‘Hunger Games’ Book Trilogy Celebrates Freedom, Smaller Government
by Madeleine McAulaySuzanne Collins’ series “The Hunger Games,” which will soon see the release of a major film adaptation, is captivating the minds of teenagers and adults around the world. Collins’ unique style has made for an excellent series, appropriate and entertaining for all ages. But after reading and loving all three books, I have to wonder, are the books simply creative fiction, or are they a prediction for the future?
“The Hunger Games” trilogy is based in a country named Panem, which is located on the ruins of North America. Within the country of Panem there are two types of societies, the tyrannical Capitol and the twelve districts.
The Capitol of Panem is the perfect exhibition of power and sheltered opulence. The citizens are rich, well fed, and stocked with everything nice. But while the Capitol is throwing their big parties and buying expensive goods, the districts surrounding them are working hard to fulfill the Capitol’s every need, leaving them with next to nothing.
The twelve districts of Panem are full of misery, poverty, and food shortages. Each of the districts has an assigned duty by the Capitol, from agriculture to coal mining; they work hard and suffer to provide their designated good. The citizens of the districts live within the tyrannical laws of the Capitol, and if they ever decide to break the law, they are sure to pay. The Capitol strives every day to remind the people of the districts that their reign is supreme, and one of their favorite torture devices is the annual Hunger Games.
Every year the Capitol goes around to each of the districts to select two teenagers to fight ’til the death. With 24 in the beginning, only one will win–well, usually, that is.
This story’s Hunger Games had a few twists and turns in it, and they were not set up by the Capitol. Katniss and Peeta, district twelve residents, decide to give the Capitol a run for their money in this year’s Hunger Games. They are tired of the constant oppression and refuse to be pieces in the Capitol’s game. When the Capitol gets a hint of Katniss and Peeta’s plan, they react and turn their lives into a living hell, triggering a complete rebellion in the process.
Many people disregard the fact of how political the “Hunger Games” series is. But when you look at the full picture Collins displays, it is impossible not to see the political trend. Throughout all three books there is a constant battle of tyranny verses freedom.
There is no word on Collins’ political views, but it is obvious she has distaste for government control. She makes it clear that the only way the characters can have freedom is to overthrow their big government machine. I find it hard to believe the books are only coincidentally based in the ruins of America. Could Suzanne Collins be hinting she believes the country’s current trends will lead to an economic collapse?
America’s current situation is one that is leading towards government domination, and though we are not even close to the extremities of “Panem,” it is hard not to imagine what lies ahead. It is gloomy to think of the possibilities of the future, yet refreshing to know that one of the world’s most popular books (and soon to be movies) are ones that actually go against the liberal agenda of larger government influence.
I urge everyone to read this book and to dig deeper. Whether you’re looking to just escape for a while or are in need of some political motivation, “The Hunger Games” is sure to please.
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55 Comments
So it's Twilight meets Battle Royale with a splash of 1984.
I do believe "Panem" == "bread" in Latin. Yes: "panem et circenses" is "bread and circuses".
I read these books and really enjoyed them. It was sort of a mix between "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" and "The Running Man". Sounds like a weird combination, but the books were very easy reads.
There are 3 things missing from the movie based on the trailers and pictures
1) accents: When the author reads in the voice of Katness there is an Appalachian twang. This makes it difficult to create a fancy accent for the capital. I know Jennifer Lawrence does a pretty good hillbilly because of "Winter's Bone."
2) Madge Undersee: In the books there is no need to explain why a pin that could "feed a family for a month" was given to Katness. In the trailer her little sister wears the pin.
3) Hungry Children: In the stills for the movie Peeta is a young adult. Couldn't the director find any skinny children in Appalachia? The movie was filmed in North Carolina.
yes.
While "The Hunger Games" is probably the most popular right now, there are a lot of post-apocalyptic totalitarian society books and series out there for young adults: Matched, Wither, Legend, Roar. It's become a popular sub-genre (thank God for anything that doesn't involve vampires!) I wonder if it is because it gives youth a sense of empowerment that they can be an influence against tyranny and do not simply have to endure it. I recently had the opportunity to meet Phillip Riteman, a Holocaust survivor who speaks in high schools, and I was struck by the thought that these sorts of books can help reinforce the idea of "never again."
It is NOT Twilight. Yes, there is romance and a love triangle, but Peeta is NOT a creepy controlling stalker and Katniss is not a pathetic codependent waif.
Suzanne Collins wrote the first script and has been heavily involved in casting and filming. If the author is happy with the result, I think we will be, too.
The book was a good one, but movies never live up to the book, and I gave up hoping they would a long time ago. I may see this, I most likely won't, because you know there will be a leftist sucker punch or two, in the movie, that never existed in the book.
You cannot support people like Gingrich, Romney, or Santorum while dumping on Ron Paul and then say you are for "smaller government".
