The Hunger Games; Showing strength from a position of weakness through sacrifice

The Hunger Games is a trilogy of novels written by the American author Suzanne Collins, focusing on youth/adults as the suitable age group. The setting is the dystopian country of Panem, which is what rose from the ashes of what used to be North America. After a series of disasters, natural and manmade, Panem rose with 13 districts all contributing to the Capitol. Although there was an uprising of the districts against the Capitol, 12 were defeated and the 13^th obliterated. This time period is referred to as the “Dark Days”. (Collins, 2008, The Hunger Games: 21) And The Hunger Games were created as a constant reminder of why not to rebel against the superiority Capitol.

The Hunger Games is an event which each district must provide one girl and one boy, tributes, to participate. Tributes are chosen randomly, like a lottery; only “winning” could very well mean death. The age group eligible for participation are from the year you turn 12 until you’re 18, at 12 your name is entered once and twice at 13 and so on. Adding your name more times can be done in exchange for tesserae, which are supplies in the form of grain and oil. Over an undetermined time period, the 24 tributes must fight to death, until one winner is standing. The arena where the event takes place varies from deserts to green forests.

The theme of sacrifice is especially interesting. The poor whom already have given up equallity, free speach and the freedom of roaming, are forced to sacrifice even more to stay alive. Katniss reveals the harsh truth about starvation and how increasing your chances of getting picked at the reaping, is often the only way to survive.   

Katniss which is the protagonist, sacrifices a lot through the novel. She had to sign up for tesserae multiple times, increasing the cumulative effect in the “lottery” and increasing the chances of her name being picked. The biggest sacrifice however, is when her little sister Primrose gets picked as a tribute at the age of 12, without signing up for tesserae. Katniss takes her place, seeing the odds of her survival close to nothing.

For teaching purposes I think it’s important to show the collective sacrifices of the districts as well as the individual sacrifices of Katniss. They don’t have the freedom of speech, or the physical freedom to wander and explore. To provoke these thoughts, I think these while-reading (while-watching) strategies would be appropriate:

How do the conditions vary between the districts? Why are some districts wealthier than others?

What would you do, if your loved ones were in danger of never returning?

Imagine yourself as a citizen of district 12, how would you devote your time if you and your closest are well fed? Would you sign up for tesserae?

Seeing this in perspective to today’s situation (refugee crisis), what would you give up to help others?

  By: Sigve Guttormsen