The Hunger Games Vs. The Literary Canon

The Hunger Games v. The Literary Canon

The Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins and published in 2008 by Scholastic Corporation is the first novel in The Hunger Games trilogy. The story surrounds a young teenage girl, Katniss Everdeen, who lives in post-apocalyptic North America, called Panem,with her younger sister, Prim, and their mother. In Panem every year there are games in which each of the twelve districts must yield one boy and one girl to participate in a fight to the death. Katniss volunteers in place of her younger sister and is thrown into a world of fight or flight and has to learn to survive along with Peeta Mellark, the male tribute from District 13. This type of novel, a dystopian, science-fiction novel, has thought-provoking

Although there is some violence for younger students, the concepts and politics are good for students of all ages to analyze and interpret and apply to our society. Katniss is a very relatable character and her point of view keeps the readers in the center of the action. Her emotions surrounding being caught in the middle of a false relationship between her and Peeta keep the readers in suspense which is really engaging for students. A book like this will encourage students to read more and may motivate them to reach for literary works they might have otherwise not consider

Katniss sees the injustice in this system and wants to change it. She finds her opportunity through the nationally broadcasted games. The novel as a whole highlights the theme of sacrifice through the actual games and the sacrifices made by each character to survive. Each District has to sacrifice one male and one female to participate in the games to keep the country reminded what the Capital is capable of. Katniss sacrifices her own safety and security and potentially her life in place of her sister in the games which shows her deep love for Prim and her bravery to exemplify that love. In the games Katniss makes an ally from District 11, Rue, who is a young girl, reminds Katniss of her sister and she feels that she needs to help keep her alive. Covering Rue’s body in flowers after her death is a significant defiance against the government. This shows the country that the children, who are forced to kill each other in the games, are actual people with families not pieces in a game to entertain the Capital. Later in the games when Katniss and an injured Peeta are waiting in a cave and the gamemakers provide the tributes with the much needed supplies to draw the tributes out, Katniss risks her safety and survival to obtain the medicine to save Peeta. At the very end of the games when only