But that just mirrors one of the trends in adult science fiction. Post-apocalyptic stories that pit the protagonists against the strong man in charge have been quite popular for quite some time. Stories like A Boy and His Dog, Logan's Run, the Mad Max movies, and The Book of Eli.
I read these books under duress–two of my sisters badgered me into it. Very glad I did. I'm not sure why they're classified as 'young adult' except perhaps as a marketing ploy. They story and philosophical content are much more carefully constructed than another YA libertarian SF novel: "The Girl Who Owned a City." The style is so weird–I've never been able to get through another book written like this, especially the horrible beatnik books, but it grew on me. She makes it work, somehow. Both of my sisters disliked the third book, but I thought it was the payoff. I didn't much like Katniss as a character, even while admiring her, but her choice at the end was perfect. I hope rather than expect that the movie will be as excellent, but I'm willing to gamble $11 on the question, an ever more rare state of affairs. I only saw four movies in the theatre last year, an all time low. (sigh)
I really enjoyed the first two books, but the conclusion was a terribly written, strident anti-war screed (the whole thing is a lefty sucker punch) where many important events happen off-page and you are told about them later. It's just awful.
N'ah, they got most of the kids from Charlotte.
Isn't Logan's Run a little twist on that, because one of the people "in charge", the Sandman, Logan 5, ends up becoming a runner. I guess the computer could be the strong man in charge, but the presence of the computer isn't as prevalent as Lord Humongus, The Toecutter or Carnegie.
Not really. Twilight's main focus is the romance. Hunger Games main focus is the rebellion of the masses against corruption.
I read all the HG books. Made it though the first Twilight and never picked up another.
But at least there are no sparkly vampires.
My daughters got me to read these and they're not too bad concept-wise. The main drawback for me is that they are meant for teen girls/women and because of that a huge amount of time is spent detailing clothing and feelings rather than more interesting things like weapons and action.
And YES, no sparkly vampires thank God!
True though the computer is a little more present in the book if only to show that the route to Sanctuary goes through those places where the computer has already broken down and, of course, you have Francis as representative of the computer's iron fist.
Battle Royale was one bad-ass manga, they made a live action last year.
I just read the books last week and really enjoyed them. I agree that we can probably anticipate a sucker punch here or there, though. If I remember correctly, the premise is that Panem was initially conceived after most of the world's population was wiped out by wars and climate change. It's pretty much a certainty that we'll all be whacked on the nose with that particular rolled-up newspaper. Even so, there is also plenty of material the focuses on how the predatory Capitol foments all kinds of popular Lefty causes, like gun control, class warfare, socialism, and government control of the media.
My daughter also told us about this series, and both I and my husband (both in our 60s) read them and enjoyed them all. We're looking forward to these movies to see how close they stick to the books. Our conversations about this series usually deal with how our young people today are so easily able to see a future where they will have to fight against their own government. I think that's the more important thing – - – could it happen?
The reward for winning is opulance given by the "government" and becoming a spokes person for the government. So its like becoming a friend to the Obama administration and being given riches in return for your allegiance.
Sounds like Panem = North Korea. I can guess the eventual outcome for both and it is really not good for those in power.
So it's a Hairy Running Man?
I prefer my Vampires to be Bladian..
I wouldn't bet the farm on Collins being at all for limited government int he way we conservatives see it. Most writers tend to be card carrying Democrats. They tend to write these post-apocalypic stories and in their heads it was the conservative, right-wing fascists who destroyed a beautiful liberal America full of freedom and love. I don't know her obviously, I could be wrong, and it would be nice if I was, but history says otherwise. Anyway, it is a great series, hard to read because it's so dark, but full of action. Highly recommend.
I'm truly sorry to do this to you, ragnarok4msm…but the live-action Battle Royale was released in 2000.
Unless you are referring to the 3D re-release in 2010, I am unsure of what other live-action version you are referring to.
They are YA because of the age of the heroine too. Also, YA has (believe it or not) a longer shelf life than adult fiction. One of my favorite authors (of adult and YA) said he doesn't write much adult fiction anymore because his YA books stay on the shelves longer and adults read them anyway.
I can support Bill Clinton and say I'm for "smaller government" if I want to and be completely consistent. Because his efforts were "smaller" then Obama's. The fact that you think some ideological market is "cornered" by Paul just speaks to the populist nature of his "movement", that THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BUT RON PAUL AND ONLY HE CAN ANSWER OUR PROBLEMS. Think with your head, not with your Ron Paul newsletter, neopopulist.
Paul, excluded when the right talks about shrinking government it's never the apsects that would decrease our every expaning police and surveillance state like ending the failed war on drugs, getting rid of the patriot act or increased incursions into the fourth amendment but rather things that some people need like medicare and social security.
So "onward welfare state, goodbye police state" is your rallying cry? Wouldn't the shrinking of the exorbidant amount of resources allocated to entitlements create a "smaller government"? Does the fight against regulation and heavy handed bureaucracies not count as a fight against the "police state" to you? You act like there are people out there with t-shirt's and bumper stickers supporting the "war on drugs". Your reality again is fixed and determined with whatever the neopop literature is advocating.
