I feel like there is just so much I could say about The Hunger Games. It was a little slow in the beginning, but once it picked up, I was hooked. Katniss is such a well developed character and I found her very relatable. She seems one way, very cold and tough, but she is still a human who cares deeply for people, such as Prim, Peeta, and Gale. Katniss is a strong, responsible and self-reliant person, but she also has moments where she second guesses herself and is self-conscious, which helped me place her in the world in which I live.
I am not a big fan of books set in the future like this, but I feel that Suzanne Collins did an excellent job making it futuristic, but not overdoing it to the extreme. I think the setting helped created the perfect frame for much of the commentary made about both the media the government. Having it set in the future helped me distance myself from the problems, but also allowed me to relate it back to present day, which makes the novel more meaningful to me.
The way in which the government makes people think that be selected to fight to the death is an honor astounds me. It is interesting to see how different people in various districts feel about the games. Those who are not disillusioned by the glamour see it for what it really is, but those who are conditioned to believe that it is a privilege know of nothing else. This speaks to the how people are raised and the influence that the media can have on their perceptions of events. It is all about control.
One of the questions asked on our agenda asks if Katniss behaves differently in the games because she is aware that she is on live TV. I would say that she absolutely does, just as people do today. The way people act in private, when no one is watching is often very different from how they present themselves in public. Katniss caught on very quick to the fact that kissing Peeta would get her supplies. She knew that their romance would save them. The bigger question is though, is did she actually fall for Peeta, and does he love her in return? Is it just a relationship of convenience or is there something more there? I do think that people may find themselves closer than they would normally because of strange circumstances, which makes me think that maybe their love will end once they get home, but what if that love is strong enough to survive back in District 12? Tragedy and hardships bring people together, which is exemplified by Katniss’ relationships with both Rue and Peeta, but are those bonds broken after the pain fades?
What really kept me reading, and what drives me to read the other books in this series, are the struggles Katniss has to face within herself that are a product of the world she lives in. Katniss is forced to grow up and take responsibilities that someone her age should not be dealing with. She is caught in between the adult world of responsibility and providing for her family, but she is still a teenager. This in between stage, although extreme is this novel, is something that many young people, not just teenagers, feel. They are caught between childhood and adulthood. The Games could be seen as a blessing, because even though it scary and intense, it also allowed Katniss to explore a side of her personality that would have gone unnoticed otherwise. Even though it seems as if the Games just created more problems, there are times when what appear to be problems actually turn out to be something good. I am not supporting the idea of the Games at all, but I am trying to find the silver lining.
After watching this clip, it made me realize how something like this could really happen. War, rebellions and possible loss of power can make the government do crazy things, and after all, those in the government are human too.
