying it, we became a team. Dividing the work and the spoils. Making sure that both our families were fed” (Collins 111).

As Gale began to trust Katniss more with his secrets and his thoughts, he began ranting to her how he wishes he could do something about the Capitol and just how wrong it was. Katniss only listened, not ever agreeing or disagreeing, but thinking it was pointless to try because of the balance in power. Gale thinks otherwise though; he is continuously thinking of ways of escape or ways to save their families from all the evil the Capitol was conducting.

“On other days, deep in the woods, I’ve listened to him rant about how the tesserae are just another tool to cause misery in our district. A way to plant hatred between the starving workers of the Seam and those who can generally count on supper and thereby ensure we will never trust one another”

(Collins 14).

He remains a furious teenager throughout almost the entire Hunger Games series, eventually becoming a leader of a secret military that is discovered in book three of The Hunger Games; Mocking Jay. Gale also adds some tension in The Hunger Games because he is Katniss’ second love interest, one that she kind of wants to choose due to the fact that the two have known each other for a long time. The only thing stopping their romance is Katniss’ fear of having children who would have to enter The Games, and she does not want that. The other thing stopping them from possibly being together is Peeta, who had to survive The Games with Katniss, as well as Gale having a rough edge about him. Gale accurately describes just how angry our nation can become, as well as how difficult it is to make certain choices for the greater good of those you love.

Now enters Peeta Mellark, Katniss’ partner during The Games, who later becomes a very good friend of hers; also a love interest. This character in The Hunger Games is someone who tended to draw people to him without ever trying. Katniss, throughout the entire Hunger Games series, is constantly dumbfounded by the way Peeta can say such few words with such perfection, that people instantly clung to every word.

“He has the audience from the get-go, though; I can hear them laughing, shouting

out. He plays up the baker’s son thing, comparing the tributes to the breads

from their districts. Then has a funny anecdote about the perils of the Capitol

showers. ‘Tell me, do I still smell like roses?’ he asks Caesar, and then

there’s a whole run where they take turns sniffing each other that brings down

the house.” (138)

Peeta and Katniss, though sometimes tense around one another, make an incredible team. Katniss is Peeta’s strength and fight, while Peeta stands as Katniss’ speech and, in a way, he is her etiquette. They work together and, unbeknown to them, they send a spark throughout Panem that is instantly starting up a blaze that they can no longer control; not even for their own safety. This also resembles our nation in a strong way; there are many citizens out there who have an amazing grasp on speech and with only a few strong facts and a smile, people just might believe all of it and follow as well. Peeta also symbolizes our thoughts and hopes, searching for better times in this life. The thing that distinguished Peeta was how, even though he was not a physical fighter, he knew how to battle with words, urging Panem to stand for what was right. Even with everything Peeta went through before and after The Games, he never truly changed; he remained himself which insulted the Capitol in its own way.

 “… I’m more than just a

piece in their Games” (Collins 142).

Last is Primrose Everdeen, Katniss’ twelve year old sister. This young character is the one Katniss volunteers to go into The Games for, a minor character who indirectly helps set a huge movement into motion. When Katniss courageously takes Prim’s place in The Games, the future of Panem seems like it will be the same it has always been; that is, until Katniss and Peeta win The Games. Prim, who had watched every moment of the horribly televised slaughter show, is entirely grateful that Katniss returns alive. By the time Katniss returns, Prim is helping their mother with medicines, helping to heal injuries that go anywhere from scratches to extreme burns that happen to townsfolk and miners alike. Primrose is no fighter, which is fairly obvious by Katniss’ description of her.

“Prim’s face is as fresh as a raindrop, as lovely as the primrose for which she was named” (Collins 3).

Prim is a healer, not a killer, and Katniss would do anything to keep her safe. Prim most likely represents the innocence in people, the side that wants to stay away from war and battle itself, but would assist anyone who needed it the moment it was asked of her. She knows that curing people of injuries is all she can do in the twisted world she lives in, and she embraces it completely, knowing it is her calling.

The Hunger Games have had multiple attempts to be banned from schools due to its violence and sexual immorality, therefore causing the trilogy to stand as unsuited for the age group The Hunger Games are meant for. This argument, which was made by many parents and adults, seems silly to other readers, young and old, (myhungergames.com). It is understandable about the violence, but take a look at what is on TV these days, especially when it comes to the news. Violence, war, fighting, it is literally everywhere, even in schools. Bullying is definitely a form of battle, even if it is not physical abuse. Are The Hunger Games inappropriate for the age group they are directed towards? Maybe that is true, but there is a comment from a ten year old on the above mentioned website, sixth and seventh post down, that disagrees with the banning of these books. When it comes to “sexual immorality” in The Hunger Games, there were many arguments against the truth in the statement. It is mentioned that Katniss and Peeta sleep together, but nothing ever happens, and only people who have read The Hunger Games trilogy, would know that for sure. The posed problem seems to mostly be that The Hunger Games are too graphic for most young readers.

These characters, Katniss, Gale, Prim, and Peeta, have the strongest influences when it comes to reading The Hunger Games. Whenever the downfall of humanity comes, and it could be a long way off, or even right around the corner, The Hunger Games illustrates what this nation could possibly become. There is violence everywhere, as well as hatred and unnecessary war. Our governments hold the power to cause things to happen and not to happen, but the revelation that The Hunger Games portrays, may cause fear to those governments. The reason being, The Hunger Games shows a true face of corruption of power, just like in the real world today, and how you see every day in the news and on the streets, just how corrupted our nation has become. Things in our days are tough, and The Hunger Games shows a possibility at how it all could end. Katniss is the stronghold in The Hunger Games, leading a group of rebels into a nearly impossible victory.

“I’m going to be the Mockingjay” (Collins

31).

This is what she decides, becoming the Mockingjay, because the Mockingjay is the standing symbol of rebellion and the battle for their rights as living, breathing people. Today, things truly are not much different; everyone wants to be heard and have the correct rights given unto them. Who says they can’t? That is what causes the fear, to both parents and likely the public as a whole, that the words and beliefs in The Hunger Games trilogy could cause uproar. If this happened, it might get dangerous, and that is what causes such fear. This fear, though, should not be pushed aside; it should be taught in schools.

"If you are looking for something to grip your kids after an orgy of Xbox, The

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is it... Plunge in because this is rip-roaring,

bare-knuckle adventure of the best kind, and destined to be an even bigger hit

than Stephenie Meyer's Twilight.... It would be giving away too much to

describe all the twists this absorbing and morally challenging novel throws up,

but it is a real humdinger that adults, too, would love. In the renewed debate

about why boys aren't reading, The Hunger Games would be the perfect antidote -

if only schools had the wit to choose it for a class reader" (The Times).

The Hunger Games is one of the most brilliantly written series as of late, and the characters, the plot, and the truth, will live on forever in the hearts and minds of those who read it (thehungergames.co.uk).