1.) It's Hollywood. 2.) Peeta is a baker's son, and described in the book as very strong & healthy.
and 13 years old when he accidentally dropped the bread in the fire.
Does he look 13 here? http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4278697728/tt1392170
2010, but I didnt know about it till 2011. lol
"Most" writers? No, just the loud ones.
At least one publisher is notorious in SF circles as "that bunch of right wing militaristic wackos" – Baen.
Despite the fact that they have a self-professed (and damned smart) Trotskyite on board as one of their main authors. Despite the fact that they are the only publisher that seems serious about giving out free samples (entire books!! Unencumbered by DRM!) – though oddly they do it because it makes them money.
You People just don't get it. What kind of human beings have we become where we will watch a movie , or read a book about children hunting down and killing other children. Just a book or just movie you say? Really. What about the feminist elements of the books and movie. The strong female character and the clueless incompetent male character she faces off against in the end. This doesn't sound like a conservative plot to me . If this were to happen in reality how long do the female characters survive? Not long. To try and apply political viewpoints to someone with a mind as demented as Suzanne Collins is ridiculous. Remember she had to think this stuff up, and put on paper. Hollywood putting this on film is no surprise, they are the worlds capitol of dementia. Don't waste your money on this.
Don't forget David Brin's The Postman that didn't have any justice done to it when it was turned into a movie.
I've never actually seen the movie version but I did think the original short story was better than the novel.
If we're going to get into post-apocalyptic novels I have to mention one of my favorites, Fallen Angels by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, and Michael Flynn. It proposes a dystopian future in which the Greens have taken over the government and maintain a slavish devotion to the global warming agenda despite the fact that doing so is just making things worse.
Swan's Song by Robert R. McCammon. In my opinion a novel that deserved more notice then it received when it came out. I love that book and have since reading it in the late 80s.
I dunno. SOme movies are better then the book: Forest Gump is one and Princess Bride is another.
I don't support Ron Paul because of his views on the middle east and Israel. So I can easily support someone else and still have the opinions I have – it isn't hard to do.
Robert Jordan did that in his Wheel of Time series. Of course he does have a big female fan base…
Most writers? I find that it is pretty evenly split between conservatives and liberals. Of course you always have the odd duck, Like Orson Scott Card who is a democrat but hates the current democrat party. He also talks against homosexual rights and the like. But there are plenty of conservative writers, believe it or not.
So Lord of the Flies is on the BAD list too, eh? Do you have any other arbitrary criteria to disqualify a work from artistic merit?
As much as I'd like to rave about Battle Royale, that book/manga/movie is a tragic horror strait through. The Hunger Games is an entirely different direction and tone when it comes to its story.
That and I'm told its street ahead of Twilight, but the latter could be put to shame by 90% of all children's books before moving into other adult novels.
hahgahahahahahahahahaha! Oh man, you can't make this stuff up!
Man hunting man is not a new plot line by any means. "The Most Dangerous Game", published in 1924, was the inspiration for many future screenplays. The Van Damme masterpiece :~) "Hard Target" is one example.
Children hunting children is not new to this plot line either. Japanese author Koushun Takami wrote a novel titled "Battle Royale" which was published in 1999. The novel is set in a dystopian society and focuses on 42 students in a junior high school class that have been chosen to participate in a government project known as the Program. The kids are taken by the government and dropped off in a undisclosed location (this class is sent to an island) and told they must kill each other until only one is left. They are each given a survival bag and they each wear a deadly collar that keeps the officials very close.
As greaterajax mentioned, there is also the more well known "Lord of the Flies".
The characters in HG are fighting against a totalitarian government that has starved and taken away the freedoms of the people in their society. Most conservatives I know would fight against this type of tyranny as well.
What's artistic about kids killing other kids?
You miss my whole point. I am asking what type of person can consider this to be entertaining? Hollywood doesn't get better, it gets worse with each movie it produces. They create perversity , and call it art.
Katniss, at 16, is an very good, though illegal hunter and quite skilled with the bow and arrow.
Forcing the children "tributes" to participate in the games is puniment for District 13's rebellions and to demoralize the population against further rebellion. Though I think such games would incite rebellion nto deter it, that is the rule of the novel(s).
Just finished "The Hunger Games." It was pretty obvious the protag was going to win, but I was hoping the conflict would be racheted up by Katniss and Peeta being pitted against one another. The author's hand shows itself by changing the rules of the Game.
For such grim content matter, I found some characters and their names to be a little too cartoonish, which made the story a little less serious in part 1. But that may be because the target audience is younger people.
Good book though. I haven't gotten the other two, but I have a feeling that was the last Hunger Game the Capital puts on.
Actually, there's one more Hunger Game.
So it's not *just* a rehashing of Battle Royale?
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