Module 15: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

A.    The Hunger Games details the competition known as the Hunger Games from the title.  Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist of the book, volunteers to take the place of her sister who is slated to represent their district for the games.  She is then thrust into a battle royale where it becomes a game of “kill or be killed” against other children around her own age.  She forms an alliance with Sue and later with Peeta in an attempt to change the nature of the games.  While this seems successful for a time, Sue’s death and the arbitrary rules changes from those in charge of the games nearly force Katniss and Peeta to suicide rather than face the totalitarian government.  While they survive, it is an uneasy victory and one that is likely to be challenged by agents of said government.

B.     Collins, S. (2008). The hunger games. New York, New York: Scholastic Press.

C.     The book reads much like Battle Royale, an adult manga, or Lord of the Flies with a twist.  In this case, it is the adults that force children to act as one might equate with savage behavior.  The book deals with a wide range of adult subject matter and while it is never as graphic as strictly adult material, it often blurs the line.  I can see why this book would be challenged but it is an unusual and somewhat refreshing take on the traditional “teen against society” theme that is present in so many young adult novels.  While I would not directly compare it to classic dystopian literature such as 1984 or Fahrenheit 451, it is nevertheless an adequate foray into making such themes available for the teen/young adult crowd.

D.    “Impressive world-building, breathtaking action and clear philosophical concerns make this volume, the beginning of a planned trilogy, as good as The Giver and more exciting.”

THE HUNGER GAMES. (2008). Kirkus Reviews, 76(17), 941.

“Populated by three-dimensional characters, this is a superb tale of physical adventure, political suspense, and romance.” –F. Goldsmith

Goldsmith, F. (2008). The Hunger Games. Booklist, 105(1), 97.

E.     Perhaps the best activity here would to ask the kids how far they would be willing to go to protect those they care about.  Much of the story focuses on sacrifice and striving to achieve an ideal in an environment not conducive to such ideas.  I would have each participant write a series of statements about what they most want to protect and what they felt they would be willing to do to protect it if they felt they had to.  It could be largely written or illustrated at whatever preference the student had.