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The Hunger Games, written by Suzanne Collins in 2008, is an action filled thriller including themes of social inequality, love and rebellion. It centers around Katniss Everdeen, a fiery independent sixteen-year-old girl and her time in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a punishment and forever reminder from the Capitol, the rulers of Panem, for the war during the dark days. The result being that every year, they reap one girl and one boy from each of the twelve districts to fight to the death for the entertainment of the Capitol. It shows the power of the Capitol and their reign over the districts. Suzanne Collins shows social inequality in her book, by setting the home of the heroine Katniss Everdeen in District Twelve, the district of coal and the poorest of all the districts where people keel over every day from starvation. At the start, we see Katniss Everdeen as head of the family as she is forced to feed her mother and little sister, Prim, by hunting illegally in the woods to keep her family alive. This is where she learns her talent with the bow and arrow which saves her life many times. After her father’s tragic death in a mining accident the weight of head of the family falls upon Katniss’s fragile shoulders at the age of just eleven as her mother slips away into a state of sadness and mourning. When Primrose Everdeen’s name is called at the reaping, sixteen-year-old Katniss valiantly takes her sister’s place in the Hunger Games along with Peeta Mellark, the baker’s son, the other tribute from district twelve. During the Games, Katniss and all the other tributes are faced with social inequality as the Game makers of the Capitol, cruelly force them to fight to the death. Suzanne Collins shows a theme of love in this book, as seen when Katniss volunteers for her sister in the Hunger Games. She can’t let her sister, only twelve years old, gentle and loving be brutally beat to death in the violent Hunger Games. Katniss enters the Hunger Games, determined to win for her sister she loves so much. Love is also presented between Peeta and Katniss, first seen in Peeta’s first interview before the games, when he openly declares his love for Katniss. Haymitch, Katniss and Peeta’s surly, drunk mentor tells Katniss that this love is all an act to get sponsors from the audience in the Capitol, but Peeta seems to actually be in love with Katniss. However, Katniss throws this comment away, as she thinks this is all an act to keep them alive. The Capitol audience is so believing of this act of love from the star-crossed lovers from District Twelve, that ... [Spoiler removed...read the book to find out!]. Finally, Suzanne Collins shows a key theme of rebellion in the Hunger Games. This is seen throughout the whole book, as Katniss enters illegally into the woods every day, to feed her family, but also defying the Capitol. Suzanne Collins shows a big moment of rebellion right at the end of the book, with the act with the berries... [Spoiler removed...read the book to find out!]... But Katniss is the spark of the rebellion. The girl on fire. I think the Hunger Games is a really great book, as it is very gripping and keeps you turning the pages. Every chapter ends on a cliff hanger, keeping it tense and exciting. Suzanne Collins really makes the characters come alive as she writes in the first-person narrative, as if she really is Katniss. It has a good plot line which moves at a good pace to keep it gripping. I think a good age rating for this book is 11 and upwards as it does have a lot of violence in it, but it is also a good size book which you can read quickly, and it is easy to get into! I think the Hunger Games is a really good book, which is very enjoyable to read!
Reviewed by R.White, 9GR |
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