The Hunger Games: Should We Focus on the Book or the Brilliance? | Teen Ink

The Hunger Games: Should We Focus on the Book or the Brilliance?

February 5, 2015
By annycs13 GOLD, Davis, California
annycs13 GOLD, Davis, California
12 articles 12 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The less you reveal, the more people can wonder.."



-Emma Watson


Many people are against the series, The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, because the main point of the story is kids killing kids.  But honestly, is that really the whole point of the story?  I mean, the whole point of the war they fight against the capitol is to stop the games, to stop kids from killing kids. 


Most people seem to focus on how Collins has taken a 16 year old girl, and turned her into some killer by entering her in these barbaric games.  I know my father is fully against the series because he thinks the whole idea is revolting.  And maybe it is in some ways, but you have to remember, this isn't reality.  This is just a story.  A story that one person, one person came up with on her own.  Yes, the whole world she came up with is actually quite brilliant and mind blowing.  She came up with this whole idea where the world has deteriorated because of our economy and we've had to split ourselves into these districts to survive.  She's made it so each district has some speciality that they focus on.  Their work goes to the other districts and into the capitol.  The capitol is a flamboyant, bright and beautiful place, with a great president who rules with an iron fist.  Some people seem to be in total denial of all the poverty in the outer districts with their frilly clothes, and special drinks to help them throw up. 


Yes, now all of this seems harsh and completely dystopian, and who would want their kid to read a book like this and think that this was okay?  Nobody, but think about it.  The president has to be harsh and remind people who's in charge or else they would just end up polluting the world even more and pretty much destroying it just as we had.  Collins has made this whole government and history that works and that is actually pretty buyable.  She has designed this whole world with a well developed plot and some great imagery for her districts and the Capitol. 


In Mockingjay, which I must say is my favourite book in her trilogy, I think that the whole compound that they've set up in District 13 is amazing.  The training of soldiers, the housing units, and their organized system.  I think that the whole thing is brilliant and very cleverly done.  I mean, remember, this is written by one person, and one person came up with this world.  A world that honestly works and is well functioning up until Katniss comes in.  I know most people just focus on either the good —whether or not Katniss will end up with Peeta or Gale, whether or not she'll win or Prim will survive — or the bad — kids killing kids, the cruel poverty in District 11 and 12, Peeta's torture — and sometimes when a person focuses too much on those points, it can distort their views and make them biased. 


I think that the people who hate the idea of the Hunger Games should really take a step back, and think about all the points of the story, and not just focus on the bad and how it could influence the world.



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This article has 1 comment.


catty98e GOLD said...
on Feb. 18 2015 at 3:37 pm
catty98e GOLD, Spring HIll, Kansas
12 articles 0 photos 42 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I'm a freak, I've been a freak my whole life. I just have to live with it, you know. I'm just one of those people. I'm not going to change the way I think or the way I feel to conform to anything."
-John Winston Lennon (1940-1980)

This is wonderful. I love it. I totally agree with it all the way. Collins' father was in the military and she wrote the Hunger Games to expose children to war and what really goes on behind the battle lines. Great job.